Lately I have been up REALLY late working. Going to bed after 2:00 am has been a common occurrence. Sometimes 6:00 am rolls around and I am still staring at the computer screen. I am telling you this not to make you feel bad for me, but to help me. After I work these long hours, when I finally get into bed, my mind will not stop working! I am thinking, planning, making lists, it goes on and on.
Here is a typical train of thought, all happening, and more, for about 45 minutes after I climb into bed.
"Wow, that project was not very fun. I mean who designs a logo like that? We should see if we can redo their logo. I wonder if the Koola logo estimate ever got signed? That guy needs to figure it out. What do I have tomorrow? I need to make sure I make a schedule because of Claire. She needs to eat more solids. It is so hard with her. How come she doesn't like them? She just spits them all over the place. All her clothes are just trashed. And her bibs! I need more bibs, I don't have any clean bibs for the morning. Laundry. Will it ever go away? I have so much down there. Why? I hate it. Just like I hate all of my clothes, nothing fits. What am I going to wear to that client presentation tomorrow? Those jeans have spit-up all over them. Those jeans are in the washer, but won't be dry by the time I need them. I guess I could just get up and switch the laundry. I am too tired. I'm tired! Why can't I fall asleep. I hate this! How come Tim is out 5 seconds after his head hits the pillow? He is so tired. He works so hard. I am so proud of him. I love him. Does he have Young Mens tomorrow? I think so. I need to have a quick dinner ready. Tacos. Let's do Tacos. Do I have everything? I think I do. What about for the party on Saturday? I need to make a list. Let's see, I need lemons for the lemon bars, sausage for the Sausage Rolls, do I want to make that bread thing? I don't know. Maybe I could just get a really yummy pizza and cut it up into little appetizers. Yeah. That's sounds good. I need to write all this down, but I am too cold to get out of bed. I will make a list tomorrow. Oh, I hope it doesn't snow tonight, I really don't want to have to brush snow off my car. I wish I could park in a garage! Maybe we should should build or add-on to our current garage. Ooh, that is scary, I wouldn't know what to do. We need to do so many things to this house. Were we smart to buy it, or should we have waited. I don't know. I don't know anything any more."
...And it goes on, and on, and on. How do I make it stop! I am so tired after working, I always think I can just fall asleep as soon as I get into bed. No way, Jose. I need to do something to let my mind calm down, I guess. Like reading or watching a little TV. Does this ever happen to any of you? What do you do? HELP!
Comments
Seriously though. I think sometimes if you are worried at night and can't turn your brain off, making a list really really helps because it's like once you have it down on paper, you know you won't forget it, and it kind of gives your brain permission to stop thinking about it for the moment. It's kind of a vicious cycle though because when you are up late not being able to sleep, then you are too tired the next day to be as productive as you would like, which just spawns more worry etc. Do you get any kind of break for Christmas?
There's always prozac. ha just kidding...sort of.
Can't wait to see you guys!!
Put that in your browser, dear, and you'll see the kind of bib we love. Our is from PBKids, but I couldn't find it on the website. Anyway, it's a serious miracle, and you just wash it in the sink! I love you!
I second the recommendation to make a list. I like to make a list of everything I need to do the next day before I leave my office for the night. I make two columns: one for work and one for personal. I usually end up transferring things from one day to the next until I get them done, but at least I don't have to try to remember everything.
If I still can't fall asleep, I put something on TV that is semi-interesting. If it's too interesting, I won't go to sleep. If it's boring, my mind won't be engaged enough to slow the aitch down.
Before we kept a heathen TV in our bedroom (with cable! and a dvr! does our depravity know no bounds?!), I would try to match my breathing with Jeff's, because that man falls asleep in seconds and I only had a short window of time before the snoring (THE SNORING!) set in. That usually put me out after a few minutes.
Also, reading the scriptures never fails to put me to sleep. Sorry, Mom and Dad.
Anyway, now if I have the same problem I write it down on a list I keep by my bed (sometimes I have to do it in the dark so Dreamy doesn't waken) then I lay back down, empty my head of all that and think of something pleasant, like sex or a tropical vacation.