For the past few weeks I have NOT been able to sleep at all!!!! I will fall asleep at 9pm and wake right back up at 10pm. FOR NO REASON!! And its like that alllllllllllllllllllllllll throughout the night. Sometimes I woke up at 1am, 3am and was up for the rest of the night...Could NOT go back to sleep at all. I have even taken over the counter medicines, I've pretty much tried them all. Some help me fall asleep for maybe 2 hours and then I am right back up again. And then sometimes I take them and it does the opposite...I'll be wired..!!!

I do not have health insurance at the moment and I can not afford to go see a doctor about it at the moment... So I thought maybe I would ask you guys to see if anyone has the same issue and what helps for you??? I am willing to do anything... I cry at night because all I want to do is sllllllllllleeeeeeeeeeeepp!!! I beg and beg my body to just go to sleep...

So please anyone?? Can someone please help me out here?? I want to sleep so badly.... Thank you!

Please ping me so I know someone has responded.

I take magnesium supplements to help me sleep, that might be worth a go for you as well. It is supposed to help decrease cortisol levels(your stress hormone) and can potentially help with insomnia.

oh no lovely, I'm so sorry to hear that ; ; tbh I don't have much experience with insomnia, but a sudden onset of something like this could be stress related, often it's tricky to realise we're stressed about something and so you don't recognise it as the trigger for a flare up. I'm afraid I don't know what to suggest, however, but searching for a possible reason you're unconsciously stressed or worried and trying to tackle that might help?

Aw hun I'm sorry you're going through sleepless nights. I really do know how you feel, I suffer from insomnia, have been for many years, it is a terrible and stressful thing to go through. I've never taken over the counter medication for my sleep problem (long story as to why). One thing I have heard that does help is the SleepQuil by NyQuil. I have yet to try it myself, been wanting to but just never bought it yet, but I hear it works pretty good. If you haven't tried that yet, maybe you can give it a shot and see if it works for you. Other than that, what I would suggest is going to the dr, but only until you can get yourself insurance. Also another thing to try if you haven't already, Melatonin (over the counter). My ex sister in law used to give those to her kids to help them sleep, it worked pretty good for them so maybe that's something to try.

I don't have any helpful advice but I hope you get better.

What over the counter have you tried? Make sure you arent drinking any caffeine during the day :o That can easily mess you up. Any amount, depending on the purpose. Keep your room cold and dark when you lay down. And try not to watch tv and play on the phone if you cant sleep :o Maybe read a book?

I have sleeping medicine from a doctor, but if there ever is a time I dont have it and CANT SLEEP. I would take benadryl (same stuff as zzzzquil) Just benadryl also helps with my allergies!!

GOOD LUCK! I am so sorry you are having trouble. SENDING SLEEPY SHEEPS YOUR WAY! /

I second magnesium... My therapist actually recommended trying it to combat my own insomnia, and it's been working so far.

You can also try melatonin. Both of these, you want to take about 1 or 2 hours before you plan to fall asleep.

Definitely avoid caffeine and alcohol, basically avoid drugs in general but especially caffeine because it really messes with your alertness.

Try to sleep in complete darkness if you can. Make your environment as dark as possible, this is supposed to help signal your body that it's time to sleep.

One thing that puts me to sleep right away, and is OTC, is benadryl (diphenhydramine) - however, this does have negative long-term effects on the brain! So I would actually caution you to avoid this even if it works, or at least be aware that apparently it is bad for you.

Good luck!

Melatonin, magnesium, Olly gummy restful sleep, chamomile tea, lavender... I'm a veteran of insomnia. XD Make the room as dark as you can stand it and as cool as you can stand it. Benadryl can either wire you for sound or knock you out for the night, there is no in between and long term use for a sleep aid is just a bad idea.

As other people have already mentioned; melatonin (I have some gummy ones which are also delicious), dark/cool room. Limit caffeine to morning, if you have any at all.

If you haven't already done this, I recommend making your bedroom a sleep only zone. No electronics. (Or if you use your phone as an alarm clock, make a rule that you're not allowed to play on it.)

If you have pets, I also recommend not letting them into your bedroom with you.

Limit your electronics use in the evening so your brain can wind down, if you can. Alternatively, you might try F.lux. https://justgetflux.com/ Description from their webpage: "[F.lux] makes the color of your computer's display adapt to the time of day, warm at night and like sunlight during the day."

I know it sounds counterproductive, but if you can't get to sleep in 45-60 minutes, get up and do something else for an hour - NOT electronics! A quiet chore is best (to get the energy out), but a book is a good backup option.

If you can, make a regular sleep schedule. Going to bed at the same time and getting up at the same time every day will help your body fall into a pattern.

Don't eat food too late in the evening. Digestion can keep you awake. Give yourself time to digest before you get in bed. Also, avoid sugar later in the day.

This might sound cheesy, but you might try meditation. If there is something that you can't stop thinking about, give yourself some time to think beforehand so you won't be thinking the moment you hit the bed. Sometimes, your brain is so taxed during the day that you have no time to ponder anything ... until you are finally lying down in bed.

Clean bedsheets/blankets can help a lot to make sure you are comfortable. Also, I prefer showering in the evening when I get home from work rather than in the morning so that I go to bed clean.

Try some white noise. I run a fan at night just for the sound. You might also try sleeping with earplugs and an eye mask.

If I remember any other tricks, I'll come back! :)

All of these suggestions in this thread are good tips, but I'd like touch a bit more on meditation.

When I can't fall asleep, or sleep aids fail me, I meditate. The way I do it is: Laying down in bed, think about each body part and relax it, starting from your head. I.E. think about your face and focus on how it feels. Relax your eyebrows, mouth, etc. Now think about your neck/shoulders and how they feel. Relax them. I go over everything and relax myself bit by bit. By the time I'm at my feet, I'm completely relaxed and so comfortable that I fall asleep. Sometimes I fall asleep before I get there! I hope this helps :)