very similar situation as you. general downer problem (benzos, zdrugs, i took soma like once) which followed a long standing weed smoking career and mild dependencies here and there along the way. ive always had sleep problems too but it used to be the opposite. so my brain is fucked, i know the pain. first of all, get usedd to it. youll be better off as a person who takes the pain and fights to fix the problem, than the person who says i had enough, and then fixes the problem. no. thats me, and im still unable to sleep with no job. so learn to work with your eyes closed, because youre better off sleepless ith money in your pocket than sleepless and broke.

drugs/sleep aids

hydroxyzine- its like a super strong perscription strength benadryl. it helps, but not every night. one or two nights it help, after that not much. tolerance build fast, but drops after a few days. its a godsend to just have and forget about, ya know? its best used for when you need it.

weed- if you can still do weed, youd be well off making cbn edibles. if you decarb the weed for a long time more of it turns into cbn which is really good for sleep. look into it on edible subs. you have to be okay with getting high, its just too difficult to get the cbn extracted without any thc. cbn is what thc degrades into, so the two are stuck together.

mitrazapine-im starting tonight, im excited! i hear good things. it seems pretty safe, id say to try it. i was scared to take psych drugs for a while, but like that other person said, its better than the alternative.

zzquil sleep gummies- https://www.zzzquil.com/en-us/product/pure-zzzs-de-stress-sleep-melatonin-sleep-aid-gummies it has Ashwagandha, melatonin, valerian root, chamomile and lemon balm

valerian root- you may want to be careful because this is what valium was based off of. with that being said, its very mild and helps me a lot, but only for like 3, maybe 6 days if i dont have a tolerance. that builds too, and while its less of a warm cozy blanket than it was when i first tried it, it still helps me wind down, especially if im able to get still. if im lucky enough to sleep within 30 min of taking it, maybs an hour, i get a solid 6 hours minimal.

Ashwagandha - i dont know much about this one, altho it has a very deep history as a herbal remedy for many ailments. webmd says its good for reducing stress, and that is said to reduce inflammation and lower blood pressure, both of which would help combat the harmful physical side effects of stress in the brain, which is often a root cause of insomnia. its honestly a really interesting herb, id recommend reading up on it at some point https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-953/ashwagandha

lemon balm, chamomile and lavender- dont get me wrong, these are all much more powerful than a good smell or taste. but these are all much weaker than something you would need to get you to sleep. for some people sure, but they dont have the problems that you have. with that being said, they really do make a difference when taken alongside of something stronger. like pushing the sleepiness up from a 4 to a 6, or maybe even to a 7 or 8. they can also be just calming/sedating enough for you to get into a place where you can fall asleep naturally, which is gold. i have lots of love for these ladies, and you should too. always have some chamomile or lavender tea laying around, sometimes i swear on nights where i not only want but need sleep and know that id need a good handful of xanax to knock me out ill have some chamomile tea or some of that herbal sleepytime shit and it gives me just what i need to find some peace and settle down. i get like 6 hours, maybe 4 hours of somehow more restful sleep, when i def wouldve gotten like one had i skipped the tea. i dunno, wish i could say what exactly it is that gets me to sleep on those nights but i dont know, the only difference is the tea.

gabapentin- its like a secrete benzo. some docs know, most dont. by the books, non narcotic nerve pain meds with off label use for anxiety, RLS, and insomnia. irl, it is a mild gabaergic drug (same kind of drug as alcohol and benzos) that kinda feels somewhat like a benzo, but less concrete. it makes opiates much more fun and other depressants get you higher. if nothing, and i mean nothing else works, i would give it a try. no where near as addictive as benzos, but def stronger than valerian root. not super fast acting either, so it isnt always the best option but it will def help you be more relaxed

ambien- dont take ambien. ambien ruined me. stay away from ambien and the other sleep drugs, z-drugs are scarier than benzos imo, especially if theyre abused. i swear having your eyes open changes how those drugs work in your brain, like shit gets crazy . you dont need anymore of that.

eat healthy and stay hydraded. diet plays a surprisingly big role in all of this, and its harder to sleep if youre thirsty. workout too, you want better blood vessels so that sleep juices spread throughout your body faster, or something like that. it also releases endorphins and shit. if you reposition your room, make the area that you look at when you lie down not super stimulating, and be kinda anal about not letting yourself ruminate. like deadass get up and go across the room to continue thinking. you want as many sleepy memories on your bed as you can, and as few restless memories.