I've been having trouble sleeping, as is pretty common, and I've been listening to my soft relaxing music for a long time now (even before onset of CRPS), and it usually has helped.

It's been getting worse recently, and it occurred to me last night to listen to a different type of music - from musicals, to be exact. What my hope was is that myself and my brain would be at least partially occupied by hearing the lyrics and following the story that the pain may have a little less hold over me trying to get to sleep.

It actually seemed to work, which was somewhat surprising, though welcomed. Granted, it might just be a pleasant glitch, as I've only tried last night. I'll let you know if it continues to work or not.

Hope this is helpful to some of you!

Hi luna,

I too found that the calm music effect wore off after a while....

I started reciting things to myself before sleep. Particularly the opening credits to 'Bagpuss'. It is that childhood, familiar, comforting and cosy sense of repetition that lulls me to sleep. I picture the scenes, and I can almost hear the old chap saying the words...

"There once was a little girl, and her name was Emily. Now Emily had a shop. It was a very unusual shop, because it didn't sell anything. Everything in that shop was a thing that Emily had found, and taken home to Bagpuss. Emily's cat Bagpuss. The most amazing, the most incredible....saggy old cloth cat in the whole wide world..... Now one day, Emily found a Thing. She took it home, laid it in front of Bagpuss, and said some magic words. 'Bagpuss, dear Bagpuss, old fat furry catpuss. Wake up and look at this thing that I bring. Wake up, be bright, be merry and might, Baguss O hear what I sing'. And when Bagpuss wakes up, all his friends wake up too. The mice on the mouse organ woke up and stretched......." etc etc!! Copyright Bagpuss, obviously lol.

I found getting back into the habit of falling asleep the hardest thing. Once I'd cracked that a few times, it was easier. I think you just have to find what works for you. I love Bagpuss, I have a big, huggable Bagpuss. Aww bless.

All the best,

Bram.

I make myself a cup of sleepy time tea and have a box of Entenmanns chocolate chip cookies by my side, put on my lighweight jammies and watch comedies on tv. I still don't sleep much, but it helps. Hope you can find something that helps soon. Take care.

Try a little natural stuff called Melatonin with your sleep routines. It helps me sleep, although I do not have RSD. It reacts fast, is not like a sleeping pill or cold medicine type of thing. No morning after effects.
http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders...tonin-overview

Try reading War a d Peace or a medical journal. I drink chamomile tea and read something boring. I wake up a couple hours later and repeat lol

Hm... not a bad idea. And might get me through some books that I've been trying to get through but are boring after a short time.
Thanks for the idea!