Something has been keeping me from sleeping well recently. I am on an anxiety medication that I take every night, but I've been unable to sleep since before I started taking it, so I don't think that it's a side effect. Sometimes I will wake up literally holding my breath, or wake up screaming. I flail around a lot and talk in my sleep. I have night terrors that I never remember but people tell me that I am having based on what I am yelling about while I'm asleep. Sometimes I will wake up feeling like I've stopped breathing. Every single day no matter how long I sleep I wake up feeling exhausted. I have tried over the counter sleep aids, and they either make me really anxious or restless and I can't fall asleep. I know that the best thing to do would be to see a doctor and do a sleep study, but since I'm a temp worker right now, my insurance is really awful and I can't afford the copay. Does anyone have any helpful feedback or suggestions?

i used to have the 'stop breathing' sleep too. i woke up gasping for air. and of course webmd says i got cancer. but i don't have the problem anymore. turns out sleeping on my back causing that. so maybe changing sleep position can help.

try not to reflect on life choices before sleep. you know you won't change a thing tomorrow. so just sleep.

do something so boring that you get sleepy. games, tv, anything. for me, certain games, with cheat. i get so sleepy that i can fall asleep fast.

exercise before sleep. not right before, but a few hours before. a long walk works just fine.

or last resort, have fun in bed. single player or multi player. it helps.

One tip I've learned is to get yourself into a routine. Make all your nighttime activities (brushing your teeth, showering, etc) be done by a certain time every night. Get into bed some time before you want to actually fall asleep, and do some quiet activity, such as reading, until you feel ready to turn off the light and sleep. Having a routine REALLY helps.