When You Can't Sleep, What Do You Do?
 

When I can't sleep at 3:00 AM...well, I often conjugate with Muse.
And when he visits, he prompts my creativity to surface...I respond, then I get tired and go back to bed.
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Some temp gauge I've had sitting around for years; it seemed like it wanted a presentation, of sorts.
Hmm...what to do? Let's see...some hardwood, Brass stock. some stain and Tru Oil,...Hmm.
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http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1457297627.jpg
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That little round-looking Brass thingy is an old fashioned lock key, like a skeleton key.
I've had it in my jewelry box for decades, cut it down and threaded it and then threaded a Copper insert into that block of hardwood.
A piece of leather is on the inside tip of the key and binds against the Brass vertical rod to hold the temp gauge at various heights.
Why do this? Who knows? Muse told me to do it...ask him.
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http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1457297725.jpg
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A close-up of the block - - notice the drilled-out Brass washer around the Copper insert...aesthetic appeal. ;)
Hey!, I had fun doing it and it tired me out.
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http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1457297945.jpg
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So, what do y'all do when you can't sleep?

When I can't sleep, I generally play solitare or Mahjong on my Kindle, or form lists in my mind....kinda like counting sheep.

I read in bed. I make sure the reading material is not too exciting. Short stories, a weekend newspaper or even poetry works for me. Laptop produces light so not good for me plus forums wind me up!:)

Read the Bible. You'd be amazed how well it works. Don't even have to be a Christian.

If I can't sleep, I usually change environment. Mostly I head for the couch, where I seem to be able to fall asleep. I usually wake up again in a few hours & trundle back to bed where I fall asleep again pretty quickly. I get to feeling too warm on my back side if I lie there too long without getting to sleep. If I need a boost the next night after having after not sleeping well the night before, there is always the magic pill (Lorazepam) at bedtime. I don't like taking something to sleep & seldom do that, but they really put me away.

this may work for me. thanks for posting.

That's pretty sweet, Don. Well done!
To answer your question, I turn on a podcast. Usually The Moth or something. I tune to one I've already heard so I don't miss anything, because I'm out in 5 minutes.

That would do it too!
I'll try that next time.
"Sweety? Are you awake? I can't sleep. We need to conjugate."

Now you can raise the temperature any time you like!

Modern!

If I'm not mistaken all who have posted here are in the 60 -70 age range ? Waking up at 3 or so is getting to be a real problem amongst us OWGs so it seems. I'm with Marv, I settle into the recliner and read something light and if that doesn't work it's the magic pill for me also although I use them as a last resort.

and Conjugating at 3 most likely ain't gonna happen... :rolleyes:

3 am is when I go to sleep.

Conjugate.
I meant the other meaning.
But then, different strokes...err, .........whatever. ;)
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There's something about being able to fall asleep on a sofa...never figured that one out.

I wake up at 4:00am, almost on the dot. REALLY annoying.

I just remember the M word.

I used to a lot before I met my present GF. But she just laughs at me and says meditation is rubbish. But it really works for me and gets rid of my minor anxiety attack.

Bourbon?

"I just remember the M word."
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Makes my mind race...mostly with paranoia.
Always envied those who could relax with Mary Jane.

I subscribe to the belief that you should keep your bed times the same everyday- I get up the same time every morning even if no work that day- I may get the dog fed and pottied and then go back to sleep for a few hours, but I always get up at the same time. Go to bed roughly the same each night as well.

My muse is my bladder, so usually it wakes me up a few times a night, but I go right back to sleep after using the toilet- very important that you don't just wake up and pee, but that you use the bathroom!

Fast forward to 2:00 in:
<iframe width="420" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/jAmPfEMI16g" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Trick is to sleep when your tired. If your not tired then do something along the line of enjoyment or work. Do that until your eyes are heavy - then go to bed. Simple.

I have a few episodes of Top Gear recorded. I make sure they're ones I've seen before so I'm not too interested. I don't know why but I usually fall asleep about half way through.