Strategies for deep sleep when you have insomnia

I have sleep apnea but my insurance will not pay for a sleep study

I cannot tell you how hard it is on me that I do not get sufficient sleep on a daily basis. It makes my days hard and I feel tired all of the time and have to push myself through my days.

First of all, I have difficulty falling asleep even if I am bone tired. Then within one hour of falling asleep I wake up and have to go to the bathroom. It never fails. Sometimes I can fall back to sleep right away but that is rare and most times I toss and turn for at least an hour before falling back to sleep.

Things that help me sleep more soundly are going to bed with an empty stomach so that I do not experience reflux which will wake me up and keep me awake. When I really just cannot fall asleep I try a bunch of different things.

I will try to watch some TV or read a magazine for a bit until I feel I am getting groggy again. Sometimes I take a hot, relaxing shower even if it is the middle of the night. I am not one to take drugs and medications unless it is really necessary so I refuse to take sleeping pills.

I have spoken to my physician about this and we suspect that I have sleep apnea but my insurance will not pay for a sleep study so on it goes. It is frustrating but there is not much I can do about it except try to lose weight at this point.