Tip #14

Tip #14: When insomnia strikes, make the most of it.

So this tip may not have much relevance to most of you, my readers, but perhaps there are those of you who are insomniacs like myself. For those of you who do not know what insomnia is, it's basically when you go to bed and you cannot fall asleep, no matter how much you toss and turn. It is not a serious health condition really, it's just rather quite annoying. You want to sleep but you can't. It sucks, but don't feel bad. Sometimes, it opens up something rather new.

For those who have a mild case of insomnia, it's really quite easy to be taken care of.  Usually the main cause of insomnia is stress, so here are some ideas that'll destressify you (yes I made up destressify. I think.):

For you midnight snackers, may I suggest hot cocoa, a cup of tea, some of that Neurosleep stuff, some turkey, or a banana? Now I'm sure there are other foods that contribute to sleep, I don't quite recall. However, if you so desire, look them up on Google. Besides food that'll help you get some sleep, try some nice gentle music (classical is a guarrantee knock-out), reading a book, or meditating. If you focus your mind on something other than the stress causer, you'll find that you will fall asleep much quicker than taking a pain pill or some Mormon Whiskey (Nyquil).

Unfortunately, there are those who have had insomnia for much longer than a few weeks. For myself, I have had insomnia for about 2 years now. There isn't really much I can do about it. For you who have the same problem as myself, I'm certain you have come up with your own outlets that not necessarily cure insomnia, but cope with it. For some, it may be composing music; for others, it may be painting or drawing. The point is, there are more ways than one to cope with insomnia. I myself choose to combine listening to Owl City and doodling, with the occasional blogging. Why do I choose Owl City instead of ambient music (instrumental music)? I find that his music is rather inspiring and does indeed speak to me as a fellow insomniac. From his music, I find inspiration and I draw what I hear into form. Because it is rather time consuming, it takes my mind off of the fact that I can't fall asleep and surpisingly helps me fall asleep even faster. Blogging is also very time consuming, especially when you have much to say.  Which is, ironically, exactly what I'm doing now.

There is one more method that can be used but only if you have a driver's licence, gas money, and a car/motorcycle. Simply go for a drive. Sure it may seem like you know where everything is but once the sun sets, the world becomes a very different place. New places are discovered, and the city lights give the world a type of magic to them. If you are one who doesn't live in city, drive out of town and look at the world only lit up by the moon and stars. You'll find yourself in wonderment as you look up at that starry night sky.

Like I stated earlier, these are not the only ways. There are plenty of other ways, so long as it works for you. Best of luck to you fellow insomniacs. For you non-insomniacs, treasure the fact that you can fall asleep a whole lot quicker than us.

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