So I’ve had Insomnia on and off for what feels like ages now?
I’m not really sure at what point it goes from ‘difficulty sleeping’ to actual clinical ‘insomnia’ but im going to go ahead and use the term anyway.

It feels pretty bad, not gonna lie, wake up every day and just feel exhausted by 2pm, struggle to stay awake at my desk, look like shit, tired and scared to drive after 8pm from fear of falling asleep at the wheel (yet if I actually go to bed instead, don’t get any sleep until midnight).

I started to wonder how many other people must go through the same thing, and so, I thought i’d document was has and hasn’t been working for me, in hopes that at the very least, I can help someone else.

I’ll update this every now and then

Sleeping Aids

Tea – Twinings ‘Sleep’

Trash? Doesn’t seem to help at all.

Tea – Herbal elephant stuff

My mum gave me some of these, believe they are french.
No benefit so far.

Tablet – Nytol Herbal

Nytol Herbal – Valerian root, passion flower, hops
No beneficial effect for me, smelt AWFUL, like you would open the box and wonder if they fed the ingredients to a rat and then just dried out the poop, and then you’d take the pill and the smell would waft up your throat and into your nose jesus christ it was so bad.

Tablet – Sleepeaze (Diphenhydranmine Hydrochloride )

Boots UK Sleepeaze – Diphenhydranmine Hydrochloride 25mg – Inconsistent, wouldn’t put it any better than placebo

Tablet – Sominex (Promethazine Hydrochloride 20mg)

Sominex – Promethazine Hydrochloride 20mg (bought from Boots for about £4)
3/4 success rate so far, though the sleep doesn’t seem to be any deeper than usual

Tablet – Melatonin Gummies

Natrol Gummies – Melatonin 5mg/10mg (bought from Biovea, about £10 ex shipping)
Bought a pack of these from the states, apparently Melatonin is a prescription only drug in the UK but the yanks get it over the counter. It seems inconsistent but I think better than nothing. I’ve only tried 5mg so far, though the packaging says you can take 2…
The first time I had it, I had an intense wave of drowsiness after 20 minutes – i’m talking “jesus christ I need to lay down now in case I pass out”, ironically I then spent the next hour staring at the ceiling.
4/8 success rate so far
https://www.biovea.com/uk/product/detail/13318/melatonin-gummies–strawberry-5mg-90-gummies/?deptid=1&cid=22592&mid=0&kw=

Supplement – ZMA’s (Zinc Magnesium Aspartate)

Recommended by a bodybuilder friend, I didn’t notice much difference in my sleep.
https://www.supplementcentre.com/testosterone-boosters/matrix-nutrition-zinc-magnesium-aspartate-test-booster

Other – Earplugs

These do help, for obvious reasons.
I’m going to go ahead and rep the ones I buy on amazon – They only a little over £1 a pair, and I get a good few months use out of one pack (though, if you have wet earwax your mileage will be significantly less I presume). I’m on my 3rd box personally
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Quies-Pair-Foam-Earplugs-Pack/dp/B009FAJVEW

App – Calm

Free version of the android app has 2 audiobook things that last for about 25 minutes. It made me realise just how restless I am while I lay in bed, the book had a character who at one point got into bed and felt calm, relaxed, still, and all of these other words spoken in a gentle tone, and I was listening while rolling around in bed trying to get comfortable.
0/1 so far, I was awake through the whole audio clip and only fell asleep half an hour later it ended.