I have used Chammomile tea for years. It has helped even with strong meds that would keep me awake or exacerbate my restless legs. I use 2 tea bags in a half cup of water. It takes about 20 mins & you're out! Good luck-hope it works for you.

I'm not really the best person to answer this question because I've been an insomniac for years. I've got alot of advice from people on this topic though......

1. Bananas
2. walnuts (which can be eaten with the bananas...they kind of fall into the magnesium category)
3. a handful of crackers or carbs before bed
4. moving your bed into a different direction
5. cooling down your bedroom a bit
6. anything new in your room since the sleep troubles started? you could be reacting to a Fire retardant or other random chemcial...or even anything new (including different brands) in your diet or environment.
7. possibly adding a white noise (this ones actually helped me, I use an air purifier)
8. rev up your own melatonin cycle by siting outside during the day so your body comprehends that its day time . Or just keep the house bright during the day and then dim at night
9. there's those little bags filled with seeds and lavender that you can stick in the microwave to heat up a little which are nice to bring to bed....then you can do vice versa and bring an ice pack especially if the weathers hot......both feel really good on sore spots too
10. I had an ex boyfriend who swore by cheese....I think he just really liked cheese but I did read once that it can help give you better dreams

I noitce that when i"m crashing or feel really bad thats when my sleep gets worse. Sometimes it feels like I don't sleep for weeks and its like I just lay there half awake half asleep, its terrible. Hope ya find some relief soon.....

This may not apply at all, but I decided to take a walk earlier this evening thinking it might help me to sleep tonight as I usually get tired after mild exercise. I do feel tired now, although I've taken other stuff to help as well.

I found this book to be helpful.

"Say Good Night to Insomnia The 6-Week Solution A Drug-Free Program Developed at Harvard Medical School"

Gregg D. Jacobs, PH.D. with an introduction by DR. Herbert Benson.

I do have sleep apnea and because of face pain was not able to use cpap machine but found using straight oxygen helpful.

Other things I do is distractions I'll play some games of boggle on pogo just before going to bed. I find when I lay down I'm still spelling words in my mind and fall asleep while doing this. I do the same thing with bingo on pogo when I lay down the numbers are still poping in my mind and it's kind of like falling asleep counting sheep.

I'll second the chamomile suggestion. I have grown the plant for years and use as a sleep aid and its great for an upset stomach!

Reading Maryca's reply reminded me that I used to multiply numbers in my head when I couldn't unwind at bedtime. The harder I tried with those numbers, the sleepier I got.

Making plans in my head for my gardening work will sometimes help me sleep also.

Although you said "no prescriptions," I do advocate Ambien, at least for the nights when you're desperate for sleep. I've been taking it for years and, although I'd rather take no meds at all, it's the only thing that works for me consistently.

I like other posters' suggestions about chamomile, too, and will try it tonight. Good luck to you, kife.

i have tried everything on the list too, not wanting to become habituated to sleep aids. Unfortunately, the only thing that has ever worked, including all the prescription drugs I have tried, is Ambien, and not even Ambien CR, and the generic works the best. sleep is sweet releif; I hope you get some.

I listen to a guided meditation that I downloaded from Itunes (either one specifically for sleep or one for kids that I find very soothing)

I use a light therapy mask that flashes lights through your closed eyelids in a rhythm that's meant to be soothing and help a variety of things (fibro and M.E./CFS included as well as migraines and PMT). It's from a company called rio health and beauty which you can look up online.

My partner uses a normal eye mask that shuts out the light. She has fibro and finds it helps her.

I use to make something for my partner and a friend of ours which we called my 'magic potion' because both of them would be falling asleep by the time they finished drinking it without fail. It was 20 drops of 'melissa comp. drops' (made by weleda and available in the natural remedies section of boots or health stores) and 3 drops of peppermint oil in about half a glass of water. It's supposed to be for soothing the stomach so quite why it has this effect I have no idea! lol but somehow it does.

Journal or write down anything that's on your mind when you're trying to sleep.

Massaging places on your body you can reach like arms or temples or getting someone else to massage you with a blend of relaxing oils or use them in an oil burner in your room (making sure you don't leave candles burning when you do fall asleep if its that kind of burner. you can get electric burners and ones in a little ring that you slip over a light bulb that might be safer to use just in case). Oils like camomile, lavender, neroli, rose, and marjoram, benzoin, jasmine, melissa, neroli, rose, sandalwood, sweet marjoram, and ylang ylang are good for relaxation and sleep (always mix or use them in a carrier oil like sweet almond or olive oil if putting them on your skin)

Hi,
New here. I take it you have had a complete thyroid panel done? And they tell you it's normal? There is a lot of new material coming out that suggests the standard lab parameters for T3 and T4 are set too high. A person can be hypothyroid and still show "normal" lab tests.
It is actually more useful to diagnose hypothyroid based on personal and social history than by lab work. If you google "symptoms of adrenal fatigue" you will be able to assess this for yourself. If you can afford it, you might want to see a Homeopathic Physician. Adrenal fatigue can certainly contribute to insomnia. I had low thyroid for decades and no physician I saw caught it. It can be treated without prescription drugs.
Best of luck!

ummm, cannabis.

I've gotten better sleep since taking D-ribose.

are you doing all the sleep hygeine things like making sure the room is super dark and only sleeping in your bed?

how about one of these things? someone is sending me one to try and it is supposed to help with sleep:

http://www.guardiantrader.com/Bio_Tuner.html

Sorry - I forgot you are aware of sleep hygiene. Good for you! I hope something helps.

Oh! I forgot that there is another thing besides melatonin that helps me called Calms Forte and it's a homeopathic remedy. I think it works better than the melatonin in some ways though it is more expensive. I have to take three for Insomnia.

http://www.calmsforte.com/home/

Warming milk releases tryptophans that can help you sleep.

Try sipping on some nice hot cocoa with marshmallows,and read a book in your rocking chair before you go to bed. Also, a quiet and dark room help me to sleep better. I have a lot of aching pain most of the time. I find that I cannot sleep on a hard bed or on regular sheets, because they hurt me too much. I sleep on a soft comfy bed with soft flannel sheets and a lightweight soft quilt. I hope this helps.