Are you INSOMNIAC?

[jonjon]

From what I know, it seems that some great pianists are insomniac.  (like Horowitz, Gould, and Argerich).  Way back in college, my Art Appreciation professor told insomia if common for artists - musicians, painters, writers, actors, and so on.  Is there any truth about this and what exactly is it in night time (actually early morning) which makes artists     do their craft better than daytime?  Is it the reflective mood?  The quietude? 

BTW, Actually, I am one - I craeted this topic at 4:27 AM (here)!     

[thalbergmad]

I have always had difficulty going to sleep, because i always have music on my mind. My brain just seems to never stop working.

It would not surprise me if a lot of pianists/musicians have similar problems.

Schubert used to go to bed with his glasses on, so that if any idea occured to him during the night, he could write it down immediately.

[pianonut]

what's really bad is if you know you have to get up at a certain time and you still can't go to sleep.  counting sheep never worked for me.  i don't like taking pills.  and, so after much piano forum posting  zzzz

[Tash]

it takes me a while to get to sleep, especially now in hols cos i'll wake up at like 8.30, and only need around 8hrs sleep so can't get to bed til like midnight when i want to be asleep at 10.
now i'm going to have a rant at the fact that i hate alcahol because it never lets me sleep. i'm a tad hungover right now and have ahad about 4 hrs sleep because my brain won't stop running d*mn alcahol!!i'm so envious of those who can drink and then just fall asleep in gutters...

[nanabush]

I hate that, when you have something important early the next morning and you can't get to sleep, then when you finally do, it's too late u've just woken up and ur exhausted.

Sometimes when I'm the only one in the house, I'll practice late at night, it's quiet and I can play better than ever...I don't know what causes insomNia (i think you forgot the N) in pianists or other artists, but I find playing in pure quiet is better...but I won't play if everyone's sleeping...

[Teddybear]

I have insomnia because I'm depressed or restless most of the time. It's funny how I can take a nap in the middle of the day but can't sleep when I really have to. I get pressures, somehow.

T

[rc]

now i'm going to have a rant at the fact that i hate alcahol because it never lets me sleep. i'm a tad hungover right now and have ahad about 4 hrs sleep because my brain won't stop running d*mn alcahol!!i'm so envious of those who can drink and then just fall asleep in gutters...

lol, sleeping in the gutter has its downside too though. Like waking up wondering where that piece of my tooth went, and why I'm sleeping in a parking lot.

It's the fun, strange adventures that keep me awake all night, booze just makes these stupid things happen.

Can't stand the hangover, not so much that it hurts but that it wastes the entire day. Hangover = no practice... I don't play worth a ship tired either, but improv gets interesting when I'm in that hazy, tired state of mind.

[ted]

I have never had sleep problems. As I get older I seem to need slightly less perhaps. Usually I just go out like a light as soon as my head touches the pillow and don't wake until about five minutes before I need to. I cultivate good sleep because I enjoy my dreams and think about them a lot. My wife, on the other hand, has always had a shocking sleep discipline - goes to bed in the early hours of the morning, wakes up, eats, drinks, watches television, back to bed, up again, often sleeps during the day.

The amount I have to drink falls a long way short of causing hangovers. I drink coffee but it has never had any noticeable effect on my sleep. I suppose three or four cups a day is too little intake to cause bother.

[pianonut]

well, it's 2:12 am - and i just heard a toccata in A major by Paradisi.  i really liked it too. 

[thalberg]

I didn't fall asleep until 5 am last night.  I'm hoping to get over my insomnia though.  Insomnia can cause weight gain, especially in people like me who eat if they can't sleep.