People have great imaginations when they really let them loose. Whether we’re fantasizing as a creative outlet, as a way to ease anxiety, or just to imagine a different (perhaps better) life, it’s something that almost everyone does when the world goes quiet around us.
If you’re curious what other people like to think about in those moments before sleep, these 14 people are ready to share.
14. I’m definitely going to do this now.
I use a fan for white noise, so sometimes I pretend the sound is the humming of a spaceship and I’m sleeping in a little bed next to a big window looking out into space.
13. One little catch.
finding my soulmate and falling in love.
But he’s also from New Zealand and will take me to the promised land.
12. Keep the faith.
I have used this technique for years…I win the powerball and collect the money anonymously.
I pay off all my families mortgages, buy them luxury cars that they find parked in their driveways, establish giant scholarships at my high school and college, buy houses for the families I have mentored over the years, give huge donations to my favorite non-profits, and keep wishing up fun and wonderful surprises on and on till I can sleep.
You can’t win if you don’t play! G’night.
11. The grass is always greener.
Thinking about what being in bed with a wife is a pretty frequent one I have.
Loneliness sucks and losing a year of trying to find a partner to covid sucks even more.
10. Even better when it’s someone else’s money.
I imagine spending all of Jeff Bezos’ wealth…but for good. What could those donations do to complete change people’s lives for the better?
I also like to imagine vacations I would take my friends and family on. Each of my friends and I would go on a different vacation that’s designed just for them where no one has to think about money or a budget or whatever.
Hands down my favorite day dream/way to fall asleep.
9. Fingers’ crossed.
I’m suddenly filthy rich and can finally support my family. I’d buy us a house and good health food.
If we needed something I could get it. If something broke I could get it fixed. I could donate to charities and support groups.
Some time I also imagine in this world that calories don’t count so I don’t have to keep dieting.
8. Does it help you sleep?
12 hours of USS Enterprise engine idle sound.
7. It’s all about gratitude.
I imagine that I’m a homeless guy, trying to sleep on a park bench.
It’s freezing cold, and I only have a ragged dirty old suit on.
I struggle trying to cover my body with newspapers and cardboard to keep warm.
Then a kind person delivers me from this freezing hell, and places me in my warm bed where I am currently, all snuggly.
6. Someone needs a hug.
I usually imagine that I’m going to sleep next to someone I love, despite being intensely single. Of course, I’m not myself in this imaginary scenario, since I’m younger, and more attractive, and more talented, and more interesting.
And, of course, this other person is totally imaginary too. And sometimes it’s in some kind of sword-and-sorcery fantasy world, but not always.
Sometimes thinking about it makes me cry because I know I’m too old and too ugly for this to ever happen, but sometimes I can sink into it enough that I’ll fall asleep.
5. A dream or a nightmare?
Every once in awhile when I’m feeling overwhelmed by life, I imagine that I’m old and full of regrets on my deathbed, wishing I had made different choices in my youth.
Then I open my eyes, and all of a sudden my impossible dying wish has been granted: I’m young again with a whole future of possibilities.
4. Zombies are everywhere.
A very weird thing that helps me sleep.
I make a story in my mind, right now it’s set in the walking dead universe, there’s this girl named Rose and this guy named Arthur.
Other characters of course but I tell stories about what they go through, it kinda mirrors my life struggles but in the land of the dead.
Don’t judge me.
3. It’s always the simple things.
A life where I have a GF and we’re living together and doing silly things with each other and making jokes.
Or going to a park or zoo and having conversations with each other. One day…right?
2. Be careful what you wish for.
I used to fantasize about winning the lottery to go to sleep. It can be fun – mainly I think about where I would go on travel, what concerts I would see, how many festivals can I do in a year, etc.
As I’ve gotten older, I recognize that winning the lottery is quite likely to ruin my life instead of elevate it. I’m fairly fortunate in my career and so I have the privilege to say this – I’m not hungry, my kids get clothes and school, I am able to pay a mortgage, stuff like that. See? When you start thinking about this stuff, it doesn’t help with sleep.
So sometimes I think of myself in the world of one of my favorite movies or books – how would I contribute to the events or interact with the characters. Harry Potter is a special favorite.
1. Grab a really warm blanket that also belches.
I imagine I finally have a boyfriend (or better yet, husband) and we are cuddling.
I’m going to be more intentional about this in the future, though maybe that won’t help me get to sleep any easier.
Tell us in the comments what you play out in your mind before bed, or while you’re waiting for the kids to go to sleep!
