I've had those nights-spending hours watching the Weather Channel-which usually puts me to sleep-and that didn't even do the trick.
Make sure you're not ingesting too much caffeine in the evening; also try not eating past 8 pm. I try not to drink too much alcohol, too, because it will cause night wakefulness. I have also read that exercise in the evening, or any strenuous activity, can make it more difficult to get sleep.
And read something boring-that often helps.

Sounds like you're under a lot of stress, too. Try to do some quiet time each day-even 10 minutes-to just let the stress pass through you. Many of us have trouble dealing with stressors and it can exacerbate everything going on.

Prayers for you and your grandmother-"Ask, and you will receive...knock, and the door will be opened for you." Or something like that...I believe that prayers are answered...especially if we concentrate also on things in our lives we are grateful for...I list 5 things every night before I go to bed of what I experienced that day or people in my life that I am grateful for. Helps me go to sleep peacefully.

I pray for success in helping your grandma, and for sleepful rest and peace for you

Yes, everything that Debbie said .

Happy that you are learning to take one day and thing at a time.

Something with the sleeping issue to consider is the amount of light exposure that you get. Apparently new research suggests that getting in synch with natural light will help the sleep cycle to regulate.
We are exposed to different amounts of artificial light from day to day and that can interfere with normal circadian rhythms. You mention that you are on the computer a lot so you might try getting exposed to some natural light first thing in the morning for a while and dimming your computer and other lights toward evening.

Here's a link to the basis of the research:
Camping can help regulate sleep patterns, study finds
http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/story/...-patterns.html

With love, Erika

Good point, Erika...I seem to have more difficulty sleeping in the winter months up here in the Midwest.

I rarely sleep more than two hours at a time anymore (day or night). I have pets that tend to get up when I do and think it's time to eat again . So that doesn't help but I've decided not to worry about it. I can nap whenever I want to. Worrying about it just seems to make it worse.

I could sleep all the time. I'm sorry, I have the opposite issue. Is melatonin okay to use? Is it maybe the heat? I honestly have no idea how it is out there.

I think most people with sleep issues are told to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. Doesn't work for me, but that's what "they" say.

Also, if you're on the computer all night, it makes your brain think that it's not night due to the brightness. There is this issue with screens and trying to fall asleep. So put down the computer for an hour before you try to go to bed.

Good luck with the graphics. Have you thought about web design? That is one business that you can easily work from home, take on clients as you can.

I'd love to be able to work from home. My dream "job" is to take pics all day and sell them. I have found out that the most successful artists are the best marketers. One can be fabulous, but if they don't get their work out there, they will never sell anything. I helped work an art show, and just as a test, I put my own photos in the jury selection process. I actually scored well! I am just stuck without a good camera right now, mine has never been the same since DD dropped it so I can't use it anymore. So I'm suck using my phone and just trying to work on my technicque rather than what else the camera can do for me (better focus). I just started a blog, put in one whole post, but will add more when I do real projects:
http://boycottonions.tumblr.com/