It sounds like you've got a lot on your mind at the moment and this is probably the cause of your sleeplessness. So, as much as I hope the medication works to some extent, you are only going to be able to cure your insomnia if you tackle the underlying cause. Are you talking to anyone about what's happening in your life at the moment, or getting any support? If not, then put this at the top of your to-do list right away! Using sleeping pills will disrupt your sleep more in the long run and that's the last thing you need.
You've probably heard this a thousand times but, in addition to getting some help mentally and emotionally, consider your daily routine and how this may be reinforcing your sleeplessness. How much caffeine and stimulants do you use during the day? Do you watch a lot of television, or use the computer, late at night? These are all things that contribute to sleeplessness. In the short term, some good tips to help you sleep include:
1. Making sure your room is quiet, dark and cool. Using the earplugs is a good idea, but also make sure you are at a comfortable temperature. Sometimes I have difficulty sleeping because there is a street lamp right outside my window and so I have to use an eye mask to block out of the light, or you could use blackout curtains.
2. Stick to a regular sleep schedule. It's tempting when you haven't slept all night to sleep during this day but it is essential that you maintain a good sleep routine and support your biological clock. Going to bed and waking up at the same time on a regular basis will help you get back into a regular sleep pattern.
3. Avoid stimulating activity and stressful situations before bedtime. Try not to watch television or use the computer too late, and avoid big discussions. Try reading or listening to music instead and perhaps if you've got a lot on your mind then try to write all of your thoughts down prior to sleeping so that you're thinking less about these things whilst you're trying to relax.
The more difficult that you find it to sleep, the more anxiety that you have associated with sleep. Even though my sleep routine has been better for some time, I still feel very anxious the nights that I am awake a little later because I start thinking: is my insomnia back? am I going to sleep? am I going to be exhausted for work tomorrow morning? am I going to feel sad? and so on. You begin to dread going to sleep because you know you'll be lying there or hours on end. All this worry just makes insomnia worse and floods your body with adrenaline, leaving you wide-awake.
If you are having trouble relaxing when you get into bed, train your body to think only about sleep whilst you're there. Only use your bed for sleeping - don't watch televison in bed, use the computer etc. Also, don't try to force yourself to sleep - if after about 20 minutes you're not asleep, get out of bed, leave the bedroom and do something relaxing in another room. After a little while, try returning to bed and trying again. Move the clock away from your bedside so that you're not clock-watching when you're trying to sleep, counting how many hours you have until you need to be awake (I've been there!). There are also countless other relaxation techniques that might help, which I could pass on to you if you're interested.
On a sidenote: this may seem silly, but are you sure you are putting your earplugs in properly? When you put earplugs in properly, you should not be able to hear anything at all, regardless of how loud your neighbours may be. This is because the earplug literally fills up your ear canal so you cannot hear anything at all. You have to make sure you roll the earplug between your thumb and forefinger until it is small enough to slide deep into your ear canal where it then expands to fill the space;
click here for a really good diagram. This may seem bizzare but a lot of people do not know how to use them, surprisingly.
