cellio | sleep questions

I got this from

1. How many hours do you normally sleep at night?

About 7.5 on average. Sunday is sleep-in day; it's the only day when I don't have to set an alarm and I usually get about 9 hours then.

2. Do you wish you had more time to sleep? Or do you wish that you slept less?

I wish that I required less sleep, or that there were more hours available in the day.

3. Do you like sleeping?

I like the results but I'm indifferent to the act itself. I mean, it's not like I'm really in a position to notice as it happens...

4. What is the longest continuous period that you have spent awake? Why did you do it?

I'm not certain of the longest continuous period; it was probably a stretch of 36 hours or so, either on a gaming weekend or in college due to homework/exams.

The most spectacular stretch of wakefulness that I remember is a 72-hour period in college during which I got approximately five hours of sleep, in chunks no longer than an hour. It was an outrageously busy semester and all the major assignments were due a once. (I was taking an atypical combination of classes, so this timing wasn't hosing anyone else I knew.) This was when I learned that while caffeine in the wild is good stuff, No-Doz is absolutely evil. And yes, I was following the package instructions correctly.

5. If you were offered the chance to eliminate sleep from your life, with absolutely no negative physical or psychological side effects, would you take it? Why or why not? What if this chance was only possible for you, and not for any of your friends or family, or society at large?

No negative effects? In a heartbeat! Sure, there would be some awkward nights in settings like Pennsic, where I can't just stay up and play on the computer or make noise without bothering others, but in general, the idea that I could run out of interesting things to do in my own home is completely foreign to me. I don't understand people who get bored, unless there are external factors (stuck visiting the annoying relatives, illness precluding you from doing things you enjoy, etc). There are so many things I could do to put that time to use, and that don't require other people (so I don't have to care if no one else is awake)! Elimintating the need for sleep would approximately double my free time; I fail to see how this could be bad.

(I am curious to know whether anyone I know would answer this last question differently. It seems that obvious to me.)

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

The last part of #5 is easy: I would have no problem at all with being the only person in the world who didn't sleep. I'm usually up until 4am, so the advantages of being awake while the rest of the world seems to be asleep are familiar to me.

The first part is tough to answer, however, as I actually enjoy sleeping. I certainly would never get bored, and I actually might accomplish more, as well.

I think I would prefer to lose the need for sleep, while still being able to nap when I wanted to. Eliminate it from my life? Probably not.

[Disclaimer: I'm self-employed, and live in a quiet neighborhood with just my wife (and five cats who sleep when we do), so I have more control over my sleep than most people. Therefore, I value it differently.]

Sure, there would be some awkward nights in settings like Pennsic, where I can't just stay up and play on the computer or make noise without bothering others

Are you kidding? You could be a real, authentic wayte! You could wander Pennsic calling the hours! Security Point would adopt you. It would be great!

Me, too. Except for having a wife and cats. And I'm no longer self-employed and my boss would like me to show up during business hours more, so I see fewer 4ams (though I haven't managed to eliminate them entirely -- I like them way too much).

No negative effects at all? Hmm. I am one of those people who actually likes sleeping, although I suppose what I like about it has more to do with being comfy and snuggly in the nice beddie-bye and then waking up feeling rested, rather than any feeling about the sleep itself. Maybe it also depends a little on what exactly falls under "negative effects"-- a number of times, I find that I can go to bed confused about some idea (a coding problem at work, say) and then wake up understanding the solution. I'd hate to lose that.

I wouldn't mind if I were the only person who didn't have to sleep. I'm pretty good at keeping myself entertained.

Sleep's a pain...as long as I could get the benefits of the relaxation...I'd be all for doing without in that last question.

I'd like to not need sleep. But I don't get much joy from it because I break into evil soaking night sweats unless I eat massive amounts of tofu. Need to see what I can do with soy milk. If that doesn't happen, and often besides, I get weird dreams. I.e: I was supposed to have lunch with my first ex-husband Friday. The context was complicated. So I wake up almost as tired as when I went to sleep. So yeah, eliminate my need for sleep. It's scary and uncomfortable. Although the curly-haired, dark-eyed youth could come back any time.

I don't know how I'd answer question 5. It does make me wonder how necessary dreaming is, though. Yes, I know there would be no negative physical or psychological effects in this scenario, but I am curious. One thing I have noticed is that my mind tends to slip into semi-dream mode while awake if I miss sleep, particularly if I miss sleep repeatedly. It is a strange thing. I'll find myself awake and yet thinking in somewhat distorted fashion -- my mind will start going down paths that I recognize as dream-logic, and things start looking slightly surreal. It makes me wonder whether I need to dream and my body tries to force it even if I don't sleep.

Losing the need for sleep while retaining the option seems, clearly, the best of both worlds. Daydreaming and napping can be pleasant, and sometimes social conventions call for sleep. But I'd sure like to be able to devote a lot less time to it, doing it only when I want to and not because I have to.

Oh, good point. I started down that line of thinking with music, and noting that dancing seems to shut down around 2 or 3 (doesn't run all night). So while I could take instruments to someplace far from campers and play all night, it just wouldn't be the same without people to play with. On the other hand, you're right that there are other ways to spend the middle-of-the-night hours at Pennsic.

Hmm, I wonder if this no-sleep-and-no-harm scenario involves never getting exhausted, or getting exhausted but having some sort of instant reset that kicks in once a day. I'm not assuming, for example, the stamina to walk security patrols at Pennsic all night.

Re: the night sweats. Have you tried chaste berry extract, in addition to the soy? It can help with hormonal symptoms.

I'd be happy with this scenario. I like sleeping too much to not want to ever do it. But, yeah, I'd like to be the one to chose when and how much.
And I'd definitely like to be able to sleep through sicknesses. I'd hate to be forced to be awake for an entire bout of the flu!

I enjoy my dreams too much to give them up completely, but I'd be very happy with the option of choosing when to sleep, or even just requiring much less sleep than I do now. (Somehow napping just isn't the same.)

I don't remember my dreams often, but when I do I'm more likely to remember the ones that are disturbing in some way than the ones that are especially pleasant. So I don't think, on balance, I'd mind just chucking the dreams. :-)

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