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!

Not being able to sleep is infuriating. Tonight is one of those nights. Last night I was in miserable pain to the point where in could not relax. I've had serious issues with this my entire life. I literally find myself so tensed up, my neck muscles are clenched, my butt is clenched, it's insane. You're laying in bed trying to sleep and constantly having to focus and relax, then I find I'm all clenched up again, to the point my head isn't even tough in the pillow. It's maddening. I just try to do what a few other people mentioned, I wear myself out. I try to not get too crazy and beat my self up over it. It's not like I have a job anymore. I just try to be on a similar schedule as my husband. He has gotten used to being up for hours alone and our not ever going out for breakfast or being able to schedule things earlier in the day. The RSD is happier when it gets to control my sleep, so we let it. Of course I know others can't always do that. There are jobs and children or things that have to be addressed. But for me I try not to stress over not sleeping too much, I do have the luxury, if you want to call it that, to not have to get up on time the next morning, if my body doesn't want to.