Insomniac. It rhymes with maniac and that is what those of us cursed by this particular nocturnal affliction fear we'll become.

Drive around the neighborhood some night around 2:00 a.m. and note whose windows are illuminated. Inside, you would more than likely discover one more fellow sufferer pacing the living room floor, gazing vacantly at the television screen, reading the latest Grisham pot-boiler or just lying in bed listening to the strange sounds a house makes only in the middle of the night.

They say insomnia is the result of a guilty conscience which only makes those of us who can't sleep stay up later wondering what we are guilty of. Making matters worse, I have also read that the most important element of a healthy lifestyle is a good night's sleep. Do you have any idea what effect that kind of judgement has on the poor soul whose eyes refuse to close and mind resists shutting down? It actually just provides one more reason for staying awake. We need to analyze, investigate, examine, study, explore, research and review the evidence from every angle imaginable before even considering turning off the light. Of course, when all that is done, we will once again discover that although we are now well versed on the issue, we are too tense to drop off.

In the movie "Groundhog Day", Bill Murray wakes up every day at exactly 6:00 only to discover that he must live the same day over and over again. This is not unlike the experience many of us have when, in the midst of a lovely dream, we once again discover we have re-entered consciousness. A look at the red numbers on the digital clock reveals it is 2:30 in the morning and we realize through our grogginess that we are damned to repeat, once again, the insomniac's ritual. First we lie there debating whether to turn on the light. This is a momentous decision because such an action usually involves a significant commitment of time. Once that light is on it is only a matter of prioritizing. Do we read, pace, work or just stare at the ceiling? Let's see...last night I paced so tonight I'll read and save the staring for tomorrow.

Actually, there are a few strategies worth employing for those poor somnolent souls who, like me, spend many waking nights wondering why life is so bloody unfair.

Begin, and this is the most difficult step of all, by turning the curse into a blessing. Welcome the next few hours of wakefulness as an opportunity for experiencing life in a manner few have. For instance, I have on many occasions stood on my deck in the wee hours and marveled at the magnificence of our mountain sky. As long as the neighbors haven't left their porch light on all night, the stars at 3:00 a.m. are not only breathtaking, they lead one to realize that the problem of not being able to fall asleep one night on Planet Earth seems very small indeed.

As long as you are outside, listen to the sounds of the night. The occasional dog bark shouldn't prevent you from hearing the eery howl of the coyote or the distant rumble of a passing jet. At the right time of year and the right time of night, the bugling of elk can be breathtaking.

Depending on your spiritual perspective, you might take the opportunity to spend some wakeful time in prayer. I have found that the middle of the night provides a wonderful occasion for intense concentration. I picture in my mind those I have concern for. I visualize them healthy and happy. I ponder over those people I have hurt or who have hurt me. I imagine receiving their forgiveness or giving some of my own. It can be a wonderfully healing experience, I assure you.

Being up in the middle of the night allows for some other opportunities that would seem weird if performed in the daylight. Employers generally tend to frown upon daydreaming but in the wee hours one can, paradoxically, daydream all you want. Sometimes I will spend a few hours just staring into space and remembering in vivid detail pleasurable adventures. I can re-experience the jungle road in Africa or the exquisite meal in Paris. The lack of distraction provides a delightful chance to travel back in time.

Now I caution that this silver-lining scenario has a down side. I can't tell you how many times I've made the mistake of deciding to spend my nocturnal hours reading a good book or writing a so-so sermon only to discover that dawn is breaking and the rest of the world is assuming that you slept like a baby. We mustn't forget that sleep, rare as it may be, is a necessity. The goal of our nighttime diversions should be to return to sleep with a clear conscience and a satisfied spirit. Try not to forget that. But don't try so hard you can't nod off.

There is much more to say about this fascinating subject that is probably only fascinating to sleepless schleps like me but I must close now. I need a nap.