Inability to Sleep / Insomnia

get yourself properly fucking physically knackered, and you'll sleep.
trust me, it works.
anyhow, I'm back to a healthy sleep pattern of 6hrs a night, which, considering my past years record is ace....
hopefully I'll be able to continue feeling this relaxed for the next few months as i start uni again!

I'm not going to try sleeping pills as I was addicted to caffine drinks a couple of years ago and still have to watch myself.

It doesn't rest well with me when i take sleeping pills, not really because of getting addicted but because it's not solving the problem. Not being able to sleep is some kind of cognitive malfunction, so taking drugs that effect your physical state doesn't deal with the main problem.

I understand the above text is irrelevant when it's 4am and you've been lying awake for hours. The pills are an easy option.

get yourself properly fucking physically knackered, and you'll sleep.
trust me, it works.

Nope,

the amount of times I've got myself knackered and thought happily, well I'll sleep well tonight, won't that be lovely, flop into bed and just snooze. And virtually every time I think that my mind will be wide awake and won't sleep a wink. My body will be knackered yes, but it's not moving in bed so who cares.

My current sleep pattern is fine due to having a small kid so generally really tired all the time. The major problem is that this means I have quite a bit of caffeine to inspire work which can be a disaster. Pretty much every night if I'm stressed or have a night off due to being away, conference etc, I'll find it really hard to sleep. which is so frustrating as it's basically such an ideal time to catch up on all the lost hours.

Also I find it incredibly hard to fall asleep before my wife comes to bed no matter how tired I am, which is also very annoying. Going to start a no sugar in the evening regime and will try the vanilla trick - vanilla extract on toast perhaps?

I take nytol every sunday. After being awake until stupid oclock most saturday and friday nights, I find it very difficult to sleep properly on Sunday. Munching one at about 9:00pm seems to help reset the body clock.

after recent lifestyle changes am finding it hard to sleep

does not matter how physically tired i am

brain is still racing away

keep a notebook and a good book next to the bed.
notebook to jot down thoughts and useful stuff-
This was invaluable for me, i wonder where it is now....
book to calm the brain down.
and as said upthread, read it with a dim, but decent so you don't strain your eyes, light behind you sitting up.

good luck james.

Tonight was supposed to be an early night owing to general (complete & utter) fatigue. Of course, I'm more awake tonight than any other night this week. I hate sleep. Fucking shit. I can't wait for that side-effect-free speed to hit the markets..

Day 4 and all is pretty shite. Kinda feel a bit tired tonight after doing a time trial. I may sleep tonight, wonder when I'll wake up.

i have had a long run (several weeks, in fact) of good nights of sleep, which is incredibly rare for me. i feel superhuman.

Woke up at 3:25 a.m. this morning, didn't get back to sleep. Two nights of 5 hours sleep is not enough and I feel rotten today.

Bugger.
No sleep.
Did get some housework done, which is rare.

Overnight cooking/smoking meat for BBQ tomorrow
Having to check it's at the right temp on regular basis

Winnow making potato salad

Cant wait for temp to stabilise so I can go to sleep.

I'v got to the point where I don't want to go to bed now, it feels like a waste of time, even though I'm doing nothing by being awake. Goddamit. Going to read some more of my autobiography on Fausto Coppi and see if I can sleep.
DJ, your smoking your own meat? (snigger) Like with a proper fire?

Night shift, last one of 5.
@Sumo - is that 'Fallen Angel' and is it good?
@DJ - I am going to have to grill you about meat smoking shitpunsorry, I have been eying up a Weber Smoker for ages

yep full WSM madness

2 pork shoulders are on the bbq now

been in dry rub of chilli powder, chilli seeds, garlic granules and salt for 36 hours

now on the smoker, temp is almost up to smoking

think my coals may have been a little damp so taken a while to get up to full speed but i really want to do this one low n slow so keeping temp towards the bottom of the smoking range

hickory and maple woods for smoking flavour

also have some jack daniels whisky barrel chips soaking at the moment to get added in the morning

probably around 10 am the final pork shoulder will go on

i have found that the standing time for the shoulder is what helps it pull well and to fall apart when being shredded

tomorrow morning the first round of spare ribs and baby back ribs go on

pork shoulders getting 8-12 hours cooking - will all depend on the magic digital meat thermometer

next year will look to get an alarmed thermometer

Sounds awesome.
What BBQ are you using? I assume its a Weber cant think of any other brands that i would trust to keep an even temp for smoking.
I love roasting joints on my bbq.

Mmm BBQ food

weber smokey mountain - wsm

its amazing, the meat to feed 25 odd people only came to £38

such cheap cuts cook for ages become so succulent

I have dreams of a smoking future. (Easy Xmas pressie smoked chicken with a jar of homemade chutney)
See you at yours for the next bbq

its not like a cold smoked chicken though, so not really a preservative

am also hot smoking trout tomorrow with a devilled butter

damn

temp had risen to 220, so closed the vents a little

hoping it will lower again

james.

Someday you will have to cold smoke me some mushrooms. I used to work in a cafe that did this, and they were amazing.