I hate insomnia

[Bogie]

I think I got about two hours sleep last night. Always happens at least once in a week where my work schedule changes.
 
Nothing seems to work. Lights off, sounds off except for the AC. Just lay there and keep rotating...

[RocketMan]

I'm with you.  Insomnia for me last night, as well.  Got an hour sleep at most.  Skipped church because I knew I would be nodding off in the service, even if I was coordinating the tech team.
I don't have it very often, but when I do it screws up the rest of my day.  Fortunately, today is Sunday which I consider a day of rest anyway, so no real loss of a productive day.

[WLJ]

Just tried taking 500mg of Valerian Root for the first time for insomnia last night and I had the first good nights sleep I've had in weeks.
Will report further.
YMMV

Edit: It was 500mg not 1000mg

[RocketMan]

I use Valerian root now and again.  Usually I couple it with a little melatonin and it works pretty well for me.  But last night I realized the problem too late to get any real value from using it.

[Kingcreek]

Just tried taking 1000mg of Valerian Root for the first time for insomnia last night and I had the first good nights sleep I've had in weeks.
Will report further.
YMMV

The original VALIUM Rx was based on extracts from Valerian root. Later synthesized to cheaper, more potent, (and patent-able! ie $$$!) version. The old patents have aged out. Valerian root has good support in the clinical trials and research data and much safer (addiction) than Valium.
Phytotherapy (ie herbs) can not be patented. There is no money to be made, yet there is a long history of successful application and strong evidence of benefit.
20 years ago, this stuff was my professional focus.

I'm currently fighting Covid. Taking St John's Wort because of it's anti-viral properties. It is borderline hallucinogenic in the concentrations needed. No daytime issues but my dreams the past 3 nights have been WILD!

[Perd Hapley]

melatonin

[JTHunter]

For several years, I usually (but not always) take 20 mg of melatonin as well as (but less frequently) 25 mg of diphenhydramine (aka "Benadryl").
If I take the benadryl, I take it about an hour before I go to bed and the melatonin about 30 minutes later.  It enables me to go to sleep in just a few minutes and usually lasts about 5-6 hours.  If I'm awakened due to thunderstorms in the middle of the night, I'm able to go back to sleep very quickly.
Because of arthritis and lower back trouble, I usually take 2-3 of the "8 hour" acetaminophen.  Unfortunately, they only seem to last about 6 hours, at best.

It's hell getting old, ain't it?   

[230RN]

...
It's hell getting old, ain't it?   

Beats the alternative.

I've used most of the above suggestions but I have to vary them.

Been a night owl all my life.  Even as a baby I'd sleep all day and be up all night (mostly).  Drove my mother nuts, especially when when she visited someone and they'd remark "What a good baby, Anne."  because I was sleeping.... daytime.  She mentioned that several times when I was growing up.

I'm not sure what species-adaptive advantage there is to Night Owl-ism except on the general principle that all variations in behavior might be needed someday in the face of a changing environment.  (I'm told that mongrel dogs are generally brighter and stronger than purebreds, and that sounds reasonable, I guess.)

Anyhow, I recently discovered that I was half-clenching my hands when trying to sleep and if I spread my fingers apart and let them stay that way, but allowed them to return to a normal spread-apart situation  instead of half-closed, it was very relaxing.  Unique to me?  I dunno. Maybe there's some adaptive significance to it.  May be Terry gene-specific.

Terry, 230RN

[Declaration Day]

I've been an insomniac for as long as I can remember.  Over the years I've used melatonin, Benadryl, Unisom, ZZZQuil, you name it.  I'd had to alternate as my body built tolerance for each one.  Even with those sleep aids, falling asleep was a process for me. They worked well enough in combination with soothing sleep music in the background, but could not guarantee a full night of sleep for me.

Then, about a year ago, my doctor prescribed Trazadone. It works perfectly, and leaves no lingering morning hangover like Benadryl does. I no longer have to go through my wind-down routine in hopes that I will eventually fall asleep. I wish I'd discovered it 30 years ago.

[Bogie]

My boss' boss moves my schedule around.

[lee n. field]

Benadryl helps.  Melatonin might help.  I find that I need to take it right as I go to bed, then if I feel sleep coming on, don't fight it.  If I fight it, bang, I just stay away, as iiff  I hadn't taken anything.

(Insomnia is a big part of the lead up to Dearest Wifey's periodic "episodes".)

[AZRedhawk44]

Get some sunshine.  Helps with Vitamin D levels.

And get some exercise.

Both things are critical for healthy sleep cycles.