[joker]

Lots of good ideas here. Also do a web search on "sleep hygiene" and read up on it if you haven't already. While there may not be a silver bullet there for you, it might at least help a bit along with whatever else you're trying. I learned to meditate a few decades ago during a bout of the sort of insomnia that you describe. It helped. I learned TM (transcendental meditation), but from what I understand the mindfulness method mentioned above should work also. I also learned Tai Chi in that same time period. It seemed to have the biggest effect of all the things I tried. I stopped doing it some years later - too many things to do in one day, but I sometimes wonder if it was one of the wrong things to cut out. I also tried acupuncture - seemed to help. In fact I would tend to fall asleep during the treatments (this at a time when napping during the day was NOT happening any other way). Glad the Lunesta seems to be helping you past the immediate crisis - it is definitely scary to go so long w/o sleep. But you'll get past this - it's possible your sleep will always be sketchy, but you'll get past this catastrophic sort of period. In the meantime, it helps to remember that you do get some rest even just lying down in bed, particularly if you can let yourself let go of the mental attachment to sleeping (easier said than done! but possible.).

[Backpacker Joe]

Thank you everyone, I appreciate the attention to my disorder-ma laze-condition-problem-affliction-insanity!

[cascadetraverser]

Just getting off a late shift and contemplating some ZZZZs myself. Lots of good suggestions above. As noted above, insomnia and anxiety are rampant and super common.... MD supervision and a good sleep study makes sense. Lunesta and its conjeners work but can be addictive so use as only as needed. That said, many people use them regularly and probably are fine (although develop likely some level of dependence if used daily) Benadryl isn`t so bad; it works, isn`t addictive but generally should be avoided if you are over 65. Sleep hygiene is where it is at! Exercise, tire your body (but not too close to bedtime or the endorphins will keep you up). Brain spins and the tension it causes in the body (lots of thinking and perseverating about everything) is probably the most common problem underlying sleep problems (IMO) and can be remedied by mindfulness, meditation or even a mantrum or prayer said over and over to stop the spinning (counting sheep may have some validity!) Avoid caffeine and alcohol particularly late at night. Aim for body/muscular relaxation... nighttime tension release means sleep.....

[Navy salad]

According to Dr Andrew Weil, the two best sleep remedies are melatonin and valerian (not together though). In my experience, these both work well for me, but note that most of these will stop working if used too often. Especially (in my experience) melatonin. One other remedy that also works well (at least if not used too often) is Kava kava.

[joker]

[Backpacker Joe]

Well crap. Thanks Joker.

[meandering Wa]

OP I hope that if your issue has not resolved you make a priority visit to your doctor.

[captain jack]

[Kirt]

I haven't tried this but I know folks that have with success. Link

[nuclear_eggset]

[touron]

I tried counting mountain goats once: one mountain goat, two mountain goats, three mountain goats...eight mountain goats...soon I was almost asleep, but then I got up to twenty mountain goats, and I wasn't sure if the the two dots I was seeing were actually mountain goats even if I squinted. Were both goats? Was one a goat? Were they just small white rocks, or perhaps a tree snag bleached by the sun? With so many goats, and because they were far away, and not all moving, though some were, it was difficult to tell which was a goat and which was not, and which had already been counted. Soon I was wider awake than ever trying to determine precisely how many goats there were. So I do not recommend counting mountain goats.

[Bedivere]

I just stumbled across a tip that made me think of this thread. Soak your feet in warm/hot water for ten minutes right before bedtime. Supposedly it increases blood flow to the feet which pulls blood away from the brain and makes you sleepy. It's probably a pretty relaxing feeling, too. No idea if it actually works but hey, it's drug-free and worth a try! Good luck.

[GrnXnham]

[Brucester]

I've been working the 6pm-4:30am shitft, the weekend rolls around and sometimes all I want to do is sleep, good thing for coffee.

[Dante]

Lots of good suggestions. Exercise works for me. I'm sure having a spouse to snuggle up to helps too. You might look into that Based on our previous conversations about exercise offline, I recommend a power rack with safety pins or spotter arms, a bar, a set of plates and a bench. 30 minutes of intense resistance training a couple hours before bed will help. It's kinda hard to take weights on the road, though...