When my kids were little I used to pass out (fall asleep) at 8 too. I swear half of the reason that they're good sleepers today (they're teens now) is because if they woke and called me between 8 and midnight...I was going to sleep through it.

I have no real advice. I will usually put on youtube educational videos and try to fall back to sleep on it. Or I'd get up and do all of the things that I couldn't do when they were awake. (Even going to the grocery store at 2am. Parking lot empty. No lines. Often they'd be unloading boxes and I'd grab a couple to load all of my groceries in.) But that's not going to help you sleep.

You have a 1 year old girl...yes?

Hi. I have meds to sleep but my therapist told me that one of the things to try is to lay in bed and try to stay awake. she said it works a lot of the time. good luck

When my children were still actual children, I think I needed those midnight hours for my own self-care. I filled them with restful activities and therapy exercises.

Yes on the 1yr old....I usually listen to sermons

Maybe a coloring book or some such to go with those sermons?

Ran across this post in my news feed. Don't know if this applies to you, but I can't have caffeine in the afternoon. If I do, I'll fall asleep just fine at night, then wake up in the middle of the night and not be able to sleep for 2-3 hours. Happens just about every time. The trick is to limit caffeine, including soda, chocolate, coffee, to morning hours.

I do limit caffeine as a nursing mom and as someone who’s extremely sensitive to it. I drink a cup of decaf or half caf every week at most lol. Thank you for the suggestion though

Prazosin's helping me CaroliziesMamma.

https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/760070

Prazosin Relieves Nightmares and Sleep Disturbance in PTSD by Daniel M. Keller, PhD

Thanks everyone!
-Lady

Hiya, i sleep anything between 2-8hours per night, some nights i conk as soon as i hit the pillow but most nights, no matter what i do i just cant sleep, i have started taking Bach flowers remedies and i personally find them very good, your meant to take them a few times a day but i just take a few drops before i go to bed. you can check their website, they have loads of different ones, it will give you a list and you can pick which ones suits you :) i hope yous done mind me posting this here but at 2am lastnight i finally decided to set up a facebook page to share my sleepless nights, what goes through my head ect. i want people to join so everyone can have a place they know everyone is in the same boat as them. and hopefully help people. Here is the link, please feel free to like it, it would be greatly appreciated :) https://www.facebook.com/InsomniaDiaries123/ please keep in mind it has only just been set up so it is still very bare. thanks xx

As a nursing Mom, you do have to be super careful. You might check with your doctor to see if chamomile tea is okay. It can help you relax and doesn't typically interact with anything, but I'm not sure if it cross the milk barriers. The other thing is turkey - it's loaded with tryptophan which makes you sleepy (think Thanksgiving dinners), so a glass of warm milk and a turkey sandwich might be just the thing for you. B12 early in the day can help, and also a 15-minute walk for exercise can both help improve sleep quality. Hugs....

Essential oils in a diffuser (in particular lavendar with a pinch of vanilla) helps me along with the prazosin Muji mentioned. When that doesn't work I still stay in bed and day dream about happy things. More often than not I find that I've drifted of while basking in the sun on a tropical beach or building my dream home (have never finished the dream home so I guess it works). Even if you don't sleep it's important for your body to get rest. Best wishes and hugs.

I really struggle with sleeplessness as well..... I'm on meds but they don't always work so well.... It's frustrating

Big hug.....xo