i don't know, you may already know all these tricks...but here goes :)
-Try taking a bath/shower. The decrease in body temperature when
you get out is supposed to tell your body that it's time to sleep.
-Use lavender to help you relax. I use pillow spray. And when I had trouble sleeping also used lavender bubble bath, body wash and lotion. You can also find lavender tea. I got it at bath & body works.
-Read something really boring.
-Make sure your sleeping area is ideal for sleep. Kind of cool. Dark. And quiet.
-Drink some Sleepytime tea. It's pretty good with French Vanilla Creamer added.
Hope this helps :)

Is melatonin natural sleep aid?

Redhotchllipeppers, " read something really boring". Good laugh.

John, yes, melatonin is all natural. It comes in 3g and 5g.

Mujica, insomnia is my worst friend. I don't have that trouble waking up in the middle of the night like you do. I am of the opposite: I don't fall asleep as easy.

I hate this.

What are your thoughts on Benadryl ??

I just did about a 10 second look, with "renal impairment" and "kidney failure" type terms in the search. It doesn't SEEM to be contraindicated with kidney problems.

But ... if something like chamomile tea, or melatonin, or valerian root can work for you, then ... they SEEM more benign.

Insomnia's the pits. And ... since you've mentioned pain ... a lousy combination, to be sure.

I did the shower thing, redhot, and it worked.

Melatonin has really helped me get to sleep in the first place. The shower helped me get back to sleep.

Thanks, everybody. Sweet dreams.

Muji

My mom is going through that right now. When she falls asleep, she'll wake up frightened, angry, or just feel very sad because of what she dreamed about. She is taking xanax and the doctor just prescribed a different medicine to her. The neat thing is, she can start on the new meds and take her xanax if she still have nightmares. She has lost a los of sleep which makes her very tired during the day. She is suffering with extreme stress and can't deal with the nightmares that keep her awake during the night. I'm sorry that I do not have any advice to give you. I certainly wish you the best!!!!

Are you on an SSRI? They can interfere with sleep.

I have had problems sleeping for years. First you should eliminate any physical problems- like sleep apnea. Ask your primary care doctor- they may refer you to a sleep specialist. Remember that physical things like sleep apnea are important to rule out first since they can be serious medical conditions.

Once the physical is ruled out, start talking to your therapist to see if you can figure out what is waking you. Is it just anxiety or is it nightmares. Anxiety can be dealt with by doing something calming- bath, music, reading, etc. Nightmares are the worst because if you get back to sleep they usually re-occur in the same night. I have had nightmare for 15 yrs and could not figure out what was going on because I did not remember them. I would just startle awake in a cold sweat. Only when I finally was able to remember them, was I able to do something. I did try positive scripting of dreams before going to sleep, sleep medications (trazodone) and finally found some relief with Mini Press (prazosin). It is a blood pressure med but is taking in a very low dose (no affect on blood pressure). It have been used a lot by the VA for vets with PTSD and is becoming a more common treatment.

Hope this helps.

RR

I had one of those CPAP masks for sleep apnea years ago. Have they improved their design? Mine wore like it was a welder's mask connected to a loud vacuum cleaner. In and of itself it caused insomnia. Ha! Any updates on the latest out there?

I never heard about Melatonin before joing DS PTSD here and it's great. It really helps me get to sleep. As for these wakeups in the middle of the night, it works then, too, but that 90 min wait for it to take effect is a bit of an interruption. Anyway, overall melatonin is great for sure.

Hello my insomnia friend. I dont have anything to add but wanted you to know Im sorry you are stilling that.

I have figued out mine is physical but I still have the problem. Im trying not to fight it, it seems worse for me but just go with it.

Take care!

You take care, too, sisterlu!