2. you are angry
3. you are hungry
4. you are too tired
5. you are not in the mood to sleep
6. noises are keeping you awake
7. you are anxious
8. you are crying
9. you are homesick
10. you often have sleep issues
Sometimes just realising what is going on is helpful. So, go through the list and mentally cross out the ones it definitely is not. With the remaining amount of numbers – number them from the most likely one to the least one.
Next, think of what you could do to help yourself.
Pick a solution that takes less than five minutes. For example, if it is hunger – have a glass of milk. If it is that you are not in the mood then spend five minutes fixing up your sleep environment to be more comfortable. If you are homesick, maybe cuddle something that reminds you of home.
The basic idea is to do what will put you in a better mental place and then take yourself to bed.
The above situation can be hard if you are interrupting other people’s sleep because you can’t sleep. Try and remember to be considerate to others so at least someone is alert in the morning.
Eduardo H. Hunt says
Narcolepsy affects an estimated 250,000 Americans. People with narcolepsy have frequent “sleep attacks” at various times of the day, even if they have had a normal amount of night-time sleep. These attacks last from several seconds to more than 30 minutes. People with narcolepsy also may experience cataplexy (loss of muscle control during emotional situations), hallucinations, temporary paralysis when they awaken, and disrupted night-time sleep. These symptoms seem to be features of REM sleep that appear during waking, which suggests that narcolepsy is a disorder of sleep regulation. The symptoms of narcolepsy typically appear during adolescence, though it often takes years to obtain a correct diagnosis. The disorder (or at least a predisposition to it) is usually hereditary, but it occasionally is linked to brain damage from a head injury or neurological disease.
Shaz Fisher says
Thanks for this important information. It is great to spread the word. Thanks, Sharyn.