Sleep

I can't sleep. It's 2 a.m. and I've been in bed since 11 trying to sleep.

Normally this would not bother me but I need to be up in 3 hours to go to work.

The harder I try to sleep, the more awake I feel.

It's not like I'm not tired, I feel exhausted but just can't drop off.

I've even taken 3 times the recommended dose of herbal Nytol. To no avail.

Now I'm beginning to wonder, at what point do I call work and say that I won't be in tomorrow because I can't sleep? Is this a justifiable reason to take a day off or would it be better to go in, last as long as possible and then go home sick half way through the day? Or just hope that I make it right through the day. But with driving and patient's lives in my hands, is it wise to go in at all? And what would be the amount of sleep below which I'd be unsafe to work a 12 hour shift?

I JUST WANT TO BE ASLEEP!

It's so frustrating. I almost started crying because I was so frustrated about it. I don't know what to do. Hoping that this change of scenery (out of bed, cup of peppermint tea, then back to bed) will make a difference and I might finally drop off.