What Drives Our Varied Sleep Patterns?

[wolram]

Why do people go to sleep, i could stay awake forever, i don't like bed for
sleeping, only for being lazy, when i go to bed i think i should do this or that,
but mister lazy tells me shut up.

 

[Astronuc]

I've tried to avoid it, but unsuccessfully so far.

Unfortunately, we have evolved such that our brain does not the body to sleep so that it can process information and recharge.

While at uni, I once stayed awake for about 130 hrs without sleep (Sunday ~0900 to Friday ~1800). My roommate had a loud party in the room with speakers blaring away 8 feet from my bed. I did not wake up - despite repeated efforts on the part of my roommate and others to wake me - until the next morning.

Also - an old colleague used to tell me over and over - if 24 hrs in a day are not enough, there's always the night.

 

[wolram]

I've tried to avoid it, but unsuccessfully so far. .

While at uni, I once stayed awake for about 130 hrs without sleep (Sunday ~0900 to Friday ~1800). My roommate had a loud party in the room with speakers blaring away 8 feet from my bed. I did not wake up - despite repeated efforts on the part of my roommate and others to wake me - until the next morning.

I am always awake, my brain won't let me sleep, cat naps, are all i get, why
is my brain always nagging me, thinking of space, evolution, love, what ever.
It will not rest.

 

[fuzzyfelt]

I am always awake, my brain won't let me sleep, cat naps, are all i get, why
is my brain always nagging me, thinking of space, evolution, love, what ever.
It will not rest.

I read really fat boring history books until my eyes hurt, it generally works for me as long as I motivate myself into bed in the first place. I have to pretend to myself I'm looking forward to knowing what the visigoths will be up to next. On that note,good night.

 

[yourdadonapogostick]

sleep is for los-

 

[BobG]

sleep is for los-

I'm generally in favor of sleep and find it hard to understand why people go so long without it. You can't function without sleep and you eventually reach a point where anything you try to do is crap, anyway, which makes it not worth doing (that said, I admit I've gone up to 30 hours without sleep, but only when seriously motivated).

 

[wolram]

I read really fat boring history books until my eyes hurt, it generally works for me as long as I motivate myself into bed in the first place. I have to pretend to myself I'm looking forward to knowing what the visigoths will be up to next. On that note,good night.

Good night Fi, them Visigoths are a bad bunch, you stay with the vans, its
safer.

 

[Smasherman]

I can stay awake a long time if I have something to do (never had to for more than 30 hours, though), but I usually don't. Normally when I fly I'm in a semi-sleep state (I can sleep standing!).

Tips for going to sleep:

1) Read a boring book (Scarlet Letter IMO).
2) Get comfortable, clear your mind, and breathe regularly.

I'm not sure how insomnia works exactly, so this advice might be useless to those who might consider using it.

 

[hypatia]

Your in good company Wolram, Thomas Edison, Winston Churchill, John F. Kennedy also did not sleep full nights. They perfered cat naps.
I close my shop everyday from 1 to 2 pm, somedays I run errands, but somedays I rest on a fainting sofa{which is priced too high to ever sell, for a reason}.ZZZZZzzzz

 

[honestrosewater]

Wow, Astronuc, 130 hours is impressive. I regularly stay awake for over 24 hours (and sleep longer at a time). It's not draining- you get used to it. I actually function better this way. I've had trouble falling asleep since I was a kid. I couldn't do the cat nap thing, though I usually take a couple of rest periods- watching the news and educational programs. I really wish I didn't need sleep at all. It's such a waste of time, and you're so vulnerable. Someone needs to find a way to "sleep" while remaining conscious.
Maybe I'll try cat naps again. How often do you take a nap and for how long?

 

[Smurf]

I'm generally in favor of sleep and find it hard to understand why people go so long without it. You can't function without sleep and you eventually reach a point where anything you try to do is crap, anyway, which makes it not worth doing (that said, I admit I've gone up to 30 hours without sleep, but only when seriously motivated).

Well you are correct. You eventually reach a point where anything you do is crap. Others of us function differently than your clearly inferior sleep--necessity complex.

--
Why do people constantly think of themselves as the epitemy of all humanity? YOU'RE WEIRD! NOT NORMAL! NOT AVERAGE! NOT GOOD! NOT BAD! YOU'RE WEIRD!

 

[wolram]

Wow, Astronuc, 130 hours is impressive. I regularly stay awake for over 24 hours (and sleep longer at a time). It's not draining- you get used to it. I actually function better this way. I've had trouble falling asleep since I was a kid. I couldn't do the cat nap thing, though I usually take a couple of rest periods- watching the news and educational programs. I really wish I didn't need sleep at all. It's such a waste of time, and you're so vulnerable. Someone needs to find a way to "sleep" while remaining conscious.
Maybe I'll try cat naps again. How often do you take a nap and for how long?

Cat naps are for me 10 to 15 mins, why do you feel vunerable? i don't even
know were you live

 

[honestrosewater]

Cat naps are for me 10 to 15 mins, why do you feel vunerable? i don't even
know were you live

Yes, but I know where you live, and I may sleepwalk over. (Across the Atlantic even- walking on water is among my many talents.)

 

[wolram]

Yes, but I know where you live, and I may sleepwalk over. (Across the Atlantic even- walking on water is among my many talents.)

Now i feel vunerable, you wouldn't hurt poor old Wolram would you Rose

 

[honestrosewater]

Now i feel vunerable, you wouldn't hurt poor old Wolram would you Rose

Not while awake, but who knows what I'm capable of in my sleep. You should probably keep your windows locked.

 

[wolram]

Not while awake, but who knows what I'm capable of in my sleep. You should probably keep your windows locked.

OO ER, Its hot over here, it would be to much to lock the windows, oh well i
a can think of much worse things that can happen

 

[wolram]

Your in good company Wolram, Thomas Edison, Winston Churchill, John F. Kennedy also did not sleep full nights. They perfered cat naps.
I close my shop everyday from 1 to 2 pm, somedays I run errands, but somedays I rest on a fainting sofa{which is priced too high to ever sell, for a reason}.ZZZZZzzzz

I have never come across a, "fainting sofa", it sounds relaxing.

 

[hypatia]

ahh from the Victorian age when ladys were prone to swooning. Of course heavily ornate wood work, with cushions slightly elevated on one side to raise your feet.

 

[Lisa!]

I am always awake, my brain won't let me sleep, cat naps, are all i get, why
is my brain always nagging me, thinking of space, evolution, love, what ever.
It will not rest.

Thanx!I finally find out why "American girls","doing without it" and lots of other threads came to existence!

 

[neurocomp2003]

depends on how tired your brain is...if you only need catnaps then your brain only needs to shutoff for very little time...but you still are getting SLEEP even though people call them naps. all you really need is 4 hours every like 18-20 hours.

 

[1123581321]

i have been living off 3-4 hours of sleep a night for the past 3 weeks, and i feel ok.
no, not really, i am also living off mountain dew, lots of mountain dew and red bull.
i don't sleep very much in the night, just the day. the night is for roaming the woods and mountains unseen, and watching the night wildlife with my abnormally good night vision. also, i like sitting around a fire talking to other people about everything imaginable. i do manage to catch a good sleep every once and a while.
(once summer is over, my sleep habits will be "normal" again, for i don't like to fail school.)
oh yeah, duering the day i am a lifeguard at a summer camp.
the joys of camp!

fibonacci