I've had trouble falling asleep for years...One of the problems I have is a lot of things running through my mind when i'm trying to fall asleep. One of the most effective things i've found is to turn all the lights down in the bedroom and put a yoga dvd in my pc. I have a mat and a yoga strap...I follow the dvd for a while and do some other general stretches using the yoga strap...It's amazing how after about 40 minutes I can feel the thoughts just drain away like I had taken a drug or something. I've also had good luck with natural supplements 5-htp and melatonin..Warning on the supplements though, They don't mix well with a lot of stuff so i'd advise talking to a doc about that.
Hi, katiefaye. Have you spoken to your doctor about this? I have sleep apnea as well as insomnia. I've taken Melatonin (an over the counter item), Rozerem (works well, and is a prescription item), and now I'm taking Tofranil(orescription) to help with my chronic headaches AND insomnia. There is also a brand of antihistamine that helps with sleep, too. Your best bet, again, is to speak with your doctor. Good luck.
Ellen
You should post your question on Dr. Jacob's insomnia site.