Insomnia: A Middle-of-the-Night Haibun Collection

By Lauren Bartleson

With just three lines and a total of 17 syllables in each haiku and studded with prose poetry, Insomnia is a raw, realistic look at how the pressure of doing it all can bubble up to a breaking point and lead to one of life's darkest moments.

It had been six straight weeks without a full night's sleep; 46 days tota

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lauren Bartleson
• Release date: Jul 12, 2021
• ISBN: 9781737467519

Lauren Bartleson

Lauren Bartleson is a digital storyteller and communications manager who lives near Portland, Oregon, with her husband, Matt, and their dog, Georgia. By sharing the raw, open, and vulnerable stories that are helping her heal, she hopes to do her part to help break the stigma around mental health. She is the author of Insomnia: A Middle-of-the-Night Haibun Collection and Behind the Facade: A Mental Health Memoir.

Book preview

in • som • ni • a

Copyright © 2021 Lauren Bartleson

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or used in any manner without the prior written permission of the copyright owner, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Paperback: 978-1-7374675-0-2

Audiobook: 978-1-7374675-2-6

Ebook: 978-1-7374675-1-9

Library of Congress Control Number: 2021912476

First edition July 2021

Cover design, layout, and publishing by Lauren Bartleson

Beaverton, OR

Cover photo by Nic Y-C on Unsplash

Published in the United States

Trigger warning

This book discusses mental health and mental illness, including anxiety, depression, suicide, eating disorders, and body dysmorphia.

Please take care while reading.

Disclaimer

The stories shared within are my personal experiences and are in no way a substitute for professional advice or support. Please seek the advice of a mental health professional or another qualified health provider to discuss your unique circumstances.

If you or someone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts, call the Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255 or text HOME to the Crisis Text Line at 741741. These services are free and confidential. If you are located outside the United States, call your local emergency line.

To my mom, for everything.

It’s a treadmill.

We can slow it down.

We can get off.

-Mom

Preface

Wednesday, May 12, 2021. 6:02 a.m.

My mom is no stranger to my insomnia. She’s also intimately familiar with the constant state of burnout I always seem to be in.

For years, she’s been not-so-subtly telling me to slow down. To take on less. To let