Last night as I was falling asleep, I became aware once again of the unusual arrangement I require to do that. First, an understanding spouse. He is truly my friend. He gets it. If I don't get 9-10 hours of good, uninterrupted rest, I suffer. Second, I have a bed in a bedroom in a different part of the house. My room. Painted my colors, cheerfully. Nothing else goes on in my room but sleeping. No TV, no snacking. Reading, crochet, or tai chi/yoga sometimes to help me relax before sleeping but nothing with any stimulation involved. Other items I require are a white noise machine, turned up almost full volume. A sleeping mask. I have a good one from Dream Essentials. Five pillows. Two of them are high quality memory foam. And sometimes earplugs on top of the noise machine, if you can believe it. It seems like God programmed me so that I won't be in danger of sleeping through a nighttime emergency. The least little sound wakes me. I wake even to the sound of movement in another room. But, I do get all the sleep I need most nights. The last thing that I began adding recently is about 30 minutes with my Bible right before I fall asleep. I say prayers in bed with Tim before I pad off to my room. But, something about being reminded of how much I am loved by my Creator, it is truly a lovely mindset to fall asleep with. I love the Psalms. I can access my Inner Beauty. I read that life, this very life I have, has been planned for me. The Lord knew me before I was in my mother's womb. He knew what talents I would have, what challenges I would face, and how my heart would love. Such a peaceful thought before sleep. This life, this body I have, is truly just a temporary vessel. I can endure the discomfort of it and be grateful for the opportunity.
Also, sometimes when my headaches have been very severe and sent me to bed, I take cold packs with me. The cold on my head and neck reduces the inflamed blood vessels and helps the blood to circulate more freely. I switched from a bag of frozen corn which gets all melty and mushy to freezer bags of popcorn kernels. The unpopped kernels hold their temperature for a long time and there is no moisture to melt. Works great. Cheap cold pack too.
Have Happy, Happy Days!
EDIT on 6/15/14
New Additional Sleep Solutions:
Valium. I have 5 mg tablets. I used to be able to take 5 mg when nighttime pain was unbearable and those would knock me out. Unfortunately, now I need 10 mg. So, I take two when I think I will have trouble. The problem is that even on nights when pain is not that bad, if I can't sleep and it's midnight, then I take 10mg just because I'm desperate to go to sleep. I suppose that's what they are for, whether its pain or just sleeplessness. Anyway, it helps. I just hope I don't overuse them and then need to go up to 15mg..... what will be will be.
A Magic Blanket This is possibly the best calming solution I have ever come across in my search to soothe my frazzled nerve endings. It is a blanket weighted with those thing they used to fill beanie babies with. And the blanket is built like a grid so the beads are evenly distributed. You can get cotton, flannel, fleece, etc. Mine is chenille. Lavender color. Machine washable. Mine is air dry but some are machine dry. You choose based on your body weight and what size you'd like. They custom make it for you so you can have just a lap blanket or a queen size. They will make whatever you want. It is a very small business with great customer service. The blanket is expensive. Mine was $180. But, in my 9 yrs of searching for relief, this was by MILES the best money I've ever spent and I would spend it again in a nanosecond. They also work good for folks with autism issues, especially children, and folks with PTSD, like veterans. There is nothing else in the world like the relief I feel when the weight of that blanket hits my body.
ADDITIONAL EDIT on 9/1/2014
Even more sleep solutions:
Time-Release melatonin. I had to get it on Amazon. (The stores only carry the standard, non time-released kind, which doesn't work for me.) My sweet friend Tara told me about it. It comes in 10 mg tablets. If I take one, I am guaranteed full sleep until about 2-3 am. After that, I wake up about every hour but, only long enough to look at the clock. Then I'm right back asleep again. If I take two, I sleep hard for almost 12 hours. The trouble with this is that I usually can't take a nap during the day. This is bad only because I start to feel like crap and have a migraine a couple hours before bedtime. My body is designed only to be awake for about 6 hours without resting again. Tara says she sometimes needs 3 tablets. I have tried that and it is way too much for me. I am dizzy, confused, unbalanced most of the next day. Basically drunken with melatonin.
Essential oils:
Lavender oil rubbed on my third eye. (I also got this tip from Tara). I don't know why this works, I'm not even that fond of lavender, it is so strong but, it does. Also, I spray this DIY mist all over my face and my inner arms and the backs of my hands and rub it in good. It feels so refreshing. It's title is Mind-Clearing mist. I think that's what mine needs in order to relax, first it needs to feel cleared out. I love this stuff. Can hardly get enough of it. Sometimes I am impatient and the little sprayer won't spray, so I just unscrew and dab it all over my head and arms like its fine perfume. Also, then some scent stays on my pillow, so its conveniently there for nap time.
Kefir:
I am big into cultured foods now, and I have found that if I drink a cup of kefir before bed, it is quite soothing.
Frogg Towels:
We got these last year when we spent a lot more time outside in the TX heat. This year, they have only been used to go to bed with me during headache times. They stay cold for a LONG time. Highly recommend.
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