I’ve been dealing with some slight insomnia lately. Mostly this means that I go to bed around 11PM but I’m lying awake until after 1AM. It wouldn’t be a problem, except that I get up at 7AM. Okay, my alarm goes off at 7AM. I get up by 8AM (Side note: I have a great alarm clock that lets me choose my snooze time – between 10 minutes and 1.5 hours. It’s definitely dangerous some days, but I love it).
It’s been 4 days now, and with school starting in the next week(ish), I need to get back into my regular sleep pattern soon. Generally, when I am ready to go to sleep, I have to tell myself a story for about 30 minutes. Doing this I think just helps focus my mind on something “unimportant” and allows it to wander into Unconsciousland!. Sometimes this is disappointing because I get into the stories I’m telling, but generally it’s just how I let myself know that it’s time for sleep. When I get insomnia to whatever degree, this method stops working. Like last night. I kept hopping away from the story to something I had to take care of and knew I would forget, so I would get out my computer and take care of it and then lay back down.
So, I’m up. It’s almost 1AM again. I’m starting to get sleepy. I’m going to post this blog and then hit the sack. Whether the storytelling works tonight or not, I wanted to know, dear readers: What methods work for you when your normal sleep routine doesn’t?
creating carrie 
I’m usually a great sleeper and fall asleep easily, traits I acknowledge are real blessings, thanks to my insomniac husband. So for me, I’ve learned that the best thing is to acknowledge when the sleeping isn’t happening and stop struggling in bed with it. Get up, go to the couch for awhile, the computer… whatever else. It might take me a while (hour or so, sometimes more), but it’s definitely nicer than tossing & turning.
with that i worry about waking my brain up even more. but i’ll give it try!