hey there,
i have suffered from terrible insomnia for a few years now, and its recently gotten even worse since getting sober. i've tried both valerian root products as well as melatonin and other OTC sleep aids (such as benedryl and other products containing diphenhydramine). In my experience, valerian root did nothing, and melatonin was extremely weak in actually making me tired, it would just increase my tiredness if i was already sleepy and help make me feel more refreshed in the morning, even if i hadnt slept much.
Now, benedryl and all the other OTC sleep aids they sell containing diphenhydramine WILL put you to sleep. However, they are probably considered mind-altering and they make you feel pretty miserable for the entire next day. When I go a really long time without sleeping well and i'm at my wit's end, and always on a weekend night when i know i have nothing urgent to do the next day, i'll take a low dose of benedryl and sleep for a full 12-14 hours and deal with the 'hit by a bus' feeling the next day.
I'm not really a huge fan of sleeping, though. All my friends think i'm crazy for it, but i'd just rather be doing something more fun or productive. So, instead of forcing myself to sleep, i catch up on reading and movies into the wee hours of the night, and max out on my coffee in the morning!
Rach