December 11, 2007
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Thoughts on Sleep
Sleep is quite the convenient activity. It fits into life perfectly.
Without sleep life would have no intervals. Typically we truncate life into standard units called ‘days,’ which are defined as the period of time after we wake in the morning until we go to sleep at night. By dividing life into a repeating unit of time called a ’day,’ sleep has the convenient quality of slicing life into manageable segments. Sleep gives life a definitive, episodal feel to it, rather than being one long unending marathon.
Sleep is, of course, physically rejuvenating, but sometimes I find that the real reason I want to go to sleep is because I don’t want to be conscious anymore. I don’t want to see physical reality anymore. When too many things pile up, and stress seems indelibly ingrained onto the colored screen of life wherever I go, I wish for sleep just so that it will all go away. I need sleep to be a drain for all the worry and strain that can build up in life; for the kind of weariness that seems to be actual physical units of matter inside my body.
Sleep also includes the commercials of life, dreams. Dreams are commercials in that they are often psychadelic, impossible in physical reality, stupid, and happen in-between the actual show. You also only remember the really good ones.
But sleep, when I think of it from an objective third person point of view, is me lying there with my eyes closed for a long time. That, for me, is not a particularly comforting idea. Perhaps the same is true for others, which is why people use ‘comforters’ when they sleep.
Savor sleep! As I’m sure most of you are doing now.
Comments (5)
The commercials of life….hmmm….never thought of it like that before. I like it.
I think one of the fun parts about being married or having a honey would be watching him sleep. :) Maybe I’m weird, but that’s what I thought of when you said it’s “not particularly comforting” to think of yourself lying with your eyes closed for a long time. You’re probably doing a whole lot more than just lying there…..maybe that’s the “not comforting” part.
“…a drain for all the worry and strain…”
Very good!
ahah, sure i’ll get right on that
yes i most definitely agree…but it seems as if i lack that…between work and school and my friends and girlfriend…its hard to get any sleep at all… lol i definitely do savor it when i can get enough of it.
so how are you? im pretty good. just looking forward to my vacation from school so i can sleep in and also spend it with my wonderful girlfriend.
man, you hit a chord here that I am sure you don’t know about. I already copy and pasted to a friend who will truly appreciate it like I did.