Can someone tell me how to do it? I think I've forgotten.

I've been getting worse at going to sleep for about a year and a half and feeling constantly exhausted gets to me. The bags under my eyes have morphed into the collected luggage of a world traveller and by the end of the year I'm sure they'll have taken over much of my face. I think I'd be generally be much happier if I could sleep. I feel like an old person at the moment.

The day before yesterday I made a resolution to stop work after 9.45, 10 at the ABSOLUTE latest, and get into bed by 10.30. It's gone ok so far, except for my housemates being dicks and waking me up three times last night (12.15/5/6.15. GREAT). If they do it once I start waiting for them to do it again and can't get back to sleep. The boy in the room below is nocturnal and although I have to ask him all the time, still doesn't seem to grasp that you JUST DON'T pump bob marley through your massive amps on 11 at 3am.

Other things that are on my mind are work, my future, and so on. I've mentioned it to my mum and she says 'yeah your dad has it too', which is totally unhelpful because it makes me feel like it's natural for me to be like this and that I'll never escape (she's never been good at giving advice, I don't know why I bothered). Sometimes I'll be on a HUGE high and won't be able to sleep, like this week when I did a good presentation, other times I just lie there turning over for hours, feeling too hot, getting up to go to the toilet, half-listening to the radio, having a little cry when I feel like I'll never sleep again.

ANY tips would be gratefully received, anything that helps you get to sleep. I've tried a lot of stuff but GOD I need to sleep, I feel like such a wreck. I wondered about some kind of prescription sleeping pills but I don't know anything about them and don't like the idea of becoming dependent. One of my housemates mentioned taking antihistamines to make you drowsy? I think I should probably exhaust the available herbal remedies first, especially since I've already been to the doctor twice in the last three months about things that have turned out to be nothing.

Sorry for writing a really long and rather self-indulgent post, but I'm getting a bit desperate. I have no shame in ending this post with HELP ME PLEASE KR.

http://kittyradio.com/soapbox/mental...nia-cures.html

http://kittyradio.com/soapbox/mental...-insomnia.html

http://kittyradio.com/soapbox/mental...leep-help.html

http://kittyradio.com/soapbox/bath-b...you-sleep.html

You might find some good tips in those threads

And don't completely shun the idea of antihistamines or other sleep-inducing meds. You could take one tonight, get a good night's sleep, rise early the next morning, and that would set you off on a regular pattern.

As for the shouty housemates and the Bob Marley person, maybe you could invest in a pair of these?

Thanks, I probably should have searched before posting but I think I needed to vent!

Tonight I am going to stop work at half past nine, take a hot shower, have some hot milk, take an antihistamine. After tea I'm going to take a walk, I think lack of exercise (I sit at my desk all day) probably contributes to my struggle to sleep. Next week I'll go to a health food shop and see what they have to offer, maybe that valerian root thing people seem to be talking about.

And earplugs are my LIFE. But they don't block out bass, which is the main problem with the housemate downstairs. He likes a lot of bass with his reggae (he doesn't seem to realise it makes my floor shake!) But I musn't end up ranting about my housemates, that's not productive.

i have sleeping problems. this past week has been hell and finally had to force myself to saty up all night, all day till i completely passed out. which i still didn't do so till around 1:30am and i know i probably could've done it sooner but i've come to realize that my main problem is anxiety. i can't just lay there and wait to fall asleep, if i do that i start thinking, which leads me to think about things i shouldn't. and i start to worry with all sorts of things swimming around my head. it's usually over stupid stuff like some random conversation i had a couple days earlier and i'll convince myself i came across as some retarded *****, when i reality i probably didn't, but i'm still so sure i did. blah blah blah. i can't handle that so i need to distract myself till my eyes can't stay open any longer and i pass out right there on the spot.

i should prob go to the doctor and ask for a little help. but then comes my problem of actually asking for help when i need it, i can't seem to do it. on top of that, i don't really like taking any medication, not even paracetamol for a headache. i'm also not registered with anyone in this town, so there's that pain in the *** process to do also.

so yeah, there's my rant. sorry about that. my point being... i understand how you're feeling.

wax earplugs not foam.

not worrying about not sleeping is a massive help. even if it drives you mad. any period of insomnia will eventually pass.

ssris or st john's wort are great for sleep.

also find your own placebo