I have not been able to sleep through the night in years…probably 10. I usually wake up between 2 and 4AM… either fall back to sleep in an hour or stay awake for the remainder of the night. It is now affecting my health and quality of life (always tired). My doctor wants to prescribe sleeping pills but I am against this. Can anyone relate and or share what works for them?
I usually go to sleep at 12 and wake up at 6 for school. The first few minutes are always rough, but a cold shower in the morning helps a lot.
Melatonin works wonders. You may still wake up, but go right back to sleep. Many people don’t think it works for them because they don’t know how to figure out the right dosage, everyone is different.
In the last few years I have been waking up between 3:30-4:30 usually because I was very hot. If I didn’t have anything on my mind then I could fall back asleep, but if I was anxious then I would stay awake. What has helped is by listening to meditation soundtracks. I would usually fall back asleep, but I would feel rested even if I didn’t go back to sleep. Sometimes I would take half of Motrin PM pill, and that would usually knock me out. Melatonin also works for me if I go to a different time zone and I need a very deep sleep.
I don’t have any sleep problems - my FItbit tells me I get an average of just a little more than 7 hours/night. 
But a family member doesn’t has occasional issues. I was reading recently about using essential oils (lavender?) to aid in falling asleep - I don’t know if I drink the essential oil kool-aid but wondering…has this worked for anyone with sleep???
I aim to get 8 hours most nights, but far too often I get less than 7. If I am awake when DH comes to bed, he will rub my feet until I fall asleep. It works wonders.
Friends have sworn by melatonin - it makes me too groggy in the AM - once I am up, I need to have my wits about me.
@abasket I’m definitely not an essential oils proponent but lavender is known to be relaxing. Even if not, it doesn’t hurt to try it. There are many products out there but if you want to try something away from the multilevel marketing essential oil schemes, this smells really nice:
http://usa.loccitane.com/aromachologie-relaxing-pillow-mist,82,1,29249,1028534.htm
If I wake up during the night, it’s usually the fault of my aging bladder. 
I try to be in bed by 10, and get up before 6, but I usually read some before I go to sleep, and I wake up multiple times every night, usually to go to the bathroom. My doc says I should not drink anything after 6, but that doesn’t work for me.
Now that I’m retired I don’t have to get up at a particular time. I go to bed between 1 and 2 and wake up between 8 and 9. When I was working I had insomnia, for about 15 years. Now I don’t. Hmm…
This is my current frustration. I can’t seem to stay asleep longer than 5 1/2 - 6 hours each night. It doesn’t matter how early or late I go to sleep. I just don’t stay asleep. I use melatonin, and if I didn’t, I’m guessing I would sleep even less.
I aim for 7.5 hours of sleep usually get 7 because now I need to get up a d use the bathroom which caused me to lose a about .5 hours.
I feel like 7 hours works best for me. If I get more than 8 hours I feel more tired.
It is 1:30, and I’m awake. I just took a Benadryl. My MD doesn’t prescribe sleeping pills, but they were the only way I slept thru more than 2 or 3 sleep cycles (90 minutes each cycle). I can be up for an hour or more, then finally go,back to sleep.
My husband would say being on the computer at night screws up your sleep cycle and makes it harder to sleep. He’s correct according to studies I’ve read which recommend being unplugged at least an hour or two before bedtime.
Ya, we are not suppose to turn on TV or iPad, etc. but how awful to just lie awake with nothing but ones thoughts. I’d rather distract myself for an hour or so, then get a few more hours of precious sleep,
My understanding is books are supposed to be a better option over tv/phone/computer from what I’ve read. Not saying I’m good at listening to my husband on this one.
To read, the ne has to turn on a lightl personally, I find that more distracting.
Have you tried a book light? Much less intrusive.
Lately, about 6 or 6.5 For some reason I’ve been waking up around 5 am and can’t get back to sleep. I tried staying up a bit past midnight a few nights but then I was getting less than 5 hours and wasn’t very productive the next day. Not sure what’s going on. I was never a night owl but really…what does one do for three hours before work? Lucky for me, I make my own hours and can clock in when I arrive so I’ve been going to work by 7. I’d really like to go to bed at 11, wake up at 6:30 and go to work at 8 lol.
OP here - Most nights I go to bed between 11 and 12. I always read to turn my mind off and am up between 2 and 4. On a good night I fall asleep after an hour. It’s the times that I can’t fall back to sleep that are frustrating. I play the game “if I fall asleep now, I’ll get X amount of hours of sleep.” To the posters that take Melatonin, do you take it every night? And what dosage?