Why I Hate Sleeping -- And Why I Learned To Ignore This Hatred For Reality
Updated: Sep 16
Article Synopsis by Mr. C. Kingsley and Co.
The article "Why I Hate Sleeping -- And Why I Learned To Ignore This Hatred For Reality" is a personal, introspective examination of sleep and its complex role in human life. Mr. Tomasio explores the topic from various angles, including scientific, philosophical, and historical perspectives, providing a richness to the discussion.
The article is enhanced by quotes from figures like George Orwell and Rainer Maria Rilke, as well as research links and resources, which lend credibility and depth to the discourse.
Philosophical musings on time and Productivity are explored, exploring hypothetical questions about what life might be like if sleep were unnecessary. This exploration leads to a broader reflection on human nature, creativity, and sacrifice, sparking thought-provoking questions for the reader.
In conclusion, the article stands out for its raw honesty, intellectual curiosity, and wide-ranging exploration of sleep from personal, historical, and philosophical perspectives.
What is required of us now is to rest, recharge in nature, pay attention to dreams and downloads and new communications, and share! -- Mickey Eilon
Introduction
Since childhood and until recently, other than the fact that sleeping is essential to existence, I have never understood why we humans need to sleep. And surely the need to dream. Of course, we need sleep to re-energize, to recover, and to be more awake. Other than those reasons, do we know why we humans need to sleep? How about other species that do not, and still manage to live and thrive successfully? Insects and spiders, for instance, can't close their eyes, so it remains uncertain if they can sleep. That includes Jumping Spiders, despite seemingly having sleep-related patterns.
After thinking about this, I used to believe that sleeping truly is a liability, more than it is a great benefit. That was especially when considering the fact that we sleep around a third of our lives, or attempt to do so. This means that, because of said liability, we "waste away" a third of our lives, while other few species get to be awake to a greater extent of their lifetime, like giraffes.
The most frustrating thing I find about sleeping, personally, is this... Even after spending an above-average duration of sleeping, I still found that I am tired. Later on in life I realized this has to do with anxiety and depression. However, the reason I haven't considered this is because my fatigue compromised my thinking. Back then, the question that rose from this was, why sleep a lot when there's a reasonable chance that you'll be tired anyways?
Here are some possible answers to these questions, before my transformation allowed me to conduct research far better. Extra material is added below:
Part I: Why do we need to sleep more than other animals?
There are many theories about why we need to sleep. Some scientists believe that sleep helps to better preserve memories, while others believe that it helps to repair and regenerate cells. Furthermore, others believe that sleep helps to regulate our emotions and mood.
Ants are very different from humans in many ways. They have a much simpler nervous system and they lack a brain. Given that sleep has to do with emotional processing, it is possible that humans have a therapeutic need for sleep.
Sleep also has to do with nutrition. Koalas could need an insane amount of sleep due to their leaf-eating activities. In fact, much of their time awake is spent on eating leaves.
We can deduce from this that sleep has a lot to do with cognitive processes and energy consumption. This highlights the fact that we should see beyond our confirmation bias, as this article originally was against sleep, not in support of it. Admitting your faults is the first step to begin towards correction.
Part II: Is sleeping a liability?
Sleep when ya die -- John Duran
Whether or not sleeping is a liability is a matter of context. Sleeping while being a military sentinel could get you punished. By the same token, Homeless people struggle to sleep in shelters because they weren't made for sleeping, ironically. Therefore, when I speak of "context" I refer to the environmental conditions and to the implications of sleeping (or not) within these conditions.
Some people believe that the benefits of sleep outweigh the costs, while others believe that the opposite is true. Given that it is unlawful to sleep as a guard, can we really provide a general answer that fits anyone's role or state in life? That can be seen as the philosopher's trap: The idea that universal statements certainly apply to any situation.
It's up to each individual to decide how much sleep they need and how much they are willing to sacrifice in order to get it. This depends on their plans. Maybe if you seek to gain power in the army, maybe try being disciplined enough to not sleep while on duty. On the other hand, if you have a test tomorrow, sleeping could help you pass it with greater success.
Personal Reflections
I used to minimize the value of sleep, because I believe there are far more important things than myself. Things like my work. Things like this empire of a website I'm trying to build.
Even as a kid, I always felt tired, even after sleeping a reasonable amount of time. This tiredness still haunts me at times, even as an adult. However, it mainly had to do with my 16-year long depression. My depression started upon the completion of my first thought experiment at the age of 11.
However, as I took greater care of my health, and as I found a woman to love, I was able to sleep far better. With reduced stress, which could help reduce insomnia, my improved sleep gradually left me less and less tired when I woke up.
Part III: The Sacrifice of Geniuses
Sleep is something that we know we need, but we don't know exactly why. Either way, we know the many benefits of a good night's sleep. Consider, however, the collective aspect of sleeping, when one's sleep is granted by the inner-ruthlessness of another:
“We sleep soundly in our beds, because rough men stand ready in the night to do violence on those who would harm us" -- George Orwell
This is when it comes to military affairs. However, what about within another, less-than-obvious field?
Imagine a reality where we did not need to spend a third of our lifetime sleeping; a reality where we did not even need to rest in the afternoon or evening after a hard day's work. Imagine a reality where we would have far more free time on our hands after returning from our jobs. And, it would've been just because sleeping wouldn't be necessary.
As researched for the renovated article, sleep is also there for cognition, AKA, for our intellect. Ironically, however, it is said that "the great fathers" of history, from Leonardo DaVinci to Nikola Tesla, have actually slept less than the average person.
Many famous people, especially politicians and ingenious inventors, slept very little. Partly, due to the amount of work they had, partly because they practiced polyphasic sleep routine trying not to waste too much time sleeping. -- Vladimir Marchenko
When Sacrifice is not an Assumption
Surely, sleep is a very comfortable activity, especially when the bed and the temperature of the room are comfortable. However, in the eyes of geniuses who may greatly value their work, this doesn't have to justify such a liability taking up so much of their lives.
For instance, I've been studying the art of writing philosophy articles since 2013. The amount of practice it took me to get where I am currently as a writer deprived me of much sleep when I was younger. A more historic example is Michelangelo's painting of the Sistine Chapel. This beautiful piece took him 4 years to create. To give you a final example for this case, it took Beethoven 6 years to complete his final symphony. Furthermore, it took Beethoven several decades, bringing it into conception.
These examples prove to us how the pursuit of mastery could be a great sacrifice that could come at the cost of our health. And, as much as geniuses are eccentric to the point of social rejection, their lofty projects could not only outperform their social competence, but outlive it too, in the form of legacy.
Given the innovative nature of genius projects, perhaps this sacrifice of health can be done for the greater good? It is preferable morally to devise a symphony than the atomic bomb, after all.
Words of Departure
“Therefore, dear Sir, love your solitude and try to sing out with the pain it causes you. For those who are near you are far away... and this shows that the space around you is beginning to grow vast.... be happy about your growth, in which of course you can't take anyone with you, and be gentle with those who stay behind; be confident and calm in front of them and don't torment them with your doubts and don't frighten them with your faith or joy, which they wouldn't be able to comprehend.
Seek out some simple and true feeling of what you have in common with them, which doesn't necessarily have to alter when you yourself change again and again; when you see them, love life in a form that is not your own and be indulgent toward those who are growing old, who are afraid of the aloneness that you trust.... and don't expect any understanding; but believe in a love that is being stored up for you like an inheritance, and have faith that in this love there is a strength and a blessing so large that you can travel as far as you wish without having to step outside it.” -- Rainer Maria Rilke
Lastly, if there's something that I am grateful for, is the fact that I have much free time to write. That is despite sleep taking so much of my lifespan. It truly is a privilege not every writer has. Writers are not really wealthy. And, because writing is not as profitable as other pursuits in life, such as being a small business owner, you might find yourself writing regularly only later in life.
However and either way, should humanity ever invent something, such as a one-time pill, seen in fiction like The Matrix, such a thing could prevent us from ever needing to sleep. Then, many more books, articles and videos would be created. By others. By me, perhaps...
Improve your relationship with your need for sleep, and try prioritizing this basic need over your lofty desires. We should focus on needs first, which will then allow us to better fulfill our desires, and our hopes and dreams, with greater competency and with greater clarity.
Sleep well on these sources:
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