which is harder, forcing yourself to sleep when you can't sleep at night

Funny, I am having one of those problems right now. It's past 5AM and I can not sleep but I need to because I have to go somewhere later today. But still, here I am typing a response for your question. I actually have problem on both. But what I encounter with myself the most is really trying to keep my self awake when I really feel sleepy. I usually have this problem when I was still in college in a class or at work in a meeting. I try to pinch myself or ask the person next to me to pinch me. I even tried going out of the conference room and wash my face. A cup of coffee also helps. Cheers!

hahaha Love this.. Just last night after watching the whole season 2 of TOP Chef, I couldn't sleep. Like I really want to but can't. I tend to dream about the cast of the show. And just when I thought I was really asleep, my alarm starts to ring. I thinks forcing yourself to sleep is harder than keeping yourself awake. Although there are now sleeping pills for those who really cant sleep, coffee is much cheaper and always available to keep yourself awake unlike the so called pills. Pinch yourself if your sleepy and you have tons of things to do. Slap your face, if its still not effective. And wash your face if you really hopeless. (though its bad, when your hopeless, theres hope) :P

Keep awake is always harder. A few nights ago, I slept very little. The next day, I had such a hard time trying to keep awake. I kept dosing of. It was an experience that I don't want to go through again. It's very Important to sleep enough.

I find it harder to stay awake. I can usually fall asleep if I do something, watch TV or drink some warm milk. There's really no cure for having to stay awake, and you can't control it if you're sitting in a comfortable chair.

With no doubt it is force myself to get sleep when I am not sleepy. Sometimes this is almost mission impossible. Some days I can not get to sleep also 1-2 hours. On the other side if you are doing something it is not that hard to stay awake also if you are tired, of course there are some limits. If you get beyond them you can try as hard as you want bout your body will order you to sleep. And there are also some supportive things such as coffee so it is not that hard to stay awake if you really need.

i find it harder when i force myself to keep awake when i'm really sleepy. i really cant help it. if i cant sleep all i do is listen to my ipod then i'll be asleep

I think both seem equally difficult at the time that you are trying to do either of them. Sometimes though I think staying awake is harder.

It is harder making myself go to sleep sometimes especially if I got work the next day. I would be trying to get everything finished and in bed at a certain time. One time I was starting a temporary assignment after not working for two months, I got so used to going to sleep later when I was not working that it was hard getting to sleep early. I remember getting to bed around 1 in the morning knowing I had to get up at 6 am.

Both are so hard, but I think keeping myself awake is worse. Like if your eyes start closing but you have to force yourself to open them, difficult. Also when you start dozing off... ahh. When I'm really sleepy I can't focus so it takes a long time to finish whatever I'm doing, homework for example... and its so dreadful. Forcing myself to sleep at night just seems like a lot of time goes by. I try to tire myself out before going though. If I take naps in the day, I can't help it! Just so sleepy... do at night, I can't sleep but I have stuff to finish from the day. That's why right now I have a horrible sleeping schedule.

its not hard for me to stay up even if im tired. but it is so hard for me to fall asleep if i took a nap or if i woke up late. i just cant fall asleep and sometimes ill just sit there in bed bored trying to make myself go to sleep. so i think its harder to get to sleep if your not tired. but it may be different for some people because if my friend katy is tired she has to go to sleep she cant stay up.