How do you cope? Interested in others' experiences.

Insomnia is a reliable source of hopelessness for me. I am too tired to do anything productive, but can't sleep at all, so I am in a very unbearable limbo. I sometimes work on puzzles to distract myself, but it is not too stimulating to trigger anxiety or anything, and it is not too demanding. I have a hard time reading because I just can't focus when I am very tired and the words become blurred, but again, I just can't fall asleep. What is your experience with insomnia; how do you cope with it and how has it affected you? I am new to this forum and don't really know any others with insomnia so it would be nice to hear from others who suffer from this, too.

I also find it incredibly difficult to do any of the things I would like to; pay attention to things/absorb anything, etc. I think the best thing you can do is derive pleasure from things that require little mental input eg eating, watching tv, having a massage! However if you have anxiety like me this can sometimes help you to do other things a bit more involved because your mind Is still active )just overly so!)

Hey Pierre,

I seem to suffer from insomnia especially when I don't have anything to do and am extremely bored. Like earlier this year when I was still waiting to get accepted into college, didn't have a part time job yet and basically just cleaned the apartment all day long; or later this year, when I had surgery and wasn't allowed to do anything for a couple weeks.
I lose any kind of drive to do anything during the day, but can't sleep during the night and don't feel like doing anything either. So I just used to lie there, staring at the ceiling and growing increasingly more frustrated. Sometimes I'd cry.

Lately, I've been having troubles sleeping even though (or probably because) I've been working seven days a week and going to college. Needless to say, I'm horribly tired during the day.

I suspect that my environment has a great deal to do with my insomnia. I recently moved back in with my mom (urgh) and it's been getting worse ever since.

Anyway, I have found that turn off the heating and opening the windows help me, because apparently I burn up every night.
I also read before I go to sleep, to exhaust my brain and my eyes. I usually manage to get at least one hour of uninterrupted sleep before I wake up like that.
Except for when I'm sleeping next to my best friend, then I manage a blissful seven, eight hours! I'm still up earlier than her, but who cares?! Unfortunately, she doesn't really live near me...

Well, I hope you'll get better soon, have a nice evening~