Sleep Issues after Retiring from 12-hour shift

I recently retired from a lower management job that worked 12-hour shifts with 3-days on and 3-days off rotating 6am-6pm to 6pm-6am shift every month; I worked this pattern for over 15 years. Now I find that I can't get over 2 or 3 hours unbroken sleep without the aid of zolpidem and/or antihistamines. Had sleep study done that tested negative for sleep apnea; went to a Otolarygologist who said my uvula was enlongated and may be causing sleep issues, so I had it shortened with no improvement to sleep; tried one of the mouth guards to move lower jaw forward to allow better air flow with no improvement. Now I'm thinking it may be neurological in nature. I've tried all of the herbal remedies I could find (valerian root, melatonin, etc.) as well as a plethora of OTC medications. Nothing gives me relief, and the zolpidem has bad side effects and I can't take it for the rest of my life. I have also tried different relaxation techniques, as well as Transcental Meditation (which I learned back in the 70's). It is making me tired all the time, as well as messing up my immune system and shortening my life as well I'm sure. Is there any kind of neurological/psychiatric remedies I can try? Haven't contacted a Psychiatrist yet, but will if can get enough positive feedback. Thanks!

As an addendum, I am a 60-yr old married male, and also wanted to add some more information. During the 15-yrs or more that I was on the 12-hr rotating shifts, I was only getting maybe between 4 and 6 hours of sleep a day. On the day shift, I would wake between 4 and 430am, to get ready for work, leaving the house at 530am, and getting home shortly after 6pm daily. Then a light meal with the wife and retiring to bed around 9pm, dosing off around 10pm if lucky. The night shift was worse of course, trying to sleep in the day. I never felt totally rested, and to this day I can't remember the last time I woke up rested.

I have noticed one thing though, after trying to sleep for 3 or 4 hours at night with several bouts of tossing and turning. My thoughts seem to race like a roller coaster out of control while my body is exhausted. I can't make out any of the thoughts, it's like a constant noise of voices and images flashing through my head. Meditation sometimes helps to slow it down so I can grab a few minutes of sleep, but the only thing that closes it off from my "conscious" mind is the zolpidem.

Could it be that my sleep cycles are broken beyond repair? I wish nightly for an end to the restless thoughts, and hope for a time when I can get a good nights sleep again. Perhaps there are medications available that work to reduce the synapses in the brain to allow sleep?? Or would some form of electro shock therapy work? Getting desperate.

Hi


I am 24 year old male who does night shifts as well(7pm-7am), and now I have 2 weeks off from work and I cannot get any sleep during the night, I can sleep when the sun comes out but I just cannot sleep during the night. This is weird because I never have such issues during work weeks and I always oversleep. Now I sleep for 4 hours after the sun comes out and I maybe an extra 2-3 hours during the daytime, I use to regularly sleep over 10 hours easily.

I don't know but I think the body gets use to a routine and cannot override it. I knew a 50 year old guy switching from day shifts to night shifts and could not get more than 2 hours of sleep during the day, He eventually declined to do more night shifts.