Sleep Disorders Forum - Strange mental state before falling asleep

I've been struggling with sleep issues since I've been young. I'm the type of person that wakes up at the sound of a pindrop. Perhaps my ancestors were guards or sentries that needed to be aware even during sleep, heh.

Anyhow, getting back on topic, one of my most recent problems has been these odd feelings right before entering the first stages of sleep. It's been going on for months now and shows no signs of letting up.

Basically, the easiest way to describe it would be an overwhelming sense of mortality. I feel fragile, mortal and feel a sense as if death is near or very close to me. Thing is, I'm a very care free person, often described as laid back or relaxed. I try not to worry about things in life I can't control, and the fear of death has never been a problem. Before going to bed, I feel fine. Not stressed, not anxious at all, feel tired and as if I could sleep in a matter of minutes... and the last thing on my mind is death or thinking about my own mortality.. Then out of nowhere, when I am about to enter a dream state, I feel what I've described... There are other strange feelings too, sometimes my mind will replay a situation I've had during the day but I feel as though I'm viewing it, feeling it, experiencing it through someone else's mind. It's difficult to describe.

It's not really a fear of death that I feel; more of a deep (but false) awareness of how I'm approaching death. It almost feels as though I can almost tap in this madness and extract when and where I will die, as if it's right there but I can't quite reach it. It sounds crazy... Maybe I am going nuts, who knows. I'm 28, healthy, fit, no diseases or problems that I know of... Yet I am tormented by this.

I've done searches and have not found anyone else with this problem. I don't know if it has anything to do with the fact that I have lots of trouble initially falling asleep, or what...

I've tried everything. From reading (easy reading) before bed, which has helped, to not eating / drinking anything before sleep, to sleeping and waking up at the same times everyday, or only being in my bedroom to sleep, etc. Nothing has helped. These strange odd sensations always come up, out of nowhere, and disrupt my ability to fall asleep, keeping me on the borderline of falling asleep until the wee hours of the night.

Any advice?