poetrymom,

What do you do to prepare for going to sleep besides the supplements ? You likely need to start preparing for bed 2 to 4 hours before bed time. I need a complex carb to maintain my blood sugar when I sleep or I wake up during the night. Some do well with a protein snack before bed.

I recommend you swap the 5-HTP for L-Tryptophan. L-Tryptophan is regulated by the body before becoming 5-HTP. This means your body will have a better chance to avoid too much serotonin.

Melatonin is know to have a short effect allowing one to wake up. Some use it in an extended release form.

If you switch to L-Tryptophan and take an evening dose a few hours before bed, you may find you can sleep better. The L-Tryptophan will metabolize to 5-HTP then to serotonin, melatonin and another essential amino acid. It may help to try going without the melatonin. Anything you take to get you to sleep will eventually wear off. Trying to get your system into a normal state (without assistance) will hopefully allow you to sleep, not make you sleep.

I know the struggles of insomnia. Been dealing with insomnia for a decade. Learning to let your mind sleep is easier than trying to make your mind sleep.

btw, I can not leave any tasks unfinished. If I have unfinished tasks, I need to make written notes of the next steps so I do not ruminate on the next steps. Sometimes, I will get out of bed to resolve a task so I have completion. I find that taking 30 minutes to resolve a task allows me to get to sleep. Trying to get to sleep with the unfinished task in my mind may eat up an hour or more trying to get to sleep.

Hope you can get some sleep.

My best to you.