Sleepless, and not in Seattle

By Dr. Andy and Renie Bowman
Coffeetimecolumn.com
andybowman839@gmail.com

Way too often are you finding yourself lying awake instead of getting your beauty sleep? As many know firsthand, that is an extremely common problem for a lot of people. I won’t bother boring you with the national statistics of this plague, you won’t be interested or impressed.

Because the only insomnia that truly bothers you is your own night after night – right? After all, the lady in Nantucket lying awake tonight isn’t causing you much worry. 

And even if I bring the problem closer to home – let’s say that there is an insomniac lying next to you in your bed, it’s still not you. Their sleepless nights don’t affect you one bit – unless they choose to repeatedly kick you awake, so you can sympathize with their plight as they moan that they can’t sleep. And I would bet my last Oreo cookie that strategy doesn’t garner the true compassion your bedmate is wanting.

Instead, most “I’ve-seen-every-hour-on-the-hour” sufferers usually choose to wait it out alone. They lay tossing and turning while counting useless and irritating sheep, or attempt to name all their cousins – in alphabetical order no less, or just turn on the lamp and do some casual reading. Others are more purpose-driven, so they might try reciting the multiplication table or creating a "Tomorrow’s To-Do List" in their head.

For some, this can’t-sleep issue is caused by stress or anxiety. For others, it is caused by preservatives in the food they ate or meds they mistakenly took too close to bedtime. Or it can actually be a learned behavior – unwanted, but an unfortunate fact in some sufferer’s lives. For others, it can be a medical issue of the brain. But whatever the cause, it is real – and a real pain.

Here’s a thought. Those nights when your eyes won’t close, you might as well do something truly constructive for yourself. Something that gives a true purpose to those lonely hours of sleeplessness. After all, those stupid sheep don’t benefit from being counted night after night – so find something else that is actually worthwhile.

How about realizing that you really aren’t alone in the stillness of the night? As an insomniac, you have the opportunity to have an uninterrupted gripe session with the King of Kings. God is awake and would love to listen to you grumble about your fears, your anger or worries, or anything you want. Don’t be afraid to tell Him what you are feeling – after all, He already knows it anyway. But the conversation will help you.

But if talking to your God still doesn’t take up enough of those endless hours, then find something productive to do – like writing a newspaper column titled “Dealing with 2-6 a.m. insomnia” – like yours truly. 

Insomnia happens – probably to everyone once in a while. More often than that for others. It’s a great night when you can overcome it, close your eyes and sleep. But those times when you just can’t, make those hours count for yourself.