On Insomnia

Bagan, Myanmar

I haven't been sleeping lately. 

Which is such a shame, because getting more sleep was one of my new year's resolutions. 

I was doing so well. But two weeks in, I just stopped sleeping. Without realizing it, the hours slip away until its about to be dawn, and finally I am ready to close the blinds and go to sleep.

Am I stressed? Always, but that's never stopped me from falling asleep before. My theory is actually that I have so much going on that there just isn't enough time in one day to accomplish everything that I want to do. I'm so excited that I'm not even tired - I don't have to drink an hourly espresso like I did in university, pulling all-nighters before exams. I am so high on life that sleep is only a distraction from the present. 

Beginning this website has created a deluge of ideas and inspiration for me. Not only to post here, but my personal and professional writing as well. I hadn't written for so long, and now all these ideas are fighting to be told as stories and poems.

I know that this is a terribly unhealthy habit, and I do hope this a phase and soon I will be back to getting a perfectly appropriate, doctor-recommended amount of sleep. But I will miss the late-nights of creative frenzy and imaginary deadlines that push me to actually finish compositions. For a long while, I was running around, seeing friends, and going to bed at a decent hour. This was great, but now that I'm sacrificing sleep, I can have my social life and also have time to read, and write, and cook, and still procrastinate the chores I'd rather not bother with. 

I don't wish insomnia on anyone, and I really don't love it, but if you find yourself lying wide awake at 2 am, instead of lamenting about it, why not try picking up that book that's been sitting untouched for months and getting lost in a good story? It might keep you up all night. Or it may just put you right to sleep.

love,

greer