you haven't slept properly for weeks, due to the usuall PhD related angst,you're trying to read and those eyelids just keep drooping. Would love to curl up and nap but the guilt wont let you...Ahh seriously guys tips for keeping awake during the day or getting to sleep at night most appreciated...another night without sleep and I think that I'll be like the guy out of 'The Shining'...not a pretty look...especially as I'm a girl...

I know what you mean - one of the books I read about PhDs said that it's important to learn how to switch off, but it's not so easy. Especially at night when you're alone, things always appear unsolvable (is that a real word?). The old making a list trick may help. I've decided to try to do at least one positive thing each day to improve my situation, whether that's working on a paper or trying a new HPLC method. Even if the method doesn't work at least you've eliminated something.

I'm looking rough today - pink-eye from lack of sleep and curly hair from the bloody fog this morning. Lie-in tommorow.

I have a really bad habit of falling asleep when I get stressed; as soon as things start going wrong, all I want to do it go nap for a while and get away from it

I say nap - doesn't sound like you're acheiving much being so tired

How do you get to sleep when you are stressed? (without pharmaceutical intervention anyway)

I am exactly the same. When the going gets tough - I go to bed.
I am a big believer in the afternoon nap / siesta.

That wouldn't work for me, I would just lie there and worry. I need to be distracted in some way. I do a lot of reading when I'm stressed(fiction though, don't want any reality to intrude).

Hi Guys, thanks for all the helpful posts, just come back from lunch, feeling little bit better, think I might finish a bit earlier today tho and have nap/walk. Actually normally go for a walk on my lunch break but yesterday and today been too knacked to do so Really cant sleep when I'm stressed, wish I could I'm actually more of a reader, fiction again, sadly not work ..scary the amount of books I've got thru in last few weeks in late night sessions... none useful for the PhD tho!

Yup, me too. In the last month I've pretty much got through the collected works of Amy Tan, which has the side effect of making you really fancy Chinese food.

mmmm chinese food...so tempted just to chuck this rubish monograph I'm having to trawl thru and sit down with a good novel and a chicked fried rice with prawn crackers...oooh and maybe chicken and sweet corn soup to start....bugger so hungry now!

Yeah, since it's Friday night I may go for a lemon chicken with fried rice and hot and sour soup - that's the stuff...

no chinese for me..pork chops and mash... traditional but yummy! Crashed out on sofa and then a v long nap I think!

I suppose I like sleeping because it gets me away from the problem for a while (plus I'm snuggled up in a comfy duvet)

Hey juno - I am reading saving fish from drowning at the mo!

Hey Pea, I just bought that one! About to start it. Amy Tan is great, such a talent for describing smells and tastes of China. Never been there meself like. My favourite was The Hundred Secret Senses.

Never really read any of her stuff before, whats it like? Always on the look out for a good escape from reality! :)