Tried and true sleep aid?

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Many of us have difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep. Let's share what we have tried and whether they worked.

My issue is general anxiety. Most of the time I can keep it under control during the day, but as I get more tired it's harder to control my thoughts. Thus at bedtime I tend to think negatively and stress about everything. Things I have tried generally seem to help a bit, though nothing worked too well. I think I take after my mom, who is very energetic and easily over-stimulated (she's NT, though).

Doxylamine-succinate: an anti-histamine and a powerful sleeping pill, works for me somewhat, but only when I'm getting sleepy already. If I swallow this during the day I feel almost nothing.

Melatonin: I keep taking this and not sure if it had any effect, I think maybe a little bit, combined with other sleeping pills. Doesn't work by itself.

Chamomile tea: no effect at all, other than making me get up at night to use the bathroom.

St. John's wort: it does make me a bit calmer and feel more relaxed. Need to be combined with sleeping pills.

Earplugs: these always help.

Benzo family drugs: work very well, but my doctor doesn't want to give them to me most of the time.

Share what you have tried. You never know. Whatever you mentioned might help someone.

Listen to an Alan Watts lecture. Sends me to sleep every time.

I meditate. this allows me to fully relax and simply slip into real sleep at some point.

Even if i dont sleep, lying down meditating gives me a lot of rest. this way in can survive several sleepless nights in a row without too many downsides

The Doc prescribed Restoril being that I have a very bad case of insomnia it's not fool proof there's times where I am in a panic mode as I'm going to sleep (normally the night before I have classes) so I've learned to get a washcloth drench it in water ring it out just a little bit and freeze it then when I need it to get me to sleep I use it and for me having an ice cold washcloth over my face helps me get to sleep, what also helps for me is sleeping in a cool and dark environment.

Music listening/penis masturbating/book reading while being in my bed (under the influence of weed). Alternating between those activities because sometime one will get me sleepy while the next day it will do the opposite.

Listening to an audio book that is interesting but not exciting or stimulating. For example, I am currently working my way through Durant's History of Civilization. I just let it play and fall asleep while listening. It keeps my mind from spinning off into my anxieties.

Marijuana usually helps me a lot with sleeping altho sometimes when I stop suddenly after awhile I can have some insomnia the next day or so.

I usually take one tab of melatonin and that helps. However, recently I've started listening to music right before I go to bed- whether it's thunderstorm recordings or white noise or "coffee shop" music... as long as it's quiet and calming, it helps. Then when I actually get to bed, I practice a technique I read in a magazine (maybe reader's digest or something?) a few years back: empty your mind and count to ten. Don't think about anything but each number as you count from 1 to 10... Start at 1... and proceed to 10. Any time your mind wanders from counting, start again at 1. I've found that it's very helpful in getting me to sleep since my mind doesn't really have the opportunity to fret and constantly worry about life and things that might happen. (As a side note, this is actually meditating but I didn't realize it til a few months ago lol).

What resources do you have at your disposal? If you have anything with Android, there is an app called "Calm" that I've heard is suppose to help immensely with anxiety and getting to bed- may want to check it out?

Masturbation.
Exercise.
Listening to relaxing music in bed.
Taking a walk at sunset. Exposure to natural light supposedly cues the body about when it should be waking up or falling asleep.
Staying awake until exhaustion.

Take Unisom.