I totally understand. I have just joined the chronic fatique group too because i have those symptoms. I hardly sleep a wink and havent done for 20 months. It just started out of the blue. I slef diagnosed candida and changed my diet and my health problems almost disapeared but im still struggling with insomnia.
do you know what and when yours started? why you have it? if you know the reason theres a much better chance of getting sorted quicker. If its psychological then it needs to be dealt with, if its physical then obviously that needs sorting.
you are not alone. so many people have problems sleeping. you think you will go mad or collapse. well as bad as i feel i havent done so yet lol.
I only use valerian because i dont like medication and i find it helps relax me. maybe you could try meditation? theres so much good advice on here from other people that have got through it. I hope you find the answers you are looking for x

Well I suppose the good news is if you really only slept 2 hours then your sleep drive would be enormously increased for the next night and you should sleep better. A lot better.

But it's very common for insomniacs to vastly underestimate how much sleep they really get, a condition known as sleep state misperception. As a former insomniac, I know I did.

I found out how much I was really sleeping by keeping a detailed sleep log every night over a period of several weeks.

Very, very few of us can go less than 5 hours a night on a regular basis. Those that can (statistically a very small number) are called short sleepers and amazingly function just fine.

But the rest of us just build up a sleep debt that at some point must be repaid. At some point we crash. You can actually leverage that fact to your advantage in a sleep training program.

To sleep better, my take is to not look to pills (or alcohol, which disrupts sleep) or anything external, unless your sleeping problems have a true medical basis. Most of us don't, however. The majority of insomniacs have what's known as primary insomnia, which is not caused by a medical issue.

You mentioned your brain not wanting to shut down. That actually is a big problem for many insomniacs, hyperstimulation. That may be a clue as to where to start.

Are you chronically stressed? (Who isn't?). There are surprisingly effective ways to reduce stress in your life, and your sleep usually benefits.

Do you get physical exercise every day? Tire yourself out mentally and physically every day, and you will sleep better at night.

Do you keep a regular sleep schedule? Your sleep system thrives on regularity.

All of the ideas I'm mentioning here are part of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia, which has been proven to be very effective at helping restore better sleep.

If you haven't already done so, I would encourage you to check it out. Good luck, please keep us posted.

i know the answer that all of my drs . give me is to follow a strict regimen every day waking at the same time daily, eating six small nutritious meals a day , not to drinking any coffee or alcohol , to shut off the t.v., to go to bed at the same time each nite . they have suggested warm milk , herbal tea , a boring book , soothing music , positive imagery and no computer at bedtime . good luck . you need alot of discipline to attain this schedule , something i have been unable to personally to attain . any physical change could add to yor problem . talk to your dr. about the meno[pause . personally, i take homones to control the symtoms . good luck , linda .