A conversation about sleep prompted this post. Cumbersome sleep. Annoying sleep. Sleep that takes away from time we can use for other things.
Truly one of the most over used complaints has been “If there were just more hours in the day.” “I wish I didn’t have to go sleep but I’m so tired.”
It gives us a fantasy about life without the Z’s but seriously, would you really want that?
Allow me to naysay:
1. The spouse you love and adore can grind on your nerves once in awhile. Imagine having even LESS alone time. That idea makes me glad I’m single and will detour me from wanting a serious relationship.
2. If you have kids, when they go to sleep, it’s YOUR time to be a grown up.
3. Sleep keeps criminals off the streets for at least 6 hrs.
4. It gives you a decent out if a visit with someone is extremely boring, long winded and growing increasingly long if you say, “I’d love to talk more, but I’m tired and really need to get to SLEEP”.
5. It makes for humane work hours.
From Arsgeek posted on Arsgeek:
ABC has an interesting article about the civilian use of Provigil – a drug that gives you all the best effects of a full night of sleep without a full night of sleep.
This report comes on the heels of my talking about the art of sleep. How much do you need to really be effective? What would happen if we could, as a race (or to be a bit scary, as a nation) remove the need for sleep?
Provigil apparently gives users the sharpness and alertness they’d normally have after a full night of rest while only needing to sleep a bit. It also is a mood enhancer, making folks happy. There’s no high, so you won’t really see this on the street and there appears to be a lot less jitter factor and no crash at the end.
See what he hit upon would actually be a good idea as opposed to my secret society plan to eliminate the need for sleep all together.
Cons of Sleep:
1. Vulnerability
2. Deadlines
3. A wonderful first date in which you could talk with them for hours and hours and hours and you’re both having a wonderful time… but damn that sleep gets in the way
4. A beautiful vacation in a spot that you want to soak up and enjoy every moment… but you can’t as you have to account for sleep.
If you do without sleep would our bodies be able to restore, rejuvenate, and heal itself?
Would the work place push us to the limits by extending work hours? Would Hollywood produce epic and extremely boring movies even more so than now? Would stress and mental illness be on the rise? Would we wind up aging more rapidly? Would I be able to trade my bed in for a desk or dance pad?
How about we develop this no-sleep pill with an allowance of three pills per year to be used PRN?
Now I must find the good and bad of my second secret society plan.
Current Mood:
awake
