So averaging about 3-4am so far, wide awake when I go to bed, knackered an hour before….

Got to bed an hour earlier..

yeah that didn’t work

Been there , done that, fixed it.

Don’t lie awake in bed. If you’re not sleepy, get up, go downstairs and do something else until you are. Rinse and repeat. Even if you go to bed six times a night or stay up all night.

You need to constantly reinforce the association of bed = sleep or sex. Nothing else. Eventually your brain will get the message and your body will comply.

Bed does not equal TV, Music, iPad, eating crisps or anything else that is not traditionally associated with being in bed.

Lying awake in bed forms a new association of bed = insomnia and every minute you lie there stressing about exactly how little sleep you could get before you need to get up for work only reinforces this association and creates a vicious cycle of sleeplessness.

Stop doing bad things that play on your conscience when trying to sleep.

Concentrate on your big toe. Become one with your big toe. It’s so dull, you drift off to sleep.

Count upwards in prime numbers. It needs to be involving enough that your brain is properly utilised thinking of prime numbers, but dull enough that you go to sleep.

Or have a ****. The stuff that your brain releases after sex (prolactin) sends you to sleep. It’s one of nature’s miracles, that knocking one out late at night sends you to sleep, but knocking one out in the morning energises you ready for the day*

* YMMV, but my extensive research on the subject backs this theory up.

**** = bout of gentleman’s wrist exercise. While other methods are equally valid for the hormone release aspect, chances are if it’s 3am, waking the mrs up so you can get off to sleep again is unlikely to be a viable option. And it’s difficult to sleep with a broken nose.

Melatonin can be obtained online as a “dietary supplement”.
I am not recommending you take them – not because of any downsides, just that I’m not a sleepologist

Insomnia is a symptom, not a specific issue in itself. In other words, you need to find out what is going on in your life to cause the symptom of insomnia – and deal with that problem/issue. That’s the only way to get rid of insomnia for good….

Put all electronic devices including Kindle if applicable in another room, even pull the plug on the landline.

Concentrate on your big toe. Become one with your big toe. It’s so dull, you drift off to sleep.

I tried that and became a ninja assassin out for vengeance.

Try drugs
If I have a night like this I go down make myself a half water half milk drink and take two paracetamol have 10 -15 mins drinking it then go back to bed works every time.

Hay-fever tables work well too.

Also if your stressing about work etc… Make a list of the jobs your worrying about a good hour before bed then just forget about them as you have your list for the morning.

400mg of Magnesium glycinate a day.