[RandomName47]

Many nights I don’t feel sleepy. I don’t feel anxious either just awake. In theory I should just do some random activity into the night but at some point I do have to try to sleep. The day after one of these types of nights is very hard but I’m trying hard not to apply second suffering to them. I’m thinking maybe a audio book I can listen to over and over just so I have the chance of sleeping while making the waiting for sleep less uncomfortable.

Thanks.

[Martin Reed]

Sleepiness is a good clue that conditions are good for sleep to happen — but the absence of sleepiness doesn’t mean sleep won’t or can’t happen. (And, to clarify, sleepiness is more to do with difficulty remaining awake rather than feeling worn out and fatigued.)

When you don’t feel sleepy, are you in bed or are you out of bed? If you are in bed, perhaps there’s no need to do anything if you are feeling comfortable. If you are not in bed, you have two choices — you can stay out of bed until sleepiness shows up (even if that means an entire night being out of bed) or you can go to bed, rest, and give sleep the opportunity to show up.

Which of those options feels most workable to you?

PS: “Second suffering” is an insightful term. That can definitely happen if we respond to difficult nights in certain ways. What does “second suffering” mean to you, and how is it created?

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