Insomnia is something that comes and goes in my life.
Like some kind of errant teenage boyfriend, taunting me, occupying my thoughts, wearing me out.
He, let’s call him he, is visiting at present. His usual visiting hours begin at around one am. Having gone to sleep reasonably easily by eleven pm I am suddenly, inexplicably woken and there he is.
We go over and over stuff. Work stuff, tax stuff, money stuff, love stuff, family stuff, stuff that happened at university, at school, the list is endless. Almost every situation that has occurred in my life that is, or has ever, made me uneasy we discuss at length between the hours of one and six am.
Five long quiet hours. Just me and him.
Last night we lay there for a good while re-living a playground argument with a girl at primary school. How does he remember this stuff? I think he must store it away safely somewhere in the deepest recesses of my brain and then picks at will, depending on his mood.
Then he leaves. He is done.
And I fall into the deepest, most beautiful sleep.
Until I wake at six-thirty or seven. Dragged from my sleep by my waking boy or the alarm for work.
I know this won’t last forever.
He is a fickle suitor.
Sometimes he will visit for a week, sometimes months.
This visit has been a week so far.
How do I end this unhealthy relationship once and for all with my night-time beau?
Any advice most welcome.
Man, I need some sleep.
Insomnia is a twat. Exercise can help.
Usually I end up playing on the Xbox or something.
You are right I know.
I know that if I go for a run I will probably sleep longer, but because I haven’t slept I don’t feel like I have the energy to go.
And on it goes…
Perhaps I will give my sadistic running buddy a call.
I suffer from insomnia. Honestly I find the best thing is to give up on sleeping for a while and read a book. Then try again later, takes the pressure off. Failing that I take sleeping tablets when necessary because parenting on no sleep is a bitch. Good Luck.
I had thought about reading but worried turning the lamp on may wake up himself who has to get up for work. He says he doesn’t mind though and to be fair, he can sleep through most things. May try that tonight. Am so knackered. Am so sorry you get it too 🙁 thanks for the advice lovely x
I have bouts of insomnia and a one of the things that helps me is to lay back, relax, and then get each part of your body to “relax”, starting at your toes, then your legs, knees… Etc. i saw it on tv and basically it’s attempting to release tension out of your body… Sometimes works, sometimes doesn’t!
have you tried audio books? pass the time, distract without exciting and usually enough to get you back off to sleep
A warm, milky drink before you go to bed works for me. A nice hot chocolate or something similar. I had a bout of insomnia when I was about 12 or 13. It was horrible, I’d not fall asleep until about 4am and then have to get up for school 2 hours later. Exhaustion is a bitch.
Also, try Radio 4. Not because it’s dull (I love it) but because the voices are modulated and soothing. I am never awake past the shipping forecast 🙂