Insomnia...
It messes with our minds.
Last night I went to bed at 10:00 PM and then woke up at 2:00AM. I tossed and turned for what felt like forever, but I couldn't fall to sleep. I finally got up and did some work on the computer until I finally felt tired at 4:30AM. So I went back to bed, but the lovely birds outside my window decided to get up and tell me all about it. The chirping was relentless... I finally started to doze at 5:30AM and my alarm went off at 5:45AM.
I am officially a zombie!
Now that the kids are off to school and hubby is gone, you would think I would go back to sleep. But no...I am NOT a napper. It would take me forever to fall to sleep and then I would have to sleep for like 2 or 3 hours, but once I wake up I feel even worse. I wish I was a cat napper. Or one of those people like my husband who can take a 10 minute power nap and feel great.
I repeat...insomnia messes with our minds.
I feel like I'm in a fog or have a hangover. I'm thinking it just might be time for a 5 hour energy. Those saved me at Malice when Liz and I pulled a 3 hour night and had to function the next day. Ugh. I am way too old for this. I like my sleep. I need my sleep. I get grumpy without my sleep :-(
It got me thinking about what might have caused my insomnia. I came to the conclusion we as authors are way too overstressed! I have a new book Corpse in the Crystal Ball out that I have to promote so I am in full swing of a blog tour. That involves writing guest posts and interviews, and showing up at the places I'm supposed to be with comments, and keeping track of the winners so my publicist can mail them their books. Not to mention holding contests of my own. On top of that, I just got my edits back for book 3 Trouble in the Tarot which are due in 2 1/2 weeks. Both Tempest and Corpse became National Bestselling books in their first weeks out, so the pressure is on to do a good job with Tarot, which takes time. I am also a freelance editor on the side and am in the middle of a line edit for someone as we speak. Not to mention I have 4 kids involved in everything under the sun.
I repeat...I need my sleep!
It's hard not to feel overwhelmed at times, and my brain never shuts off. Any tips out there for how to sleep better? What causes insomnia for you? Do you get up and do something, or do you keep fighting the losing battle and try to fall back to sleep? Cranky minds want to know :-)
PS...don't forget there's still time to win a "real" crystal ball and signed copy of my book. Just do an honest review my book somewhere and send me your email as well as the link or the review or just tell me where you posted it so I can check it out. I will announce the lucky winner next Wed June 20th on Kari's Kave. Good luck!
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7 comments:
I need coffee....
I don't get to bed until around 3-4 in the morning and sleep until around 10:30-11 when the cat and dog wake me.
I totally agree with you about the stress level us authors have. Right now I'm waiting for line edits on one book, content edits for a second and the sale of another book to a different publisher.
Advise on getting to sleep-sorry but you're on your own with that one
I hear you, Kari. I am a power nap taker. I can stop for anywhere from a half hour to an hour and fell really refreshed. It allows me to stay up late which is what I like.
I would recommend you try melatonin. This is the active ingredient in warm milk and pilots are even allowed to take it on overnight trips or for jet lag. You can buy the 3 mg tabs anywhere, but the 1 mg. sublingual (under the tongue) works quickly and efficiently. You can only get the sublingual ones at GNC or specialty shops. Try it. It has saved me many times, and there are no hangover effects since it is basically warm milk!!
And congrats on that best seller status. I know book 3 will rock.
I hear ya. And congrats on the 2nd book!
When I need to cheat, it's usually because my allergies are acting up so I feel justified to take a Benedryll at night (anti-histamine).. I've also used Graval when desperate - it only takes a quarter of a tablet to make me dose off.
But best of all, in University many many moons ago, I got a self-hypnosis tape that was amazing. I still use the techniques I learned. They help me shut down the crazy brain that doesn't want to stop.
With that, I can also feel revived and ready to go again from a ten minute relaxation break.
Also, recently when working an overnight shift, a workmate taught us a bunch of yoga and holy cow! Talk about feeling refreshed and ready to work again at 3am... it was amazing.
Wow you guys are amazing. These tips sound awesome. Can't wait to try them. Thanks :-)
Kari, oh I hate insomnia. I have become a napper. When I first started writing and sometimes still, I write a lot at night, so I have to sleep some during the day. Or I sleep for three hours at night and for a few hours during the day. It does mess with the mind. And it sucks. My goal is to get in bed at a decent hour and get up early and stay up. No naps.
And I'm going to have to check out Liz's suggestion for sublingual melatonin. I've used the regular tablets, but not those.
Big congrats on the new release and the best seller status.
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