Insomnia is Killing Me

[Phoebes]

I try to be healthy and work on my fitness, weight, nutrition, lifestyle in general. But, I have really bad insomnia that puts me out for several days at a time, barely making it through work and minor dog walks.

Then when I finally sleep it's glorious, but sometimes it's still not enough, or feels like too much and I'm groggy.

Oftentimes I get it the worst when I am so tired I got to bed early, knowing how well surely I will sleep. And especially if there is something important the following day. My body will feel both fully awake and buzzed. Racing thoughts, increasing anxiety and anger at not sleeping.

I've tried many things over the years. Medications from the doc, chinese herbs from the acupuncturist, acupuncture, exercise, eating right, cutting off eating and drinking early. Cutting way down and sometimes completely off coffee. I never drink any caffeine after the morning cup. I don't drink soft drinks or anything with sugar. I don't eat sweets at night. I've gone off alcohol for a long time and cut back to varying degrees. I do sleep better overall if I am completely alcohol, caffeine and sugar free, but still not great.

Any other ideas? I'm just tired.

[Barney]

Phoebes...copy-n-pasted from another post of mine... 

I have chronic insomnia and obstructive sleep apnea...(and before we start, yes, I'm about 30 lbs. overweight, but had it before I gained weight) I take Ambien or Lunesta for about a week at a time, before I start building a tolerance, and have to wean myself off of one, while taking the other (to avoid rebound insomnia) I only sleep as long as the medication keeps me asleep...I take medication every night at 9:00 and get in bed and read until medication kicks in. I sleep, usually, till about 1:30 or 2:00 when the medication gas reached it's "half-life" then I take another dose to carry me through till 5:00 or 5:30...I'm leery of CBD, because I'm a clean poly drug addict (clean 20 years) , I can't take melatonin (even though it works real well) because it exacerbates Restless Leg Syndrome...but with a CPAP and a full face mask, I manage to bring 15 apneas per hour down to 0.8 per hour. Average person has 1.1 per hour. They don't know why... but  trauma is a common denominator in close to 2/3 of apnea sufferers...I'm sure insomnia is much higher.   (click on both links...they work...one about trauma and insomnia...the other apnea and trauma)