Insomnia: how do you handle it?

[Anonymous]

I’ve had sleep issues on and off for years. I have good “sleep hygiene” and it’s still a battle. I fall asleep easily, more or less, but if I wake up in the middle of the night, I’m usually up for hours. I’ve tried different sleep meds with differing success. I am off caffeine now, but usually only have one cup a day around 7am. I’m not a frequent drinker of alcohol.

How do you handle insomnia? What medication do you take; if any. What do you do when you are awake and want to be asleep?

[Anonymous]

Trazodone and guided meditations to fall back asleep

[Anonymous]

1/4 of an edible and I sleep like a baby.

[Anonymous]

I watch a movie

[Anonymous]

Oh gosh, OP - I am right there with you. When I go through a bout of this, it's so bad - it feels like my brain has forgotten how to sleep. It's been about two weeks of this now.

I deal with it poorly. Sometimes I try to get up and read a book for a while. But usually I put on the TV or radio and just lie there for hours. Sometimes the pets will see I'm awake and come in for extra snuggles - I like that part.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:1/4 of an edible and I sleep like a baby.

Does that really work? I'll have to try!

[Anonymous]

Google bedtime stories for grown ups - will put you right to sleep

[Anonymous]

CBT for insomnia.

[Anonymous]

Progesterone.

[Anonymous]

Gummy

[Anonymous]

5mg melatonin and I'll be asleep in 30 minutes.

[Anonymous]

I have tried several things and still don't have an answer.
-I don't do gummies because I don't want that to be the solution, and then don't want to travel with them. They still aren't legal in all states. And forget about traveling out of the country with them.
-Melatonin gives me terrible dreams.
-Progesterone used to help, but not anymore.
-Benadryl makes me groggy even at a low dose.

I've never heard of using Trazadone for that.

[Anonymous]

I have tried low dose Hydroxyzine which works, but I wonder about the long term ramifications of taking it nightly.

[Anonymous]

ASMR.

I was given klonopin for sleep and it was a nightmare coming off of it. I won't do any sleeping pills ever again.

[Anonymous]

Meditation, it takes a long time to work but I literally have a different brain now. That and CBT for anxiety. CBT-I has a good track record, even if it’s online.

I fall asleep to old comforting shows (like Seinfeld or The Connor’s) on my phone. Just the audio, I put the screen face down.