Try Melatonin, which naturally occurs in the brain anyway. You buy it as a herbal suppliment. Or you can take ambien and wake up with a cigarette but half chewed in your mouth driving the wrong way down a one way street. FUCK ambien
Ambien is poison (because of rebound insomnia and dependence)!
That being said, for short bouts of insomnia, say 1 week, it can really help to get you back into your rhythm. After using narcotics/Benzos, to me the most effective thing is to take 1 Advil PM (It has Dyphenhidramine Citrate, I find the HCL and the Doxalymine Succinate ones leave bad hangover). Usually 1 Advil PM, maybe 2 with a Melatonin, like 3mg I think. These will usually ease you on to sleep. Warm milk and chammomile tea are also a good evening calm down. Excersize like hella as much as you can and your body will start making you sleep.
What you will read on most advice online is serious insomnia is usually rooted in poor lifestyle choices and the most effective is to change your whole (getting ready for sleep) routine/lifestyle for longterm sleep happiness. It took me like 6 months and trying every different sleep aid on the market, but finally got it.
Another great thing is to try not to watch TV as you prepare for bed, and find the most boring ass book you can find and start reading. Especially college textbooks or Shakespeare if you are into the arts. Add in some lavender oil or lavender flowers in a pillow (inside the pillow you sleep on) and some relaxing/soothing music. This will knock your ass out.
Finally, there are two types of insomnia, 1) Getting to sleep and 2) Staying asleep. Usually you start with No.1 and progress into No.2. That is where Ambien can be helpful, if you wake up in middle of the night, you can take just half (2.5 or 5 mg) of Ambien, maybe another Melatonin or Advil PM and get to reading your book and you will be back to sleep in no time. Try not to stress out about shit and chill. You can also work in herbal stuff like Valerian, Passion Flower, etc., but I find a good herbal tea has more effect, the herbs seem more placebo to me, but sometimes Placebo is good for you.
Here is a good herbal tea recipe:
1 cup Chammomile Flowers
1 Cup Lemonbalm Herb
1 Cup Fresh Oat Straw
1/2 Cup Catnip
You can get these herbs cheap at mountainroseherbs.com and mix yourself. For like $20 you can get pounds of these herbs that will last for 1yr+. Compare that to storebought herbal teas and it will save you hundreds of dollars.
If none of this works, you need to see a Psych Doc and get something figured out with professional help.
For the best herbal remedy, smoke a bowl of some good couch lock and put on some soft relaxing music and enter the black abyss
nice advice i have tried about everything on the market including bud and nothing seems to work gonna try and sleep tonight without it havent done it in years.