March 2026 SOLC–Day 25
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I’ve not been sleeping well lately. Usually, I fall asleep quite easily (book in hand), and then wake up a few hours later–wide awake with my mind swirling and spinning with thoughts and concerns. I have learned to try NOT to look at the clock, as it really only makes things worse. Sometimes I can fall back asleep again. Other times I become more and more awake, racing along an unpleasant trajectory of thoughts.

If I need distraction from the growing crescendo of concerns in my head, I usually turn to my book. Guaranteed distraction. I slip under the covers, turn on my book light and read. Finally, most nights, I’ll fall asleep that way again. But, it hasn’t been unusual lately for me to be up for a couple of hours in the middle of the night, filled with increasing dread at my inability to fall back to sleep. (Or at the direction my thoughts are taking.) Reading hasn’t always helped. Sometimes I wake at 1:30 or 2:00 am with my eyes set to wide open and my mind on overdrive. (I said I try not to look at the clock. I’m not always successful!) On those nights, or mornings really, I sometimes just give up and get up around 3:30 or 4:00 am. This makes for a long, long day.

When reading fails, my go-to for trying to get back to sleep (and escape my suctioning whirlpool of doom-and-gloom thoughts) is to write acrostic poems. I know I’ve written about this before, and probably during the challenge. Sadly, it remains a current topic. And as in those previous posts, my go-to word typically is….insomnia!

Here’s a recent night-time composition:

I lie awake
Night after night, hour after hour
Spinning my wheels, going nowhere fast
Overthinking everything
My well of worries
Never runs dry and
I dip into it, over and over
All night long

Here’s hoping you’re sleeping well! If not, what do you do to ward off or cope with insomnia?