"It was the best of times, it was the..." best of naps.

[omegadog]

Okay. so let's just go ahead and start this simple enough, with a question. And I'll probably do a series of small posts too from here, hopefully. If you see a post that isn't the newest one, but you still have something to contribute, the window of opportunity to reply doesn't close -- feel free to post. [I'll make note of that in my bio too

Comments

[crushedoleander]

Sometimes I really can't help but fall asleep, but your best bet maybe food. start out hungry and nibble while you are reading.

Or maybe non-sleepable music?

[omegadog]

The munching thing could work, since I'd at least be regularly moving my arm to grab something to eat. I'd just have to guard against getting too distracted with the hunger.

I think there was one situation where the music that I was playing in the background -- some dark classical, to a point that was somewhere near the end of [i]Bless Me Ultima[/i]. Most times for me, though, it's actually kinda hard to play music that fits in with the content of the book, as the plot and characters can change tones from time to time.

[omegadog]

Heh -- so, read a book like homework, except that I get to choose what I read.

... though, I'll admit -- even when there's something that I have to read, I'll still drowse off from time to time.

[soul_masque]

I don't much anymore, as it makes me really tired. However, when I was a kid, I used to fall asleep reading, wake up and continue on. I only figured it out because it would take me hours and hours to finish a kids book that shouldn't take very long at all.

The fast I ever read a book was about 24 hours, and it was almost constant reading. The book was "Seven Spears of the W'dch'k" by Lionel Fenn. I just couldn't put it down.

[omegadog]

Heh heh -- yeah, I end up being the same way. If there's something I need to read, and I keep falling asleep, after a while there comes a point where I'm all slept out -- so there's no choice but to do what I was intending to do.

[lilacwire]

Reading wakes me up, so I'm not sure how to help. ^^

[omegadog]

So, is it like, reading jogs your mind after waking up?

[lilacwire]

No, it literally wakes me up to read. I could be tired and want to sleep, but if I pick up a book I'll wake up.

[willow_red]

Just a few thoughts here...

Do you by any chance have narcolepsy? It might explain the tendency to fall asleep anywhere, anytime. Have you tried reading while doing something active? Some people can read while on treadmills or exercise bikes. The plus side of that is that you get a workout at the same time. I've been known to play Yomiko and walk around the neighborhood with my nose in a book. Just remember to look up before crossing streets!

If the issue is more about having to actively stop an action as opposed to actively keeping it going, have you tried audiobooks? Some are better than others, of course, ranging anywhere from "some guy reads a book" to full performance art.

As for me, I typically read a chapter or two of my current book to wind down before going to sleep. I guess it depends how far you get before sleep takes over. Maybe you can train yourself to stop and put the book down, then see if you're still sleepy.

[omegadog]

Heh, uh... looking at the Wiktionary definition for narcolepsy, I don't think it's quite that extreme. (I hope it's not quite that extreme!)

Reading while doing something active here might work. Though, walking outside, I'm often distracted by taking in the outside environment. ("It's an awesome day outside!", etc.)

I keep forgetting that I have the option of audio books -- and I love the concept of audio-only shows, (1) because I get to form all the imagery in your head, and (2) because I can have my eyes focused elsewhere, and do other (simple) things while I'm getting the story. To save myself a few funds though, I oughta check to see what's available in the local library districts.

As far as regards regular reading of books while I'm stationary -- after going through the replies here, maybe I oughta try reading right in the morning, after I get a full night's sleep.

[omegadog]

1) because I get to form all the imagery in your head

Actually, no, I don't really get to do that! (Switch "your" with "my" -- I guess I didn't catch all second-person references to switch to first-person references!)