Over the years sleep has been hard for me. I also have lupus. I wanted to share some nonmedical suggestions from my rheumatologist and see if you had any others to share.
New mattress
New pillows
Stay on a schedule
Interestingly, I’m laying in bed without having slept at all since yesterday. I have my bouts with insomnia, and times when it hurts just to try to get comfortable. Then, other times, I’m so exhausted physically and mentally, I can’t stay awake no matter how hard I try.
Melatonin lozenges work fairly well for me, but some other things, like you said, were new pillows. They made a very big difference! Second, comfortable sleepwear. Sounds silly, but being in the right clothing to sleep is a big help. The right sheets and the right pajamas have played major parts in my sleep. Clothes that breathe easily, don’t bunch up on me, and aren’t so loose that they run or rest in any area that triggers pain, like my lower legs, shoulders, chest, back, or feet. Make sure you are mentally ready to sleep. Stress can wreak havoc on your ability to sleep, and also your ability to manage your pain. Try to find something that puts your mind at ease, but doesn’t put you into too much mental focus, like being on a phone or tablet. Also, I’ve read that the lights on phones, tablets, and televisions can adversely affect your brains ability to produce natural melatonin, the chemical which your body regulates naturally to tell you that it’s night time and time to sleep when your eyes close. I drink a cup of sleepytime tea, with a little honey, before bed. That also helps me relax. Lastly, I have found that listening to headphones that play isochronic or binaural sounds has greatly helped with my ability to sleep, and get restful sleep. You can find these on YouTube, Spotify, or other places I’m sure. Personally, they seem to help me. I know how frustrating it is to not be able to sleep. I was on Quetiapine (Seroquel) for insomnia for a long time. Very helpful with sleeping and also my mood. If everything else fails, consult your doctor about this medication. It was incredibly helpful for me.
I hope I’ve helped in some way. Good luck!