After 16 years of trying every sleep treatment, I’ve found one bizarre solution—trains. Now I need help building a “train-bed.”

I’m a 26-year-old who’s been battling severe sleep issues since I was 10. Over the years, I’ve tried just about everything under the sun: Z-drugs, benzos, tricyclic antidepressants, dual orexin receptor antagonists, even Xywav. I’ve invested in devices like tVNS and the Neurovalens Modius Sleep device, and I’m currently on my third attempt at CBT-I. I’ve had 4 separate sleep studies and been given a laundry list of diagnoses—chronic insomnia, delayed phase sleep disorder, non-24 (despite not being blind), and, oddly enough, idiopathic hypersomnia because I’m constantly exhausted from never sleeping well. I’ve seen top sleep specialists for ages, but we’ve never cracked the code. This struggle has wreaked havoc on my life, forcing me to start and restart college more times than I can count.

But here’s the thing: there’s one environment that consistently knocks me out—trains. For whatever reason, the gentle side-to-side rocking, the continuous forward motion, the subtle vibration/hum, and the consistent white noise send me into a deep sleep like nothing else can. Cars, hammocks, rocking chairs… none of these do the trick. Only trains.

At this point, I’ve realized I need to take matters into my own hands. I want to create a bed or small “pod” that simulates these train-like sensations as closely as possible. I’ve spent a lot of time sketching blueprints and thinking through how to replicate that motion and sound, but I have very little engineering experience. If anyone here has thoughts, tips, or experience with mechanical setups, vibration systems, or even DIY home theater motion rigs, I’d be grateful for your input. I’m at the point where I have nothing left to lose, and any nudge in the right direction could help.

Thanks for reading this far and for any advice you can share.