When we are born we love to sleep. The majority of the photographs documenting my infancy show the deep friendship with sleep and I once had. For some of us, that friendship is one that lasts a lifetime. For others, sleep is as elusive as a unicorn and every second spent with your eyelids closed makes you wonder if you've ever felt the feeling before. This is for the one's who began a game of hide and seek with sleep and haven't found her yet.
Don't let people shame you for your insomnia. If you could sleep, you would. People who sleep well love to offer suggestions to the insomniacs out there. Whether they are concerned with us just not laying down early enough, spending an excessive amount of time on our phone, or drinking soda too late at night, everyone seems to have their own opinion of what is "wrong" with you. In all actuality, none of that has anything to do with my sleeping habits. It is not uncommon for an insomniac to spend hours laying awake before they sleep, drink nothing but water, or deem their bed an "electronics-free zone." There are countless things that can cause insomnia, and just because somebody is not an insomniac does not give them the right to shame you for your insomnia. Wise advice is always welcomed, but belittling someone for an inability to fall asleep is not only unnecessary but won't help anyone. Recognize patterns that may contribute to your insomnia for yourself, and don't dwell on the fact that somebody thinks you are "weird" for not getting a solid eight hours.
Don't give up on trying to get a better night's sleep. Ever since childhood, I haven't gone to bed before midnight. As I aged, that bedtime got later and later. It wasn't poor parenting. My parents diligently sent me to bed at 10:00 every night so that I could get the sleep I needed to wake up for school the next day. I would obey my parents and go to my room. I would proceed to play with my toys and get in trouble frequently for not being in bed. I would sneak flashlights under my covers to stay up reading. After being caught and scolded for keeping myself awake, I would surrender to my bed with no toy, book or flashlight. I would lay awake looking around my room for hours before sleep would finally overtake me. This continued through high school and continues today. No matter how long I have struggled with sleeping, I still actively look for ways to improve the little sleep I do get. Don't give up. Be resilient. Not sleeping may be a part of your lifestyle, but your body thanks you when you do sleep.
Above all else, take advantage of those extra hours of creativity that your insomnia gives you every night. If you lay awake for hours before falling asleep, you have thought of some crazy, creative ideas. Write them down. Did you think of an idea for an invention, the next big "Twilight" fanfic, a new theory about "Game of Thrones," or lyrics for a song about your dog? Start taking advantage of the fact that your cognitive wheels are still spinning. Creativity is a trait that slowly gets drained from us as we are told that our ideas are not good enough. When your creative spirit rears its head late at night, be ready to capture that moment. When you lay down for bed it can feel like there is a treasure chest full of ideas and questions in your head that just opened. Focusing on the creative thoughts and ideas makes it so much easier to ignore the negative things that come pouring out with them.
