10 Ways To Stay Up When You're Exhausted

Insomnia Is My Middle Name

 (Just something pretty to look at)

I have never slept well.

Never.

Not even as a child.

And I really don't sleep well now.

I can't ever shut my mind off. 

I've tried just about every idea out there to go to sleep,

but not only can I not go to sleep,

I can't stay asleep for more than 2 hours.

My best technique is to turn Netflix on my phone,

put my headphones on, and usually in about an hour or so

off I go. . .

for an hour or so.

Then I get my wake up call and it will be another few hours before I can go back to sleep.

I know, that shouldn't work, but it gives my mind something else to chew on instead of lists of all the things I want to accomplish tomorrow.

But,

how can I stay up, excited, motivated when sleep is so illusive?

1.  I try not to dwell on it.

I don't let myself think about how tired I am, I just try to push through till lunch.

2.  I make lists.

Yes, I know that's what I'm thinking about when trying to go to sleep, but if I have a list of things that need accomplishing, I can tick things off that list and not let thoughts of how tired I am creep in.

3.  Even if I can't sleep, I can eat well.

My body doesn't get much rest,

 but I try to make sure it gets fuel.

4.  I take a nap when my body says sleep.  NOW!

Also not a great idea according to some,

but I've been at this for 60 years now 

and if my body says 

"take a nap" I listen. 

5. Simulate Sleep

 During the night when I wake up,

I lay very still and try to slow my breathing and heart rate down.  I try to simulate sleep.  Even if I can't sleep,

my body is resting.

6.  Paint what I love.

Exhaustion is not a great time to tackle a really hard passage, or subject matter.  But then again, sometimes it helps me focus on the process and not how tired I am.

7.  Drink water.

Your body is water and needs water.

Give it what it needs. 

8.  Go to your calm place. 

Late in the day, start to wind down.

Don't start new projects.

Change gears.

9.  Prepare for tomorrow. 

Right before I turn the lights out in my studio for the day,

I lay out a plan for tomorrow.

When I start to think about it when I'm trying to go to sleep,

I remind myself I already have a plan for tomorrow,

so think about something else.

10.  Do Some Research  

I'm to tired to paint because my brain can't function,

that's when I research subjects I want to work on,

take a walk with my camera and try to photograph things I'd like to study or paint.  

I'm still working on my art, but I'm not frustrating myself by not being able to paint. 

Hopefully, you sleep deep and long.

Hopefully you don't need any of this,

but just in case you do,

I hope something here inspires you to keep trying.

I know I will be.

Don't forget,

I'll be giving this bad boy away August 31,

and then in September I'll be giving away a boat load of art goodies, including 4 of my online iris painting classes and 1 full blown art course.

I'll be giving away over $800 worth of art in September for my blogaversary.

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Yea!!!    

Leave me a comment if sleep alludes you

and how you fight it.