Anyone affected with chronic insomnia

Hello Laura1970, I am with you, I've tried everything and after 1 1/2 years It's still a nightly challenge. What is the other long-term medication you have used? my understanding is that Belsomra was taken off the market for being unsafe? I also take magnesium, and melatonin.

I still get belsomra so it’s not off the market yet. I also tried daridorexant, about the same efficacy as belsomra but much more pricey. My problem is pain. I don’t want to take opiates every night (I’m afraid I’ll become tolerant), so I take anything and everything else. Honestly what helps me most is having the tv on a show I’ve already seen, no laugh tracks, no commercials, no noisy action. Lately I swear by young Sheldon. It gives my mind something to focus on besides the pain.

Yes, exactly about watching a show I’ve already seen many times that has very even calm voices. I find Hallmark movies to be good if they don’t have singing that gets loud. The commercials can increase in volume sometimes. A recorded sermon can also be effective if the preacher keeps his voice calm. The more monotone the better. Be sure to set the sleep timer as well or the TV will wake you back up later. I set it for 1 hour at a time. I too need that distraction or my mind will race all night.

I started taking L Theanine about an hour before bed and about 15 minutes before, I take a melatonin. It has worked well for me and I have struggles with insomnia since I started Letrozole for breast cancer.

What happened for me is that high blood pressure episodes/spikes were happening during nightmares and those would wake me up. Once I started taking amlodipine at night for that and propranolol twice daily in the daytime for stress related BP episodes and I also use hydroxyzine for sleep, busparone, Cymbalta, 60mg day; and "Sleep Three" by Nature's Bounty.

so if you never go to bed until you are REALLY sleepy, have you ever been up all night and not feel sleepy enough to sleep? it has happened to me! also have times when I'm exhausted and still didn't sleep! Sometimes I make a floor bed for myself and can fall asleep that way! I never could figure that out? sometimes I will read until I feel relaxed enough to go to bed, and then I'm wide awake again! So annoying!
Another thing someone told me to try and it seems to help a lot, is, do not eat anything with sugar, if you can avoid sugar for 2 weeks you will sleep better!! but its SO hard! Because when we are tired during the day and don't feel like working hard you go for comfort food! Its a vicious cycle!!