It has reached the point where it feels wrong to read a Stumbo post that DOESN'T mention it!
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Anyone else have this problem?
- Thread starter birminghambass
- Start date
It has reached the point where it feels wrong to read a Stumbo post that DOESN'T mention it!
I usually use the 'rush' after a gig to drive the van back to the rehearsal space and unload everything.
Unloading gear from a van late at night in the middle of nowhere usually calms the mind a lot. When I get home I collapse into bed and fast asleep before my head hits the pillow.
Unloading gear from a van late at night in the middle of nowhere usually calms the mind a lot. When I get home I collapse into bed and fast asleep before my head hits the pillow.
It's a thing for me as well. A combination of an altered schedule and the adrenalin rush and nervous energy that comes with a high energy performance. (really a thing in my new band) Benadryl is a last resort but, sometimes it makes all the difference. On the other hand, there are nights when I'm so spent when I get home that I'm asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow.
Alcohol may help you get to sleep, but it destroys the quality of your sleep. Half a night's sleep after a few beers (as you get older, this gets worse) will make you feel like you've been hit like a truck.
My solution is to play church gigs - don't go to bed at 5 AM - I get up at 5 AM (OK, 4:45). And no alcohol. Works a lot better for me.
My solution is to play church gigs - don't go to bed at 5 AM - I get up at 5 AM (OK, 4:45). And no alcohol. Works a lot better for me.
Smoke some Indica weed when you get home.
No. I get up at 5:00 AM every day to feed and walk my dog. On gig nights I get home at 3:00 AM. No problem falling asleep for that beloved 2 hour nap.
And if that doesn't work, fire the drummer.
I bartended for ten years at a hot nightclub downtown. You can imagine I was wound up every Thurs/Fri/Sat night as I got home at 4am. I found the key is to establish a ritual to indicate to your body/mind it's time to shut down.
For me, as soon as I got home, I had a big glass of water, I showered, read for 20 minutes in bed with a lamp that would dim from 50% brightness. At some point it would be dark enough that it was difficult to read. I'd put the book down and go to sleep.
Once I'd taught my body this, I could fall asleep like clockwork, and get restful sleep till 12 or so.
For me, as soon as I got home, I had a big glass of water, I showered, read for 20 minutes in bed with a lamp that would dim from 50% brightness. At some point it would be dark enough that it was difficult to read. I'd put the book down and go to sleep.
Once I'd taught my body this, I could fall asleep like clockwork, and get restful sleep till 12 or so.
Really? We legalized weed as a result of a voting referendum. You can keep your cigar bars and smokey dive bars. How anyone can afford to smoke $10/pack is beyond me and seems like a punishment for being bad at math.
I wouldn't call it insomnia for myself, but I'm wired for a good 3-4 hours after a gig. I do a fair amount of sub gigs 7 hours from where I live. That 3-4 hours is good to get me halfway home, coffee for the rest of the way. And even after that, I'll only get about 4-5 hours of sleep.
Sorry @birminghambass I don't have that issue. Here's my weekend.
Saturday gig from 9:30pm to 1am. It takes about an hour to break down and load out for me because I have all my bass equipment, the PA and the lights. Get home about 2:30 am. Quick shower. In bed around 3:00. Asleep by 3:02. My dog wakes me at 7am because she has an internal clock that says it's time to go out. Make a pot of coffee for me & the Mrs. Took our son and daughter out for a nice brunch at 11:00 am. This weekend it just so happened we had an afternoon gig at the brunch venue from 3:00 to 6:00 pm. After the family left brunch at 1:00 pm, I snuck out to my vehicle and grabbed a quick 40 minute cat nap sitting in the driver seat. Woke up, loaded in, played from 3:00 till 6:00 pm, loaded out and was home by 7:30 pm. Shower, cocktail, TV for an hour and went to bed around 9:30 pm. Asleep by 9:32 pm.
It's funny, my wife gets so pissed at me sometimes because I fall asleep so quickly. She says I could fall asleep standing up in a subway train. I probably could. In my opinion, it all goes back to a time that I had a bout of insomnia when I was about 18. I learned about some relaxation techniques back then, and they have served me well. You may want to look into that. The military from what I hear has some amazing self-relaxation techniques that help soldiers in the field get sleep in very demanding circumstances.
Saturday gig from 9:30pm to 1am. It takes about an hour to break down and load out for me because I have all my bass equipment, the PA and the lights. Get home about 2:30 am. Quick shower. In bed around 3:00. Asleep by 3:02. My dog wakes me at 7am because she has an internal clock that says it's time to go out. Make a pot of coffee for me & the Mrs. Took our son and daughter out for a nice brunch at 11:00 am. This weekend it just so happened we had an afternoon gig at the brunch venue from 3:00 to 6:00 pm. After the family left brunch at 1:00 pm, I snuck out to my vehicle and grabbed a quick 40 minute cat nap sitting in the driver seat. Woke up, loaded in, played from 3:00 till 6:00 pm, loaded out and was home by 7:30 pm. Shower, cocktail, TV for an hour and went to bed around 9:30 pm. Asleep by 9:32 pm.
It's funny, my wife gets so pissed at me sometimes because I fall asleep so quickly. She says I could fall asleep standing up in a subway train. I probably could. In my opinion, it all goes back to a time that I had a bout of insomnia when I was about 18. I learned about some relaxation techniques back then, and they have served me well. You may want to look into that. The military from what I hear has some amazing self-relaxation techniques that help soldiers in the field get sleep in very demanding circumstances.
Melatonin has always worked well for me. If it doesn't get the job done then go see your doc and get a script for something like Vistaril or Ambien.
unfortunately no, not unless the gig went really well,but with the last band. I was so frustrated with the pre-gig prep. I lost sleep because the gig was a trainwreck! I was starting to develop PTSD at the mention of a gig. I would lose sleep Pre gig!
I get really fired up at gigs and have a hard time winding down. Usually I put on the classical music station on the way home. Also moving gear back into the garage/etc is the opposite of what you should do to prepare for sleep, so I move as little gear as possible (only the really valuable stuff) and leave the rest for morning. I've definitely gotten better at being able to sleep afterwards.
I very rarely go right to sleep after a gig even though I'll be physically tired from the night, loading, unloading etc. I often stay up and play tunes for fun or go over material for the next gig just to unwind.
I saw an interview once with Garry Shandling and Tom Petty and they talked about what they do after gigs. Garry would remain silent for hours, Tom said he'd pace the house and was thankful his wife put up with him as he walks around half the night
I saw an interview once with Garry Shandling and Tom Petty and they talked about what they do after gigs. Garry would remain silent for hours, Tom said he'd pace the house and was thankful his wife put up with him as he walks around half the night
Welcome to the curse of getting what you want! 
I love to play out. Making live music is my hobby, and I really enjoy it, but with the
adrenaline that comes from it, I often am up beyond the time when I get
home. That's good, because it means it was fun, but it's also bad for
the reasons you mentioned. Daytime hobbies are a lot easier that way.
My advice is to find ways to make the next day easier -- if you can sleep later, or take a nap later the next day that is a help. The other thing I do is take a hot shower when I get home, and try to get my body relaxed, which can then help my mind to follow suit.
Good luck!
I love to play out. Making live music is my hobby, and I really enjoy it, but with the
adrenaline that comes from it, I often am up beyond the time when I get
home. That's good, because it means it was fun, but it's also bad for
the reasons you mentioned. Daytime hobbies are a lot easier that way.
My advice is to find ways to make the next day easier -- if you can sleep later, or take a nap later the next day that is a help. The other thing I do is take a hot shower when I get home, and try to get my body relaxed, which can then help my mind to follow suit.
Good luck!
Yup, big struggle here too. I took "off" from bar gigs roughly my entire 40s, playing classical, some jazz, and church. Got back into rock bands in my 50s and man, something has changed. It's an age thing. Well that plus a pretty demanding early morning day job.
So what I do is in addition to small dose of melatonin, I avoid alcohol completely on the gig, but will have a drink after. But only one.
So what I do is in addition to small dose of melatonin, I avoid alcohol completely on the gig, but will have a drink after. But only one.
