Q: I have insomnia and nothing I do fixes anything. I take prescriptions and they don't help either. What do you recommend I do?
A: I'm really sorry to hear that you aren't sleeping and nothing is helping. I suffered from a busted hip joint for a year and half and there was no rest from pain. I also barely slept so I understand the feeling. In the end, doctors are the best resource to decide what your treatment should be. If you have been seeing a doctor for a while and are not getting results, seek a sleep specialist if they are not one.
Aside from medical science, from my personal research and experience, routines are powerful tools to help or hinder our bodies. For example, caffeine's effect on metabolism can be measured. It is proven that caffeine will keep your body and brain from achieving deep, restful sleep if you consume it before going to bed at night. Yep people claim that caffeinated drinks like coffee actually help them fall asleep at night. They could never go to sleep without it, they claim!
What is actually happening here is they have a bedtime routine that includes drinking that warm cup of coffee. And when their body recognizes the routine, it knows it will need to "sleep". Regardless of whether or not they get good sleep is another rant altogether. But their routine is established and works.
Forgive me if you have tried this, don't give up on yourself. Try again! Write down a very specific bedtime routine ANNNND wake up routine. Both are equally important. Write down exactly what you intend to do every single night before bed as you wind down and slide between your sheets. Get very specific. I will brush my teeth at 9:10pm for two minutes, make the bed at 9:15 and then climb into bed at 9:17pm. The more specific you get, the better chance you have of doing it! Visualize your routine when you write it;.
And for your wake up routine, if at all possible, resist checking your phone. Drink water before caffeine. Avoid screens. Try to relax. Read. Do light exercise. Clean & organize your space. Write down your routine as specific as you can here too! The hope is that your body learns and responds. If you need help figuring our your routine, I can help. I can be your personal Superhero Sleep Coach! Text me at 704-498-4451. I can give you feedback and help you try again. We can do it together!