I'm making a better effort to meditate, but I don't know if I'm doing it right. Focusing on my breathing and releasing thoughts is hard and if I relax too much, I fall asleep.
If you have related issues when meditating, have you found better ways to meditate or alternatives that give you similar results?
I highly suggest this whole series and the following one. But exercise six helps with restlessness/worry as well as sloth/torpor.
https://www.buddhistinquiry.org/resources/satipatthana-audio/
Suggestion is to do exercise six so you know where it's going. Then do the whole series, practicing with one every day for a week.
The series after is this one.
https://www.buddhistinquiry.org/resources/breathing-audio/
Both are based on the Buddha's own practice and teachings. And the meditation instructor is a well respected scholar of early Buddhism.
The short answer is, when sleepy or dull recall that you're going to die on the in breath. Let go on the out. If restlessness is present, pay more attention to the out breath.