I could write the book on things to take for sleep maintenance:
Ca/mg, or just magnesium add vit d3, zinc and k3 for max effect- may cause digestive looseness, just sayin
Relora- an herb, sold for weight loss, but it removes excess cortisol- this has really helped me, especially if your mind tends to excessive thinking in that two or three hour stretch while awake
5-htp, b6 may helps if your lack of sleep is due to lack of seratonin
Melatonin- gives me a massive headache the next morning, your mileage may vary- start with half a 1 mg tablet
L-theanine, an amino acid from green tea, relaxes, sometimes sold with melatonin And 5-http- effective and no side effects for me anyway, but doesn’t help with sleep maintenance, only falling asleep. ,
Valerian- nasty taste- made me cranky in the morning
Chinese herbal sleep remedy- worked but caused an increase in startle reflex- didn’t continue
Chamomile tea, nighty night tea- sometimes helps- make it double strength
Potato starch- supposed to help your colon produce the chemicals needed for sleep. Maybe helped- does increase dreaming- I stopped after one bag, and I didn’t really notice much difference.
Keep room very dark, use red night lights and clocks, don’t get on your iPad after dinner, sound machine
Exercise - actually I seem to sleep worse after a day of heavy exercise
positive affirmations, hypnosis tapes, meditation- sometimes work- I have tried a lot of them
Nothing works consistently for me, I just sort of rotate through a variety of supplements and techniques. I even gave up caffeine completely for a time- it didn’t seem to make much difference. I emphatically can relate to all my fellow suffers!
Lots of good info here. I am fortunate that our bedroom is very dark, only gets outside light if I leave the blinds open in my bathroom, down the hall, and then only early in the AM.