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I'd seen the bizarre commercials with the Badger and Abe Lincoln coaxing an insomniac back to bed. "Your dreams miss you," was the spot tagline. The ad was for some drug, and I hardly paid attention to the name until this Friday, when my doctor handed me samples of it.
"Try Rozerem," he said to me. "This isn't addicting like the others; it works more with your body chemistry to produce more of what it's already producing to make you sleepy."
Then he handed me a prescription slip, "And this," he said, "Is for Xanax. This stuff will just knock you out."
It wasn't a proud moment, stocking up on drugs to help me sleep. I've always relied on good old fashioned methods, like staying up the night before or taking Melatonin before bed when I'm traveling. But these don't work anymore. And with some international travel on the horizon, including a quick "jaunt" to the Middle East for a conference--at which I intend to stay for one day--I realize that drastic travel leads to drastic measures.
I have a good handle on my issue. I can sleep--oh Lord can I sleep! I'm one of those people you have to pry out of bed. But I can't sleep on demand. If I have a talk in the morning, or a flight, and I need to go to bed or wake up early, by body rebels. It sabotages itself.
And I don't sleep on planes. Sure, Red-eye flights might be practical but I might as well get there the day before and stay up all night--the effect is the same.
I find that the Road Warriors I talk to have simply learned to crash at any given moment, or they have learned to perform at half of their optimal energy. I tried this sleep-on-demand method, too, and in some cases my brain shored up the energy it needed to get me through the meeting or presentation before going into Neanderthal mode. Other times it can't rally, and I'm feeling hung-over with tiredness.
I've learned a few tricks. One: If I find that I can't sleep I get up and read. Yes, getting up actually acknowledges that I'm having a problem, and some nights I simply don't want to fess up to having insomnia, so I roll around for hours. But if I'm feeling proactive, I'll grab a book or magazine--the most boring one I can find--and read. And read. I used to do email, but I find that email actually keeps me awake--there's too much engagement. I have to fool my mind into boredom.
Another trick: Give myself plenty of time to settle in. Sure, it's not always possible to retire early, but knowing that I often have trouble sleeping when I'm traveling, giving myself a few hours to get tired takes the pressure off. I can ease into sleep.
I've asked around for others' suggestions and heard everything from yoga before bed to sex. Some of these optons, for obvious reasons, are not always possible. But I hear in all of these suggestions an underlying message that whatever I do, I must take care of myself, and be gentle with myself. I must be willing to surrender to things in life other than my work. It sounds so simple, but I've found that a rather tall order.
I've always been a travel survivor rather than a road warrior. I never upgrade or bring my favorite things with me. I keep my phone on for as long as I can and suck up all the juice in my computer battery on the plane--don't want to waste valuable work time! I'm efficient to a point of asceticism. It occurs to me that by refusing to acknowledge the pleasure, or the fun, associated with traveling to other places, and by focusing only on the inconveniences, and what needs to get done, I tell my body, there is no downtime for you, Lady.
So I'm taking the pills with me, just in case. I always like to have my options, but I'll also bring a new attitude, perhaps brainstorm a few places to visit while I'm away, check email once or twice a day vs. every time I pass a wi-fi hub. I won't go so far as to raid the minifridge or order a pay per view movie just yet. I have to tread slowly. Very slowly.
Jory Des Jardins also blogs at Pause and at FastCompany.com.
