Insomnia - A Great Time for Creativity

 

Before coming into my sixties, I was a happy sleeper. Then insomnia ruined my nights — tossing and turning for hours, having no evident stressful situation to consider. Still, I had a few months of misery. Then I did what the experts suggest: get up and do something.

Now the rule is, if I’m awake for over 20 minutes, it’s time to throw back the covers and get out of bed. I found out that, after I’m up for an hour or two, I feel tired and I’m able to go back to sleep.

The result was a list of creative activities to do during those wide-awake hours:

Have a snack. I make myself a treat, put it on a plate, sit down, and enjoy it slowly, relishing the flavor. For a beverage, I have chamomile tea or any other calming tea.

Make a list. For me, making a list is a great way to keep myself organized and focused on a specific project. I often have many lists in the works at the same time. Many nights I work on my list of ideas for future articles/stories.

Googling to my heart’s content. I pick a topic I know nothing about and investigate! Also, a good time to do research on those ideas for future articles.

Tackle the junk drawer. Time to decide what do I chuck and what do I keep. I’ve found a plethora of old keys, missing earrings, a miniature rubber ducky, my business card from 1985, and other interesting stuff I don’t care to mention.

Make progress on decluttering. I am big on minimalism, and the middle of the night is the perfect time to declutter. My rule is, whatever hasn’t been used in a year won’t be used and doesn’t belong in my house.

Savor the night. We are often so frustrated to be awake that we miss the joys of the night. Time to soak in the stillness and live in the moment. Take the time to think about your future — incorporating the knowledge of what has passed.

Tidy up. Maybe I didn’t leave things tidy before going to bed. Chances are, there is stuff lying around that doesn’t belong. Waking up to a tidy home is a refreshing reward for being awake in the middle of the night.

If you find yourself wide awake in the middle of the night, think about what a gift it is and get a jump on your next day!