Hi Gage;
Talk to your folks to see if either one of them has, or has had the same problem. I inherited it from my mom. I can remember waking up in the middle of the night when I was a kid to find my mom ironing because she couldn't sleep.
It started for me about 5 years ago (at the same age my mom said hers started). I can't go to sleep, can't stay asleep. And I hate to iron. It got to the point last year that 2 hours was a really good night. It also got to the point where, because my job involved driving over 100 miles/day and working in warehouses that it got dangerous. I fully understand the frustration.
I tried the herbal remedies, cutting out all caffine & sugar (except to jolt me out of my zombie state in the mornings), meditation, mind games, reading, music, no music, soft light, no light, wine, tea, and a new mattress. I noticed a very slight improvement in eliminating carbs after lunch, but only in that I'd be able to sleep for about 40 minutes when I first when to bed.
I finally went to a doctor last spring, broke down bawling because I "just want to sleep, just a little, PLEASE". She prescribed Lunesta. I've had a lot of people tell me it's not a good idea, a prescription sleep-aid, but for me it's worked wonders. I take my pill, go right to bed and 15 or 30 minutes later I'm asleep & I sleep a solid 7 hours and wake up feeling great. It doesn't make me loopy or unwakeable (which the OTC PMs or antihistamines would). I can still wake up in the middle of the night to let dogs/cats in and out. I can still hear if Darrin needs my help, or if there's a ruckus out in the barn and pop right out of bed. And except for the first couple hours after taking it, I can still fully wake up and safely drive Darrin to the hospital if needed. If I don't go right to bed after taking it, I don't really notice feeling any different; I don't feel 'out of it' like if I take some sort of painkiller or something. I just feel like 'Heh, it's time for bed'. And I have to say it is soooo nice to sleep again.
So it's something to talk to your folks & your doctors about IF nothing else works.
Suzanne (slept 8 hours and 10 minutes last night!)