Insomnia

Does anyone else here suffer from insomnia? I experience intermittent bouts of insomnia, which I assume is relatively common, especially as I have been adjusting to a new job, school, and home environment.

I have tried exercise, meditation, melatonin, cutting back on caffeine ... these things sometimes help but do not completely eliminate these episodes. I try to remain positive about the whole thing and make productive use of the extra time awake, but it gets to be pretty bothersome sometimes.

I am wondering if anyone else has this problem and, if so, how you cope with it.

Thanks for the suggestions, guys! The last time I tried melatonin, it was only 1 mg although sometimes I would take two tablets. I haven't tried the three or the 5 in awhile. I took it regularly for awhile, and I'm not sure if the good nights of sleep were by coincidence or facilitated in part by the melatonin. I think the melatonin helps to deepen sleep and allow me to stay asleep longer without interruption. I also remember dreaming more. I may try a higher dose the next time I get it, as the sleeplessness has begun to interfere with my work at times- I get extremely irritable and fatigued after two or three nights with only 3-4 hours of sleep (sometimes less!),and I work in retail where I HAVE to put on a happy face and stay productive even when I'm exhausted. Thankfully, this usually balances itself out, but I cannot afford to take anymore "mental health days" from work due to the moods and fatigue which result from days of sleeplessness.

I've begun exercising again- walking and jogging and pilates. I'm hoping this helps to expend some of the pent up energy I seem to have and which seems to coincide with my restlessness at night. My work schedule is erratic which doesn't help; it is hard to establish a regular bedtime with fluctuating work hours and late nights of studying for my master's degree. I think some of it inevitable and goes along with the college lifestyle. My apartment is tiny and I share it my with my fiance, which can be kind of stressful at times. My fiance tends to keep late hours, although he has no trouble making up for it in naps and such.

I'm going to keep working on staying healthy and relaxed and not beating myself up too much when I can't sleep. Sleep is about yielding and cannot be forced, but I hope to encourage it through patience and persistence in healthy habits. I also think fluctuating blood sugar may play a role, so I'm trying to avoid sugary foods and white flour (simple carbs) and stick to whole grains. I seem to feel moody and irritable sometimes after eating white pasta and things like that.

Anyway, thanks again for sharing your thoughts and suggestions. I know I am not alone in this problem, and it affects everyone from time to time. I try not to feel sorry for myself, but I worry that it will interfere with my work and will try anything to make it better.

Thanks again!