I need some serious advise

I'm wondering how old you are. It's not unusual for teenagers to need nine hours' sleep but most adults don't need that much. I realise you've been used to getting nine hours and this change must be very upsetting, but it could be that you don't really need all that.

What some people find helpful when going through a period of sleeplessness is to stay up until closer the time they find they can fall asleep. I know it sounds counter-intuitive, but spending a couple of hours tossing and turning in bed can often cause you to stay awake even longer.

And waking between 6 and 7 isn't abnormally early in the general run of things - though I realise it might seem that way for you. Five or six hours' sleep may not be enough to leave you feeling on top of the world, but it won't seriously damage your health or performance, especially in the short term.

I'm not surprised that the sad news about your mum has made you even more depressed. I wonder whether you're seeing someone (GP, psychiatrist, mental health nurse etc.) about this and whether you're on any medication. Although most anti-depressants tend to make you sleepy, some types can cause wakefulness. This could be especially true after the life-changing events you're going through at the moment. If you are under medical care for your depression, you should discuss this with your practitioner.

If, on the other hand, you're not taking any medication for your pre-existing depression, you could first try asking your pharmacist whether there's something you could take. A lot of herbal remedies are effective for minor sleep problems. However, please don't combine herbal remedies with prescription meds, and stick to the recommended dose, even if you're not taking anything else. People have a tendency to think herbal remedies won't do any harm even if they don't do any good, but that's not true. They need to be approached with the same caution as prescription medications.

Finally, if you're not already under treatment for your depression, perhaps you should consider seeing your doctor and asking to be referred to a psychiatrist or similar.

I'm sorry to offer so many alternatives, but there isn't really enough information in your post to give a clear picture of your current position. I hope you'll find your way through your current terrible situation, so you can settle down to a better sleep pattern again.

Whilst I know it is unusual for you, what you are getting is perfectly adequate for most people. I would love to get 5-6 hours a night! I do understand, however, that when you are used to more the change can be hard to cope with, and what you are going through isn't making things easier.

Medication is great for a few days but only really helps when you are desperate. Long term it is actually terrible for your sleep.

Have you heard of something called sleep hygiene? That can be very good at getting people back into the right sleeping patterns.

Also, it might be worth going back to your GP and adjusting your depression meds. It might be that helps too, especially as things have gotten worse recently. If the meds you are on aren't working, Mirtazapine is an antidepressant that can be very good for sleep.

I wish you the best of luck. x