Ugh. I’m up at 3:30am and can’t sleep. I’ve been awake since two. Figured if I can’t sleep, I might as well be productive and get some writing done.
I used to have huge sleeping problems. Once upon a time I would go for weeks with only a few hours of sleep a night. My problems seem to have been linked to the house we lived in, though I’m not sure why. All I know is that when we moved my sleep issues stopped being so frequent. These days it’s only occasional.
Tonight is an occasion.
Usually when this happens I’ll meditate. Just get up, go into a different room and meditate for about 15 minutes. Generally that clears my head of all gunk that’s clogging it up and making me toss and turn. Then I can go back to bed feeling calmer and clearer and slip right into sleep. Tonight, however, I’m feeling pretty awake and am taking advantage of a quiet household to make some progress on my novella. I’m sitting in my easy chair with a blanket, I have one of my kitties near me, and I’m ready to let this story spin out a little more.
So, how ’bout you? Ever have trouble sleeping? How do you quiet your brain and get back to sleep?
Just two nights ago, I couldn’t sleep because my nose was running too much. Woke up at about 3AM, and tried to wait it out. At 5, I gave up, fetched the tri-pillow from my computer tree, and propped myself up to read 20 minutes’ worth of The Chosen Sin. Since the tri-pillow was helping me breathe, I put the book aside, and napped on and off until 9:30AM.
I’d never have tried to write, though – wouldn’t want to make my brain work, that would keep me up! 😉 Reading a print book is okay, though, because someone else has already done the writing 😉
Have a lovely day! 😀
by Tez Miller October 20th, 2008 at 4:54 amHi Tez — I got a bunch written! Didn’t sleep much, though. I’m the walking dead today. LOL
by Anya Bast October 20th, 2008 at 6:21 amI have alot of trouble sleeping too. I usually take some kind of medicine to put me to sleep since I can’t fall asleep on my own. The natural supplement Melatonin (in the vitamin aisle) helps me fall asleep lately. If I pick up a book I usally end up reading way too long and I don’t get as sleepy. I’ve heard you should do something boring to fall asleep. I guess taking all my books off my shelves and organizing them, looking through them, making little TBR piles, etc isn’t working. LOL Do you drink alot of caffeine Anya? Sometimes if I drink coffee too late in the day it keeps me up. Try eliminating caffeine especially after 2:00 in the afternoon. I hope you get some good sleep.
by RachaelfromNJ October 20th, 2008 at 7:34 ami listen to music softly
by amy sass October 20th, 2008 at 7:43 amAnya, have you tried white noise? I had a machine when I had really bad insomnia and it worked for me. A fan works in the same way.
Luckily, I haven’t been bothered much lately.
by DonnaB October 20th, 2008 at 8:52 amReading generally helps me fall asleep although if it’s a really rough night a magazine works better than a good book for some reason. Having the TV on in the background on low seems to help. Maybe it’s the soft rumble of voices. I always set the sleep timer so the rest of the night is quiet. If I wake up, I turn the TV on and repeat the cycle. Maybe getting older has helped.
😀
Last night was crappy for me! I do not know why my brain would not shut down… usually I listen to soft music and I conk out within a half an hour… last night it took over 2 hours… blah! :confused:
by Colleen October 20th, 2008 at 9:43 amWhen I wake and can’t get return to sleep, I read. I keep a bedside book on my nightstand for just such occasions. If I don’t get sleepy, I at least get some quality reading time in.
by -V- October 20th, 2008 at 11:00 amI hope your sleep is better tonight!
I suffer from regular bouts of insomnia. It can be really serious for me. I will sit or lay there exausted and not be able to sleep for hours on end. It can be hard to make others understand that I just do not normally sleep well at night no matter what time I get up I just can not get to sleep until 3 or 4 am some nights. It got easier to sleep at night while I was driving a truck over-the-road probably cause I was up so early and doing so much. Now I find that if I am working a regular schedule it can help. I still dont get to sleep until around 1 am most nights though and it is not uncommon for me to be up at 7 or 8 am, which doesn’t seem to bad except that without 8 – 10 hours sleep I am miserable. I usually try to first turn everything off, then if that is not helping I will just watch tv or read until my body has decided that it is ready for sleep. When I am tired I have learned to just give up and roll over or I will not be able to sleep again for hours to come. I can usually work myself thru being tired until I am so far gone I just about pass out from lack of sleep.
by Dianna F October 20th, 2008 at 11:11 amWish I had an absolute, sure remedy.
I don’t.
I mean, I know my insomnia is linked to stress levels, but I haven’t found a way to deal with it other than wait it out.
Oh well.
Hope yours remains very rare indeed! (’cause it sucks bricks)
by azteclady October 20th, 2008 at 11:32 amI don’t have a problem sleeping. I am usually up by 3:45 am—–so by 9 pm I am ready to sleep.
by Estella October 20th, 2008 at 12:27 pmWell, I’m married, so luckily for me I have a sleep remedy next to me. My husband doesn’t mind if I wake him up for a little “relaxation” and I can usually roll over and go right back to sleep…*G* maybe I’m really a man, LOL!
by Cheryl McInnis October 20th, 2008 at 2:04 pm😛 I’ve had insomia since before middle school, and have no idea what to do about it. Generally I just read myself into exhaustion. And function on sheer will. 😛
by limecello October 20th, 2008 at 9:08 pmThanks for the commiserations and the remedies, all.
I actually slept very WELL last night. The world seems so much brighter on a good night’s sleep.
Wishing you all sweet dreams.
by Anya October 21st, 2008 at 7:36 am