I was the same as you and my psychiatrist gave me medication that helps with sleep at night. It also REALLY helped with nightmares, panic and fear in the middle of the night. It is called trazidone. It is an antidepressant that also makes you sleepy. If you have a psychiatrist, you should ask about some medicine. No one should have to go through terror night after night.

In the meantime, I did a stupid thing but it helped me. I have a smooth rock that says "God" on it. I used to sleep holding that rock every night. In some bizarre way, it felt like I was being protected and it made me feel safer.

If my mind is racing through bad memories and I'm all wound up and anxious...sometimes I go online and just find anything I can to distract myself.

As soon as I feel a bit sleepy I either go straight to bed or just fall asleep at the computer. On bad nights getting from the computer to the bed can stir it all up again, so it's better to just doze off where I am and worry about the stiff neck later.

Exercise during the day helps make me sleepy at night, so long as I don't overdo it.

The worst is when I wake up at three in the morning all wound up and not sleepy...I don't have a fix for that one.

I have insomnia very bad. Ive tried the drugs,the herbal stuff...nothing works. Its hard to sleep on a normal pattern for me. The constant "rude" awakenings I got for 4-5 yrs by the abuser have made it impossible to not feel jumpy if I doze off.

However I did find a possible fix to my falling asleep on the keys. I love to read. So I set my self up in bed or the easy chair and just read till I doze off. I dont have to get up then. I can sleep when I need to and feel relaxed. I broke the odd feeling of the abuser coming to get me. It helps me un wind and helps the brain shut off. Tho I have gone through a few hundred books now...so make sure you get long boring books :)

HBE what medication worked for you?

I start revving up bad in the evenings. I take Gabatrol and Seriphos and Xanax to sleep. I finally started feeling rested on some mornings - unlike the two years prior, which felt more like parking the car in the garage and doing burnouts all night long (waking in sweats over and over and over - waking with jolts - no nightmares that I am aware of).

However, I've been taking xanax off and on for a long time and really need to take it any longer.

My cortisol is rising at night. I just read a great artile in the Life Extension Magazine about blood sugar causing this. Gonna cut out the carbs for two weeks and see if it makes a difference. Also, I'm super mineral defficient. Upping the minerals.

I take the trazodone as needed to fall asleep and it does help with keeping me asleep but is no use against the nightmares. For the nightmares I take Paxil (antidepressant) and Prazosin. Prazosin is a an alpha blocker that in low doses helps with stopping nightmares. Usually it is used at higher doses for high blood pressure. Also known as Mini Press.

I have found that having a psychiatrist with lots of PTSD experience has been the best thing for helping me with all the symptoms. Mine has experience working at the VA hospitals so PTSD is almost his specialty. You may want to look for a psychiatrist with similar experience.