I Am Not Diagnosed With Insomnia, But…

[advice4moll]

I have always had a lot a trouble sleeping. Ever since I was a little child I found it so difficult to go to sleep. My mom suspects I have insomnia. It would make sense, my brother, father, and mother all have insomnia so I probably do too. Whether it’s insomnia or not I have A LOT of trouble sleeping. I think moving to a new house made my sleeping problem worse. New house = new school. New school = new kids to meet. Usually when you’re the new kid, other kids have been at that school longer than you, which makes them feel like they have an advantage over you and are somehow better. (I don’t know why) So they bully you :>. Yep. I get bullied. This has put an impact on my sleeping problem. Now I use napping as a coping mechanism. When I get home from school I sleep. And because I take these naps after school I now get hardly 3 hours of sleep. Now my problem with sleeping is way worse than it was in my previous home. I have tried taking melatonin to stop this problem, didn’t work. I have tried listening to music, didn’t work. I have tried JUST SHUTTING MY EYES. Didn’t work. Tried mediation (kinda), didn’t work. Tried asmr, didn’t work. Tried grabbing a snack before bed. Didn’t work. So now I am in a black hole of almost no sleep. I cannot sleep. My cat doesn’t make it any better. My cat scratches my feet at night and makes all kinds of noise. I cannot sleep. Is there maybe another solution to how I can get better sleep? H e l p

[Pooka1950]

First of all I'd keep the cat out of the bedroom so it can't scratch your feet!

[FoxLee2]

Have you consulted a doctor? Perhaps a short course of sleeping tablets might break the cycle. Maybe try cutting out the nap after school and doing some physical activity, some sport, going to a gym so that you get physically tired by night time.

[rowanwitch]

Leave all devices, laptops, tablets, phone alone for a few days apart from what you have to do for school., also have a proper try at meditation, you have to do it consistently for weeks, it won't work straight away. Add that to getting some exercise every day. Yoga is good and try avoiding caffeine completely so no colas, no energy drinks of any kind, no tea or coffee if it's not de caf. Also a warm bath before bed, and go at the same time every night.

[pastafreak]

You say you've tried *everything*. Maybe get a referral to a sleep clinic.

[brian j john]

Lay as close as you can to the edge of the bed and you'll soon drop off

[archibaldy]

I listen to audiobooks/podcasts to go to sleep, have done for many years and it works a treat. Pick something that interests you but isn't too exciting/scary/etc. for me it's science/technology/history.

If you can't use the speaker on your phone then get some cheap bluetooth earbuds (sound quality doesn't really matter for voice only) and put one in the 'non pillow' ear. If you get ones that fit okay in either ear then it makes it easy to swap over if required.

[gness]

Looking at one of your other questions, Moll you'd do well to start with doing as Pooka suggested and keep your cat out of your room.

[bednobs]

Insomnia is not a diagnosis anyway so it's not surprising uouve not been diagnosedd with it

[Peter Pedant]

I sm not diagnosed with insomnia
but you are not exactly keeping the rest of us awake....

[Canary42]

Obviously you don't have any trouble napping, so whatever technique you use to start a nap, try it for sleep-time.

And give up napping, that's a recipe for trouble sleeping properly.

[Atheist]

I'd suggest nap whenever you get the chance. Any bits of sleep help.