I've always have had trouble going and staying asleep. Of course, having my grandson waking me up during the night (since he has trouble sleeping) doesn't help. Have you tried Melatonin? It works, you may have some very vivid dreams.
WebMD.
What is melatonin?
Melatonin is a hormone made by the pineal gland a small gland in the brain. Melatonin helps control your sleep and wake cycles. Very small amounts of it are found in foods such as meats, grains, fruits, and vegetables. You can also buy it as a supplement.
What does natural melatonin do in the body?
Your body has its own internal clock that controls your natural cycle of sleeping and waking hours. In part, your body clock controls how much melatonin your body makes. Normally, melatonin levels begin to rise in the mid- to late evening, remain high for most of the night, and then drop in the early morning hours.
Light affects how much melatonin your body produces. During the shorter days of the winter months, your body may produce melatonin either earlier or later in the day than usual. This change can lead to symptoms of seasonal affective disorder (SAD), or winter depression.
Natural melatonin levels slowly drop with age. Some older adults make very small amounts of it or none at all.
Also , Benadryl will make you sleepy. Many sleep aid have it in them.
and Valerian taste like horrible, and it didn't work for me.
Valerian is an herb. Medicine is made from the root.
again from WebMD
Valerian is most commonly used for sleep disorders, especially the inability to sleep (insomnia). It is frequently combined with hops, lemon balm, or other herbs that also cause drowsiness. Some people who are trying to withdraw from the use of “sleeping pills” use valerian to help them sleep after they have tapered the dose of the sleeping pill. There is some scientific evidence that valerian works for sleep disorders, although not all studies are positive.
Valerian is also used for conditions connected to anxiety and psychological stress including nervous asthma, hysterical states, excitability, fear of illness (hypochondria), headaches, migraine, and stomach upset.
Some people use valerian for depression, mild tremors, epilepsy, attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS).
Valerian is used for muscle and joint pain. Some women use valerian for menstrual cramps and symptoms associated with menopause, including hot flashes and anxiety.
Sometimes, valerian is added to bath water to help with restlessness and sleep disorders.
In manufacturing, the extracts and oil made from valerian are used as flavoring in foods and beverages.
How does it work?
Valerian seems to act like a sedative on the brain and nervous system.
