Home sleep aids?

[Losty]

I can't add any more meds to my list. I can't take sleep meds. Alcohol does not help. Every day I'm more exhausted than the last. Even when I sleep, I wake up feeling more tired than the night before. Pain meds are becoming useless as my body is developing an all over ache. You know that ache when someone jerks you awake riiiight when you just slipped into a deep sleep? I feel that way all the time now. Any thoughts on not really how to fall asleep but how to get sleep that actually counts? I slept like 5 hours last night. More than that the night before. Simply sleeping isn't good enough it seems. How do you sleep...better?

[Goosebump]

I think Huffington wrote a book on this.

Couple things I do is crack one of my windows then set my thermostat to kick on a little before my alarm. This keeps the room cooler and cooler, keeping me asleep, and when the heat kicks on I generally wake up.

When was the last time you got a new mattress?

Do you sleep with a pillow? More then one? I'd recommend trying to sleep without any of them, on your belly.

Do you sleep with more then one blanket or under a tucked in sheet? I find I can get tangled up and wake up with aches and pains if I have a tucked in sheet or more then 1 or 2 blankets. I move a bit in my sleep. So I got my own blanket and just sleep on top of the rest.

That's all I have for a "good nights sleep". I also have black-out lined curtains and tip my alarm upside down so the clock and it's light aren't visible.. But that's more for falling asleep.

I still have allot of trouble getting a good nights rest, but I've found these things help some. I sympathize and hope you find relief.

[The Valkyrie]

[brewer]

You mention medications (specifically pain) which can effect sleep. I don't know enough of your medical history to make an educated comment. See your primary physician, if necessary get a referral to a specialist.

[Losty]

I usually sleep between my side and my stomach with my blanket between the front of my body and the bed (fitted sheets only no tucked sheets) so I can snuggle my blanket without it making me hot. I live in a hot place so windows shut AC on. I usually have 2 big fat huge fluffeh pillows. I have asthma and I find sleeping flat makes me feel like I'm suffocating. I could try it though. One night with no pillows. See how it goes...

[Losty]

You mention medications (specifically pain) which can effect sleep. I don't know enough of your medical history to make an educated comment. See your primary physician, if necessary get a referral to a specialist.

Fibromyalgia among other issues and chronic bronchitis/asthma. My health sucks and my doctor won't give me sleep meds. He gave me some advice about turning off all devices but I haven't found it particularly helpful.

[vorlon13]

Dr. Vor prescribes a hot champagne bubble bath (don't imbibe) administered by these guys:

[Edwardo Piet]

All I have ever done is tossed and turned as much as I like, daydreamed about whatever I wanted aimlessly, and sleep has always just been a side effect -- as I child I used to struggle with sleep for years, and what I would do is try very very hard to sleep and try to keep still and control my breathing. I'd try very hard to relax. It never let me relax. I stopped trying and giving a shit and gave up and I've slept well ever since.

...but I've never had the health problems you've had my dear Lostykins, that's the only advice I can help.

For what it's worth I sleep with my head just on the edge of the pilow so I get a pilow to rest my head but only a little bit... I sleep on my stomach and I toss and turn as much as I like. I wrap up warm when I'm shivering but I remove covers or clothing if I wake up hot or dehydrated. I usually wake in the night once just go for a drink or to the bathroom (or both) remove some clothing or covers -- and then get right back in bed, think about random stuff and pretend sleep doesn't even exist and then I wake up hours later after naturally falling asleep again. I just continue where I left off.

It must really really really suck to have sleep problems. The only ones I ever had was when I was a child, and they were all psychological and becasuse I was trying too hard --. Trying to relax never made me relax, but giving up trying to relax and just enjoying the covers and the daydreaming worked. Other than that I've not had sleep problems. I just wish I could help more.

[Jackalope]

I also have suffered from horrible insomnia.

Invest in a very good mattress.
Keep your bedroom cool.
Practice good sleep hygiene.

I can't take most OTC or Rx sleep aids either. You know what tends to work? Benadryl. Might just be me though.

[Goosebump]

I usually sleep between my side and my stomach with my blanket between the front of my body and the bed (fitted sheets only no tucked sheets) so I can snuggle my blanket without it making me hot. I live in a hot place so windows shut AC on. I usually have 2 big fat huge fluffeh pillows. I have asthma and I find sleeping flat makes me feel like I'm suffocating. I could try it though. One night with no pillows. See how it goes...

Can you set your AC to stay "cranked up" throughout the night or perhaps "crank higher" at around 4-5am before you wana get up to make sure you stay asleep then shut off at whenever you wana wake up? 

As for belly sleeping it took me awhile to get use to. I still start out with two pillows and me on my side, once I get sleepy and want to turn I push them away and hope for the best.