To Sleep, or Not to Sleep - What Was the Question?

        Okay, I'm just going to come right out and admit it: when I read this week's "Motivational Mondays" personal challenge post prompt, I about laughed out loud!  And I don't mean the kind of "lol" that you add to stuff to communicate humor in text!  Perhaps this is not the post I should write via my phone, from bed? Hah!

"The amount of sleep required
by the average person

is five minutes more."

~ Wilson Mizener

        Ah, Christine, you're killin' me, here!  How dare you* make it perfectly obvious that I am well aware of the issue and ramifications of sleep deprivation?!  Then, to add insult to injury, you throw in the question:

What can happen when you have good sleep?

(* Just so the reader is aware, Christine Morgan is a very lovely woman with a beautiful heart, and I would never, seriously curse her for caring about her readers!  Especially in public!  But I'm sure it made her smirk to have me do it, anyway.  And if not, stay tuned for the more obvious, direct and deeply-felt, public apology, forthcoming!)

         Needless as it may be for me to admit... I do have a sleep deprivation problem; or, rather, sleep problems, in general.  Whew, what a load to get off my chest!  Actually, sleep has nearly always been a challenge for me, especially in my adult years, as time moves forward, and for myriad reasons. This generally isn't a problem, but there are times when it is more bothersome, than others. My circadian rhythm dances to the beat of its own drummer, and its drummer writes its own rhythm! It plays all over the map, with its preferred falling-asleep time approximately one hour later.

        Actually, very recently I attended an authors' retreat, and the retreat was held in a time zone that was near, but not my own. Now, keep in mind, that even if it had been in the time zone in which my body actually lives, I would have experienced severe "jet lag" - my body clock generally lives in a time zone on the other side of the planet! So about two weeks ahead, approximately the time I was given after being invited, to the time of the actual event, I began the process of resetting things to actually function during the normal-upright hours of those around me.

I managed it, but it was a tough one...

Yup, I do know a thing or two about sleep issues!

        When I was working, I had a very kind, understanding doctor who worked with me to find something that would help me sleep regularly enough to manage the job I was trying to perform. We went through - literally - every sleep aid available by prescription! And not one of them really helped, even with the sleepy side effects of some of my meds at the time! And the doctor gave me information about sleep hygiene, circadian rhythm lights, and all kinds of other information, all with varying levels of *not* succeeding.

        As with so many other things, my body is rather stubborn when it comes to sleep. Even waking - once it sets itself to wake at a certain time, it doesn't matter how early nor late I go to sleep; chances are, I'll wake at that time!

        Now...there is another factor, here, and I'm a little shy of admitting it. I guess it has to do with the fact that there are some things that *can* be done about getting me enough sleep, and I suppose that has to do with having choices available to me. I'm never sure if most of my sleep issues come from my own choices, or other excuses are in play, such as the biological issues and malfunctioning "wiring" in my brain and body, chronic pain, and so on; but since trying to sleep before my mind is ready only makes things worse, I'm not sure where one begins and the other ends!

        And to answer the actual question: What can happen when you have good sleep?  I suppose there is the list of generic, scientific answers that one could find in an internet search.  On the other hand, this isn't an educational blog, per se.  This post, in particular, is more about my own answers, and honestly, I'm not sure what to say.  

        I could give the general, life-affirming (and yes, fairly scientific) answers, such as:

• less pain and fatigue 
• greater cognitive and memory functions 
• better physical healing, strength, endurance and stamina 
• an increase in ability to handle stress and trauma 
• perhaps even better functioning in general.  

        However, I'm not even sure those things are possible, and especially because I'm not sure if I could actually get myself to practice the methods I'm pretty sure would work.  That would be a mental and emotional thing, and maybe I'm just not ready to tackle that proverbial monster that hides in the darkness when I try to fall asleep.  So...perhaps this is a challenge for another day!  And that's okay, because I'm working on other things, at the moment.  So I suppose I must now wish you...

        Better days ahead, my friends!