What helps sleep for a light sleeper?

[Amoeba]

I wake at the slightest noise and when my neighbours are up all night I am wakened periodically (or, like tonight, I don't even get to sleep in the first place) by doors banging, footsteps, etc.

These are all of the sleep aids I have tried that don't work:

Earplugs. The sound vibrations travel through solid objects, such as bone, rendering earplugs totally ineffective in the case of banging and thumping. Good for mild noise though that doesn't involve vibrations travelling through the walls.

Fan as a white noise generator - it doesn't block out banging and knocking, and has given me tinnitus (that didn't go away, still have it to this day) in my left ear once when I accidentally fell asleep too near it with my ear uncovered. It's been on the floor ever since, works with some things like outside noises and faint music but not banging and knocking from neighbours. Still it's the best solution I have, helped me sleep a lot when I normally would be unable to.

Speaking with the neighbours - they don't believe their noise is excessive.

Eating certain foods/avoiding certain foods before bed. I read that bananas really help one fall asleep, while things like chocolate or meat can disturb sleep.

Pain killers - only when a real headache develops (can't risk it becoming a migraine), they do make me a bit drowsy. Not drowsy enough though. Shouldn't be taken as a sleep-aid really, as I say, I only take them when real pain develops.

Doctor visit: They automatically prescribe sleep medication for the unexplainable brain abnormality I have that they say "will affect my ability to sleep, express emotion and remember things" that got slapped on my medical record after I got two different brain scans when I was 12. But really, I don't think they have the faintest idea what they're talking about because they're incredibly vague about it. They just don't want to admit that they don't know, and want to throw a prescription at me and tell me to bugger off.

However, I'm still looking for a better doctor, hopefully someone out there will be willing to look into this problem at its route cause rather than covering it up with meds.

I don't want to take meds.

Does anybody have any other suggestions for sleep aids that are not mentioned in this list? I'm asking around everywhere, not just here, so if I find something good I'll post it here for others who are suffering from the same problems.

[Muslim Woman]

Salaam Sis

sorry to know about ur problem . Normally if u dont sleep at daytime and do some physical work / exercises / swimming , then u are supposed to have a sound sleep at night .

try to use the night time for extra prayer like offering salat . InshaAllah that will help u to gain rewards , calm u down and u will be able to sleep :)

[Amoeba]

Thanks for the suggestion. Yeah you're right it's useless to just lie awake in bed because any chance of falling asleep just rots away while you lie there, better to get up and do something productive. After a while your brain kind of re-sets and you feel more ready for sleep once you do go back to bed.

[Muslim Woman]

Salaam

sis , let us know when u start enjoying sleep . Also let us know if u could offer extra Ibadat :)

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[Ansariyah]

I'm a pathetic light sleeper, thank god for earplugs they work wonders for me, so does showering before bed n reading in bed seems to make me sleepy too. Try reciting Ayat'l kursi also.=)

[Sigma]

Maybe excericse? It makes me so tired I'm out cold.

[StudentIII]

Salaam,

So the problem isn't with falling asleep it's staying asleep? Or is it both?

Do you daydream a lot?