I just woke up after sleeping for 12 hours. I probably needed it, though I feel less refreshed than I usually do after seven or eight hours. Also, it probably would have been better if it wasn’t from noon to midnight yesterday.
Without a schedule imposed by a workplace, I easily fall off of any sleep schedule at least once a month, and spend a week or two getting back on track. It was this way when I was playing poker and trading options, too. Even when I was waiting tables, since the workday was only 6 hours max, my sleep schedule would slide around within those other 18 hours.
Even worse, when I am forced by a workplace to be somewhere on a schedule, I struggle to fall asleep by the hour necessary to be fully rested by the time I need to wake up. That makes getting up harder, slowing a morning routine, and adding to sleep deprivation.
I was deeply frustrated by my inability to stay on any sleep schedule, because it is so inconvenient when businesses and other resources are not available for most of the hours you are awake. As with most things, I envy those who seem to have it easy. The people who can go to bed and get up at the same time every day seemed so lucky to me.
But when I spoke with friends and family who cannot sleep due to health or insomnia, I realized I’m incredibly fortunate to mostly be able to go to sleep when I am tired and get up when I’m rested. Duly so now that I’ve been able to remove myself from a workplace again, in being able to do both to any extent and at any time necessary.
Empathy is powerful not only for teaching the ability to see from other viewpoints, but perhaps even more so for the awareness that viewing gives you of yourself. Empathy can gift the feeling of gratitude, which I promise is the greatest present you can give yourself.
As for me, I finally need to commit to getting regular exercise to hack the time I get tired at. Hence the icon below. Wish me luck.
