Hello, Jess!

Yes, I've dealt with that kind of thing all my life. I'm not crazy about the benzodiazepine sleeping pills (temazepam, lorazepam and others) because they lose their effectiveness over time and at the same time it's upsetting when you stop taking them.

I rely on amitriptyline, which is an old anti-depressant that has the side effect of making me sleepy and permits me to sleep all night rather well. Also I take melatonin, the natural sleep hormone, which is sold over-the-counter here but may be regulated where you are.

And then I've also over the years worked out a few thought routines that frequently send me right to sleep. They'll be different for each person depending on your personality and problems, but you might want to start thinking up such things for yourself. Relaxing, supportive fantasies that only you can figure out for yourself.

If you wake in the middle of the night with anxiety, as I often have, I find it helps to sternly push away anxiety-provoking thoughts and concentrate on those relaxing fantasies. You can do it if you try!

Take care.