Wide awake
Read a chapter
Think of a slicing topic
Back to sleep
Toss and turn
Read another chapter
Check the time
Back to sleep
Seriously?
White noise is not working
Book is finished
TOO.EARLY. BACK.TO.SLEEP!
Not successful!
Heard the weather.
Still tired
Time to write
Time to write about time . . .
What’s your remedy for early wake ups when traveling?
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Oh, Fran! You did NOT get a good night’s sleep. I have trouble, too, when I am away from home unless I can take a long, leisurely walk before bed. They say you should not read in bed – read in a chair, and then get into bed when you are ready to go to sleep. I am reading The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin and loving it. If you haven’t read it, give it a try.
Thanks, Lynne. I fell asleep fine. I just did not stay asleep. And I don’t think it was road-interstate noises.
I sympathize. Sleepless nights are the worst, especially when traveling. You capture that frustration very well. My solution is to just give in to it. Know you’re not going to sleep and try to stay awake without reading or watching TV. Usually, trying to stay awake makes me sleepy! Try it. It might work for you too.
I had some papers to grade but I didn’t even think of that! Hmmm. I’ll try a different plan tonight!
Oh, Fran! So sorry you had a sleepless night. I fall asleep with an audiobook every night. There are a few rules I have to follow: 1) I have to have already read or listened to the book. 2) The book can’t be action-packed. 3) The book must be interesting enough for me to listen to it repeatedly. There is a sleep timer on audible and I just sleep with an earbud in. For several months now, I’ve been falling asleep to THE UNTETHERED SOUL by Michael A. Singer. Soon I will switch books. This has been a life-changing sleep strategy for me, as I have some insomnia issues. I even resume the book if I wake up in the night. 🙂 Here’s wishing you a good night’s sleep tonight!
Jan,
I know that I have to pick up a non-action book for late night reading. Hadn’t thought of the “already read” category. Another book to check! Thanks!
Your poem worked beautifully to share your mood and the tension with each minute passing. Time difference is tough — there are some tricks to it. My husband is a sleep researcher so if you really want advice I can connect you to him! common rules — no electronics in sleep space for the most part. Earplugs and eyemask can also help in hotels if sounds and lighting is distracting. Push through tonight… stay up as late as you can and then go to sleep!!!
Clare
I don’t have many nights like this, but when they happen I am usually useless during the day. Hope you have no repeat nights like this.
So much tension in these kinds of nights. Sometimes listening to a timed audiobook works for me. Mostly, I do math problems in my head – things like counting prime numbers. Determining patterns in the multiplication table when you add the digits together is another one that helps me. There is something about working math in my head that takes me away from the other things that are keeping me awake.
Sorry to hear about your sleepless night! They are so annoying! I know when I exercise during the day that helps me sleep much better. I don’t know if that helps you or not, but it’s worth a try. 🙂
Lisa,
I am going for a combination of things tonight! Thanks!
I do almost the same, just grab the book & hope I drift off. Wonderfully creative to share this way, Fran!
So many ways to make a message clear. Pictures are important! ❤