What do you do when you feel like this?

Read.
Unlike watching TV it’s an active activity so you will either tire yourself out enough to get some sleep, or you’ll get lots of reading done.

Play a game on the laptop.

Just watch TV until I fall asleep.

Visit TED.com, browse around, and watch a Talk.

“Our mission: Spreading ideas.

We believe passionately in the power of ideas to change attitudes, lives and ultimately, the world. So we’re building here a clearinghouse that offers free knowledge and inspiration from the world’s most inspired thinkers, and also a community of curious souls to engage with ideas and each other.”

Oooh I lurve to do that @rebbel.

If I’m too groggy to concentrate on talking, then I head to YouTube for silly/cute videos or to a funny site like Passive Agressive Notes.

You can watch a few free episodes of Bob’s Burgers on hulu.com :)

Listen to music through your computer using a player that syncs graphic displays to the beat of the music.

Do a jigsaw puzzle.

Read a magazine.

Stumble

Play solitaire on my laptop until I fall asleep in my recliner.

Make 40k conversions

Puzzles, read a book, play on line games, watch tv, go through old photos, call friends, drink some chamomile tea and take a few naps, take a shower, pamper myself, eat junk food, But mostly rest and listen to music.

Call old girlfriends and tell them everything you wanted to tell them, but couldn’t at the time.

Then, when you are feeling better, call them back, apologize, and blame it on the meds.

Then sue the drug company for unannounced side effects.

@wundayatta I love that answer (except in my case it would be old boyfriends, not girlfriends).

There’s a lot of helpful ones here too. Thanks everyone.

I play unchallenging games on the computer until I’m tired enough to sleep.

I tend to watch TV that is simple to follow. I curl up on the sofa with a blanket and watch something like My Name Is Earl! I didn’t have a TV for years but I watched things on my laptop.

Video games or anything else that doesn’t require too much brain. I hate being in this kind of “limbo.” Good luck.

Music-nothing stimulating. Classical and light. Close your eyes and allow yourself to rest. Resting and walking through deep breathing and relaxation exercises also helps with pain levels, so that you can reduce the amount taken. Pain meds mess with your ability to have deep and restful sleep, so the sooner you can stop them the better, if it is not a long term solution. About an hour before you are due to go to bed, take a warm shower, it helps muscles to relax. Also, make sure your sleep environment is not stimulating. Lights, even low lights, need to be off, even if that means dimming your alarm clock. No caffeine past noon. Lavendar is calming and recommended for your bedroom scent. Allow yourself the ability to rest-actually give it permission.

When I was in the first weeks post-surgery and loaded on pain meds, I still didn’t turn on the TV, for which I have no appetite. But I did rent the first two seasons of MacGyver on Netflix. I’d never seen the show. It was sufficiently mindless and fast-moving to divert what attention I had without putting any demands on me. Being able to watch videos on my computer wherever I am is the reason I bought a laptop in the first place.

Unfortunately the pain meds are for a permanent disability, there’s no way I can manage without them. I don’t take any additional sleeping meds though; they make me feel worse. A lot of these things I already do; I haven’t touched caffeine in years (it causes serious inflammation in my spine). Some great suggestions here though. Thanks everyone!

Sorry @Bent I didn’t get back to this. I feel bad for you. Permanence is not always good, is it? My thoughts go out to you. Pain is as degenerative as anything that can be seen on an X-Ray. I wish we had a better handle on management. Sleep is not an easy curative to access. My husband has sleep apnea, and so 25 years into this marriage, I’m not sure we get a good night sleep, ever, either. Keep trying though. Don’t let people write you off-especially health care professionals. Hoping for a sleep filled night, soon, for you.

@annewilliams5 thankyou :)

Reading a math or chemistry book always seems to have the ability to lull me right to sleep!

I also take meds for chronic pain and sleep can often be a challenge. I actually drink hot milk and do relaxation exercises to try and help. Hot baths sometimes help if the hard tub doesn’t make it worse. Certain smells (lavender is one example mentioned above) can help me take my racing brain down a notch. With no TV, podcasts are a wonderful treat to listen to and distract me

Thank’s @Kayak8 Podcasts are a good idea I’ve not tried yet. Podcasts about maths and chemistry perhaps?