My ‘nightlife’ consists of mainly a good book and relatively sound sleep. Of course it also involves some games like FarmVille and solitaire card games along with the book. Did I hear someone say that’s not the right recipe for falling asleep? If so, I am well within my rights to say, ‘You poor thing! You know not what you are saying. In fact you are talking through your bally hat!’

Let me make things clearer. For some strange reason these games, when played before bed time, immediately sends me to the land of the Nod. The first time I mentioned this to the Second Born he couldn’t stop laughing. ‘What?’ He said, ‘I have never heard of such a thing!’ But it is true none the same. The L&M can vouchsafe for the fact for how many times has he found me fast asleep with my finger on the still glowing screen of the iPad?!

There was a time a few years back when sleep for me was something difficult to come by. Till then I had been someone who fell asleep easily. The L&M and the First Born were quick to blame my relationship with the laptop as the culprit for my inability to sleep. ‘Amma,’ said the First Born, ‘It is a proved fact that staring at a screen just before bed time does not help, but hinders sleep’ This, coming from someone who stared at a screen twenty-four hours a day was quite rich, but I let it slide.

The L&M who said something similar, except that it was worded differently, was stumped when I asked him crossly what he expected me to do about my insomnia. Toss and turn in bed? There’s nothing worse than lying in bed and staring into space and listening to the rising and falling breath of the person sleeping soundly next to you. ‘Watch television’ he who is an avid TV watcher himself suggested helpfully. I scoffed. ‘Why should I do something I don’t like over something I do?’ Not having an answer to that he, wisely so, kept his counsel while I went back to my laptop.

Now though I have left those nights of insomnia far behind. In fact I feel quite sleepy by the time it is 22-30 hours. The only thing that can keep me up slightly longer is writing a post. Once in bed, I fall asleep pretty soon, whether I am reading a book or playing a game. So yeah, I have pretty tame nightlife these days. Nothing exciting like the term suggests.

The truth though is that night life was not any exciting in my early years. Growing up in the times I did, there was no question of a ‘nightlife’ as such. Not in small town India! But guess what, I am so content about this ‘nightlife’ of mine in the present. Nothing more comforting than a relaxed time with a book, or harvesting crops virtually (so soothing!), or shuffling cards and alphabets on my screen.

I have officially left the company of owls and have rejoined the roosters of the world. Early to bed and early to rise may not make me wealthy, but it is definitely keeping me healthy.

Psst! Check the video below. Even this does not hinder my sleep 😉