Brother, I wish I could just turn my mind off and let me sleep! Went to bed thinking about challenging myself with untried techniques - Diane Gaudynski's artful FMG, borders, how about piping, etc. It just doesn't stop! Then I'm good for nothing the next day. I envy envy envy people who can sleep well.

I did watch a hail storm at 4 AM this morning.

Some of you can probably relate.

I can completely relate!

I've always had problems sleeping, but lately I consider myself lucky if I get 2 hrs of sleep a night.

ugghhhh!

Oh no! I used to only get three or four hours and I felt sick everywhere. I told the doc I needed a sleeping pill. If it is addictive or takes a few years off my life - at least what I have will be better than this. Last night the little blue pill didn't work but I don't take another one. That's when you can have trouble. Go to the doc, you really need more sleep. Thanks for commenting.

I can. I hate it when I can't just turn off my thoughts and go to sleep!!!

Some "help" links suggest keeping a note pad by your bed and, even in the dark, jotting down your ideas as they pop into your head. The theory is that once you've written them down your mind can "let them go" instead of keep working on them since you've documented them and they won't be forgotten. It's never been a real success for me but thought I'd throw it out there and it may help someone else. :)

Insomnia runs in my family. The solution that works for me is audiobooks. I actually wear earphones attached to an iPod to bed! When I do this, I can almost always fall asleep within 20 minutes or so. It also helps me not wake up if dh happens to start snoring.

Edit: I should add that I also used Tylenol PM every night for a long time (years), but got worried about the long-term effects. Also tried OTC sleep aids. They worked sometimes, not others, and tended to leave me groggy in the morning. I do have a muscle relaxant (prescribed for back pain) that I will occasionally use to "reset" my sleep pattern when it gets way out-of-whack. Only need that two or three times a year.

I found for myself that it was critical that I get into an established pattern of falling asleep quickly once I got to bed. The Tylenol PM helped with this, and now the audiobooks are enough.

I'm a retired RN and I worked night shift for most of my 30 years of nursing. A few years ago I asked my Dr if there was anything that I could take to help me sleep at night. I was unable to turn off my brain, regargless of how tired my body was. He prescribed Ambien and I have taken it ever since. I tell my doctor every time that I see him for a refill that this pill literally changed my life. My husband completely agrees. I plan on taking Ambien till the day I die and thank God for it every morning.

Should I make a confession?...here goes...I'm such a light sleeper even with a pill that we decided to have separate rooms. My DH is noisey and restless and wakeful. So this works best for us but I don't tell anyone - it's nobody's business anyway!

have you tried any of the PM's that you can buy over the counter. I used to take Tylenol PM, tried Advil PM. They worked but still didn't rest right. Dr gave me amytriptiline and I must say that I sleep good with it. A side effect of it is that you don't have to get up to go potty in the middle of the night. It relaxes my muscles from fibromyalgia.

I usually read in bed for about an hour and then go to sleep. On those nights when sleep just doesn't come I take an Tylenol PM and that works. This was suggested to me by my Dr.