You're Getting Sleepy, Very Sleepy

Or maybe it's just me.

I was never more well rested than when I was a struggling musician. By the end of that four years, I was down to two days a week at my retail day job. Apart from that and church on Sunday, I didn't have scheduled activities till I started teaching in the afternoons. So I could come hom from rehearsals and gigs at night, unwind by snacking (or having a super-late dinner!) with a book or in front of the TV, then wander off to bed and sleep till 10 or 10:30. I woke up when my body wanted to wake up. Then I could lie there awake for a while, and maybe work out before showering. It was great. So great. Most of the rest of my life sucked, but that part was great.

No more. It's all about the day jobs now. And while to some folks I come across as quite conventional and square, I have a determined nocturnal streak that my will has not been able to tame. It likes junk food and late-night TV. It's not a partyer, but it has plenty of energy for evening performances and hanging out with friends. It likes to go to bed around 1. And while it often manages to hit the hay by 11 or 11:30, it still feels very sorry for itself on weekdays at 7am.

The struggle has increased since I got myself into so many improv activities, which are geared toward night people. I want to sleep. Honest I do. I'm good at it. But it's happening less.

I've recently read about the importance of sleep. This was hugely validating, because while my practice may not be great, my desire is usually for 9 hours per night. Conventional wisdom is that we need 8, and most folks consider that a luxury, so I felt like a slob for sleeping longer when I had the chance. But at least according to one article, folks regularly slept 9 hours 100 years ago. So maybe I'm not a bum. I'm just old-fashioned.

In our culture, busyness is like a competition. Songwriter Sara Groves wrote ironically, If you sit at home, you're a loser/ Couldn't you find anything better to do?. If you're going without sleep, it must be because you're busy, right? I kind of get tired thinking about it.

Last night I saw a Nova episode about sleep. They're still trying to figure out exactly why creatures need it, but based on studies done, it looks like one of the huge benefits is that the brain uses the time to work through, practice, and solve problems. One scientist theorized that by sacrificing sleep, we sacrifice wisdom! Not to mention the fact that we're mentally and physically impaired by tiredness, and the cost to health, well-being and lifespan can be considerable.

I don't want sleep to be something I save up for on one or two precious nights a week! I want to be rested, happy, and wise. Sleeping Brainy.