Sleeping issues...

[Will]

I suffer from insomnia. Usually through worrying about work, my friends, my family, money problems etc... Little things keep me awake, my mind whizzing at a million miles an hour. Even though I feel tired, and am physically and mentally exhausted, I cannot sleep. I don't drink much caffeine, I seldom drink alcohol, I'll have a few pints from time to time, I exercise a lot and eat ridiculously healthily, but in spite of that I can lay in bed frustrated, tossing and turning for no obvious reasons. It's the sub conscious that's having a hard time "shutting down" - not that it ever does it, but when you get tired your brain releases a hormone a bit like dopamine and melatonin (cant' remember exactly which one) but the receptors are inhibited by a built up of some form of stress hormone (again a bit like cortisol but cant' remember which one).

Unless you go and speak to an expert there's not much you can do rather than try herbal recipies and furthermore, as Pheebs said try and expunge your memory - get it all out and air your thoughts, speak to people. Often there's things building up inside that you don't realise until you get a trigger for it, and that trigger is more easily released during "sleep" however until you can file away the niggle it'll keep bugging you.

Of course your conscious may be clear, mine normally is, but I'm a natural worrier - if I wasn't worrying about something I'd be worried that I had nothing to worry about! However, there's some chemical interaction somewhere causing some brain stimulus which is robbing your subconscious from being able to do it's "filing". It would seriously be worth seeing your doctor as he may suggest you go on a sleep study/survey which I did, it's a bit weird but I learnt a lot about my mind after it.

Basic things are, don't do exercise too soon before going to bed, don't eat too late, keep away from rich foods, a small portion of complex carbs can help you sleep. Don't drink antying that may stimulate you, or watch tv or play/use the computer before bed. Read a book, drink some camomile tea, have a hot shower/bath, maybe go for a leisurely walk.