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Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Ideas for 3 a.m.

I know it seems hard to believe, but sometimes I find myself awake in the middle of the night. 3ish in the morning seems to be my favorite witching hour. So last night, while I was awake at 3:41am, I started thinking that maybe I should make a list of things that can be done in the wee hours of the morning.
  1. Pack lunches.
  2. Move the stuff in the washing machine to the dryer.
  3. Fold the stuff you just took out of the dryer.
  4. Blog.
  5. Bake chicken.
  6. Catch up on DVR'd episodes of "Chopped" and "Drop Dead Diva."
  7. Count how many hours of actual sleep you got and fret about how many more hours are left until you have to wake up -- again.
  8. E-mail your co-workers so they can be uber-impressed with the hour at which you were up working.
  9. Pray.
  10. Hang out on Facebook and see which of your friends are insomniacs, too.
  11. Play online Scrabble.
  12. Check your work e-mail and calendar to see if you can call in "exhausted."
  13. Catch up on your blog reading.
  14. Check the kids' backpacks that you forgot to go through before bedtime.
  15. Pay bills.
  16. Initiate an amorous encounter -- unless the reason why you're awake at 3am is that there are kids sleeping in your bed, which kind of automatically kills the mood.
It seems like I'm forgetting something. I know there is at least one more thing you can do at 3am...

Oh yeah. Sleep.


Beth Zimmerman said...

This is the second blog I read today where the blogger was awake at 3:00 a.m. The other one baked muffins! Hope tonight is a better night!

Las Vegas Mama said...

Yikes, how would you even have the energy to do all that? If I wake up in the middle of the night its 1) peeing and going back to bed, 2) eating and going back to bed, or if I am really wide awake, 3) playing on the internet slash watching missed episodes of stuff on Hulu. While eating. So, hats off to you for your ambition!

kimybeee said...

okay, i am an insomniac - so here are a few tips that work for me. Go to bed at a decent hour and don't watch stimulating tv like "trauma, life in the er" when you lay down. if you are a tv watcher, watch something dull for 30 minutes or so with the volume turned down. then turn the tv off. (i only do these things if i have to work) i cover the dvr clock with something so i can't see the time if i get up or wake up during the night. i also turn my alarm clock to face the wall so i can't see the time on it either. and put it far enough away from you that you have to reach to get it. that makes you less likely to turn the clock around to check the time. if you do get up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom, do so quickly and don't spend any time doing anything other than the actual bathroom act. keep things as dark as you can while up. go straight back to bed or stay in bed if you just wake up. don't run over all the things in your head that you need to get done. (this is the craziest part) - create a fantasy story or life in your head. kinda like a tv show in your head that you can be the star of - you can't be who you really are either! you have to be younger, independently wealthy, and very attractive, etc. (not that you aren't great, but in my fantasy world, i don't have these three chins with me) this way your mind is busy, but not on something that is gonna bother you or keep you awake. you can pretend you have an exciting career, or are dating a famous person, or anywhere your imagination takes you. I already know i am nuts, but when i use this to fall asleep or go back to sleep i find myself going to sleep a lot faster and i don't dream or wake up like i would if i had something important on my mind when i go to sleep.

all the things you do at night will just make you exhausted and then the waking up every night and doing these things will become your normal and your body rhythm will be all out of whack! so take a crazy chicks advice and be all dreamy and empty minded and help yourself rest!! (of course if you are asleep then who's blog and facebook will i be able to read and interact with at 3am) nevermind the advice, don't forget that load of laundry that needs washed and dried tonight! lol

kimybeee said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
kimybeee said...

my post was there twice so i deleted - oops!

Momza said...

Ha! Shoulda called me. I was up from 3:13am until 4:45am!

Anonymous said...

i think i just got up to pee at about 4:45 a.m. other than think, i think i got a pretty good night's sleep (i don't normally)

toronto, on

Tina L. Hook said...

I am guilty of getting restless in the middle of the night and getting up to write/blog/do stuff. Glad to hear I am not the only crazy one.

Joanie said...

Ah! You're talking about my new life! You may be experiencing early peri-menopause. Welcome!

Either I'm awake until 2 or 3 am, or, if I can manage to fall asleep in a timely manner, I'm awake at 3 or 4 am.

Even though I have a TV in my bedroom, I discovered if I go downstairs, get in my recliner, pull and comforter over my legs, and turn on the TV, I can fall asleep within 30 minutes or so and get a few more hours of sleep.

Anonymous said...

I eat things I'm not supposed to...because calories don't count between 1am and 4am. True story.