A benefit of insomnia

Playing Technique
#1

I’ve developed insomnia over recent months and regularly wake up, unable to promptly return to sleep. At first, this resulted in my reaching for my iPhone or lying in bed, directionless. Then, I discovered the best thing to do: playing guitar!

Playing guitar while lying in bed works surprisingly well; not being able to see anything results in better listening and fretboard navigation. Furthermore, thinking of music and intently listening is positive thought, better preparing one to return to sleep!

So, if you’re in my situation, try your guitar, it helps more than anything else (at least in my case).

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#2

It’s a great idea! For me it would end in divorce though lol

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#3

I like it! However I believe studies tell us it is not good idea to stay in bed if you wake up and have trouble going back to sleep. Staying in bed only strengthens the “behaviour”. It is better to get up and try again when becoming tired.

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#4

I’ve also read that. Makes total sense too. I have only dealt with occasional insomnia thankfully and it’s worse when I stay in bed.

Most success I have is going to another room and watching something boring on TV. I know screens in general are not recommended but it works for me.

Guitar practice of something boring would also be great I bet, inline with the OP. Slow chromatic scales or some silly 4 finger shapes. Standard useless exercises lol

@kgk what type of things are you playing when you’re fighting the insomnia?

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#5

I try to stay in key while inventing little exercises that are hopefully musical. I tune in 4ths so the neck has good regularity.

I think of the neck as 2x2 boxes that hold ti, do, mi, fa, and these are connected in surprisingly simple ways.

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#6

I realize this is from a while ago, but I’m curious how late-night guitar practice has been working for others. Has anyone tried using a headphone amp to keep the peace at home? I also sometimes play quietly when I can’t sleep. I find that fingerpicking calming acoustic tunes really helps me relax. Plus, it’s a great way to try new ideas.

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#7

I normally play through the Bogren One Knob 5150 clone on my laptop, so headphone practice is pretty easy. I find it makes mistakes much easier to hear, so I do it fairly often early in the morning or late at night.

#8

Kind of interesting because this is how Wes Montgomery developed his technique and his sound. He worked in a welding factory by day and couldn’t do any playing until he put the kids to bed. So he had to play super soft and not wake them up. So he started playing with his thumb and the rest was history. As for what exactly he practiced, I have no idea. But man was he a great player.

#9

So curious—I do that too, but without a guitar. I just do it in my mind: playing different scales in different keys, visualizing the fretboard, and playing solos. I even practice piano in my mind too.

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#10

Has anyone tried to incorporate Frankl’s concept of Paradoxical Intention into their sleep routine? For all the nails life puts in front of me, that’s my hammer and even though it rarely serves as the ultimate solution, it usually is great for unlocking your head. In my case, I’ve even prepared for an entire night without sleep, which my brain interpreted as “this man’s going down before midnight” :rofl:.

Also, it works on guitar stuffs! Growing up, I struggled with keeping a steady pulse (especially when playing in front of people) which made my hands shake uncontrollably. Next, I read about Frankl’s work and gave it a shot so the next time I felt my hands shake, I doubled down on it and intentionally shook them even harder and wider, and I like to think my brain wired a new connection that made the shaking motion manageable because the issue stopped there.

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#11

I’ve found relief using cannabis resin during my sleepless nights among other things. It provides a calming effect that helps me unwind, making it easier to drift off once I’m ready to sleep. This, alongside playing guitar, has improved my sleep routine more than I expected. If you’re dealing with insomnia, finding a few effective strategies can really make a difference.