Lifestyle

From The Confessional: We're All Staying Up Late AF

by Karen Johnson
Updated: 
Originally Published: 
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Remember when we were kids and our parents always seemed so tired? Their grayed skin, droopy eyes, hearing them sigh all day long anytime we asked for anything … but now we know, don’t we? Now we know the exhaustion of parenting, of adulting, and of living with insomnia.

Whether it’s a chronic condition you have, or your insomnia is a new super fun feature of perimenopause, or you actually capitalize on your insomnia to get some damn alone time, most of us, at one time or another, have looked over at the clock only to see it read 3:00 a.m. And that’s the moment we know tomorrow is going to suuuuuuuck.

It’s 2am and I’m lying in bed captive to insomnia having thoughts about netting squid. What the actual fuck?! I have to get up in three hours!

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I hate insomnia! Sleeping pills, pain pills, and major surgery today he lays beside my snoring and loud breathing! I am so jealous!

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I’ve had hellacious insomnia for over a week yet it’s DH who is on his second nap of the day. SMH

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I have horrendous fatigue & insomnia, and no matter how much I sleep I don't feel better. H still insists that I need more exercise. He doesn't get it, and it's starting to really piss me off.

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Insomnia makes us stabby. We’re angry at our partners, peacefully sawing wood next to us. And we are angry at the world the whole next day with their bright eyes and perkiness. Ugh, STFU, Bridget who went to yoga at 5 a.m. We didn’t even fall asleep until 4:30. We don’t want to hear about your shavasana or chai smoothie. We want a fucking nap.

Can’t tell if it’s regular insomnia or just a long lasting feeling of impending doom which keeps me up at night

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Will I ever sleep again?! I have such bad insomnia since all of this COVID stuff started! Too many unknowns it has caused between work, school, etc.

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I've been having insomnia and anxiety the past 2 nights keeping me up til 3/4am. I turn off my 10 month olds baby monitor in the mornings so I can get an extra hour of sleep, but then later hate myself for leaving her alone to cry because I can't get up

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2 weeks all 3 kids sick , 1 case of lice discovered at midnight , sleep regression from toddler and baby and anxiety that's causing me to have insomnia. I'm feeling enfucking raged, I'm on keto... I need a beer and cheesecake

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Insomnia is often linked to anxiety or stresses about life. And COVID and the impending doom of the world lately hasn’t helped.

Baby is sleeping through the night, I no longer cant and it's been longer than 3 months so I think I have chronic insomnia. Some nights are better than others but I find myself wide awake at 3 or 4 sometimes and my body no longer sleeps in past 530.

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damn insomnia. been up reading all night. dh will be up in about in hour for work. i will pretend i got some sleep then nap on and off. cannot seem to break the cycle. got worse with menopause.

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I’m going through peri menopause at 52. It’s worse than I thought. My anxiety disorder is through the roof and I have severe insomnia and mood swings. God, I hope this is over quickly.

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And the bodily changes that keep us up all night are great, aren’t they? I mean, who doesn’t love a good hot flash coupled with staring at the wall for three straight hours? Good. times.

insomnia again. up all night reading and enjoying the peace and quiet w/no expectation from dh about what i should be doing/working on. love dh and kids, but i feel i will be ok when kids move out and if dh passes before i do. enjoy being alone.

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staying up late under the guise of insomnia. i just need time to myself. the soft light of the tv and computer are lulling me into relaxation. love dh, but i need time to be alone.

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sometimes i say i have insomnia so i can watch tv on the couch and enjoy myself w/o dh ranting about what i watch or whining about turning it off. then i give myself a good orgasm and drift off. sometimes i just need it. scared to think about why.

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insomnia again. just read a hot erotic romance novel. think I may have to rub one out while dh sleeps. he tries and I love him, but it works better to do it myself.

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However, insomnia isn’t always a bad thing. Lots of women capitalize on being awake and enjoy the alone time. Whether it’s soaking in the peace and quiet of no one saying, “Mommy can I have a snack?” Or it’s an opportunity to read a little erotica and go… well, wherever that takes you (wink), you might as well enjoy those middle of the night hours, right?

So if you suffer from sleepless nights on occasion or chronically, we’re right there with you. It’s one of the requirements of adulting, I guess. Must. Always. Be. Tired.

Just ask your parents—they know.

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