Today’s Featured Question
I’d love to hear what works for others. I am a chronic insomniac, too, and it has taken a toll over the years.
I do know about ‘sleep hygiene’ and have done my best to follow all the rules. There seems to be no rhyme or reason as to why I cannot get to sleep on so many nights yet on others I drop right off.
Once I’m asleep I rarely wake up unless arthritis pain gets very bad.
I see a sleep disorder doctor who prescribes a couple of meds that definitely help. . . . .none of them being Ambien, which I won’t take.
I have found that listening to an audiobook, a light, funny one, that I am familiar with, over and over frequently lulls me to sleep.
Wish I could get consist good sleep, though.
[This question was originally posted in this conversation. ~ Eds.]
Michele
To reply to your question - 3 years ago I left the States to live in England after my divorce. I have lived alone here since then, found a pretty good job and have managed to support myself all through that time without using up savings. 
Perfect!
No we don't live together for now.He adores me as did two other younger men I was involved with before him. They were both very affectionate with me in public.I was the shy and old fashioned one always concerned about PDA public display of 
I sympathize with you. Over the years, I have suffered with not being able to sleep either and for the past few weeks, it has been going on again.
Sometimes I have trouble just getting to sleep but lately it has been waking up anywhere from 1:30 am to 5:oo a.m. and just laying there wishing I could get back to sleep.
I keep my bedrroom cool, dark and I have a really comfortable bed (all the things you have probably already heard).
Some of the things that work for me sometimes are: reading, listening to soothing music, writing my thoughts in a journal and having a snack of yogurt. This morining, I gave myself a manicure at 5:30 am.
Fortunately, I have retired from working so I can at least rest for awhile later in the day and maybe nap.
Would love to hear solutions that others have found.
I don’t recommend this for anyone but will tell you what works for me. After about a year on Ambien….evil, evil stuff….I take a ‘PM’ about thirty minutes before sleep. It is like the Tylenol PM without the Tylenol. I also take melatonin. I have a ritual/routine before bed also that helps. I do light exercise, yoga stretching a few hours before bed. I surf the internet on my iPad in bed. Take my PM and melatonin. Then read until sleepy. I’ve tried not taking the PM but seem to need that extra push for the sandman to visit.