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| Photo by reonis |
As unlikely as the title sounds there are people like myself who often struggle to sleep but eventually manage to catch a dream. I can't really classify myself as an insomniac as I almost always manage to get some sleep. But I can't classify myself as a normal sleeper is (whatever that means).
You see my problem is that I can't shut off my mind. Falling asleep rarely happens in under 30 minutes. Tossing and turning for an hour or two is usually the standard. And I know I am not alone. There are other people out there whose preoccupied minds won't let them into la-la land.
So I decided to do a bit of research and find out how others cope with this issue. Apart from the usual advice - not over- or under-eating before bedtime, glass of hot milk + banana, meditation, muscle relaxation, deep breathing, counting and so forth - I found some quite interesting tips.
For instance, reading a textbook or encyclopaedia can make you nod off in 15 minutes. Haven't tried that one yet. Having just come out of higher education I just cannot bring myself to read anything academic.
Apparently scientific studies have proved that lying in bed helplessly trying to sleep can make insomnia worse. Well no surprise there. The frustration that runs through my body as I try not to move an inch and will myself to sleep is unbearable.
Perhaps I should start blogging at night... But what about the much needed rest my brain needs? Staying up for much of the night, keeping myself busy may eventually induce some drowsiness and allow me to nod off. But what about getting enough sleep?
Funnily, I am one of those people who need 8 or 9 hours to function at 100%. So when I can't fall asleep I start worrying about how I will get through the day without a sufficient amount of dream-time.
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| Photo by Pete |
At that point some may claim that thinking and visualising the colour purple can help. I should try to make it "appear in my mind's eye" and relax into the waves of purple.
Well, if that doesn't work I can always roll my closed eyes upwards three times. That is because this happens naturally when one is falling asleep and can therefore trigger a certain sleep chemical in our body.
Whoever came up with this wacky ideas is not a real insomniac. Ultimately, I have discovered, it is the power of mind that can only save you.
If you, like me, can't fall asleep because you can't stop thinking and worrying about an endless list of things then there is only one thing I can suggest to do. Well may be two.
When I can't fall asleep I tell myself a story or imagine what it would be like living my dream. That usually works. If not, I let myself worry for a while and pick up something to read. After that I turn off the lights and try my imagination trick again.
Oh and of course there is always coffee the next morning!