When Sleep Won't Come

I've been really struggling to sleep for years, and more recently I find myself sleeping really fitfully and (I'm told) snoring loudly, talking and shouting out in my sleep and generally being really restless.

When I wake I feel like I haven't had any sleep at all, yet I can't go back to sleep - so if I wake at 3am I am up at 3am!

I just can't seem to get any restorative sleep - it's no wonder I look like this

In an attempt to combat this ridiculous sleeping pattern I scoured the internet and found this:

Eight Tips for Good Sleep

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• Keep regular sleep habits. Try to get to bed at the same time and get up at the same time every day—even on weekends and holidays.
• Avoid caffeine and alcohol in the late afternoon and evening. If consumed too close to bedtime, the caffeine in coffee, soft drinks, chocolate, and some medications can keep you from sleeping or sleeping soundly. Even though it can make you feel sleepy, drinking alcohol around bedtime also can disturb sleep.
• Time your exercise. Regular daytime exercise can improve night time sleep. But avoid exercising within 3 hours of bedtime, which actually can be stimulating, keeping you awake.
• Avoid daytime naps. Sleeping in the afternoon can interfere with night time sleep. If you feel you cannot get by without a nap, set an alarm for 1 hour. When it goes off, get up and start moving.
• Reserve your bed for sleeping. Watching the late news, reading a suspense novel, or working on your laptop in bed can stimulate you, making it hard to sleep.
• Keep your bedroom dark, quiet, and cool.
• Avoid liquids and spicy meals before bed. Heartburn and late-night trips to the bathroom are not conducive to good sleep.
• Wind down before bed. Avoid working right up to bedtime. Do relaxing activities, such as listening to soft music or taking a warm bath, that get you ready to sleep. (A warm bath also may soothe aching muscles.)

(My apologies as I lost the link to attribute source - just know that it's not mine!)
I'm going to give them a shot - see how it works over the next couple of weeks.