I'm Only (Not) Sleeping

I have to get up early tomorrow. Around eight in the morning--roughly, the time I'm usually falling asleep. No problem. I can do that. It's just that I also have to do it on Tuesday. And Wednesday. And you get the idea.

Now, in a week or so, it won't be a deal. You get used to the new routine because you have to for a job. But it's a long week. They always are.

I have been what is euphemistically called a "night owl" since about 1987. This means that when I am unemployed or working freelance jobs out of my apartment, I am awake until at least 3am. When there's a job, I'm able to adjust that to about 1:30 or 2, but the day the job is over the old schedule comes back.

This has not gotten better with time. In fact, it is safe to say that at this moment it is worse than it has ever been. My days and nights are totally flipped. Right now, since I've been working freelance writing gigs at odd hours, the usual is asleep at 7 or 8am, up at 2. There are many problems with this.

To start with, it's incredibly inconvenient having to cram your entire day's business interactions into three or four hours. Also, even if you're not an "up with people" kind of guy, it gets a little solitary when you only share nine hours a day with the rest of society.

If things could be changed, I would certainly do it, but I'm not willing to take sleeping pills on a regular basis. Booze isn't a healthy alternative and anyway, the sleep you get isn't exactly restful.

So here's the deal. I'm looking for suggestions. Anything you've got, I'll give it a shot. Meditation, warm milk, whatever. It's all on the table. I promise to give everything due consideration and at least one try. And thank you very much for any serious contributions to the discussion.

All right--I'm off to bed. Wish me luck.