h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

How about the fact that I FEEL exactly the same whether I have one hours sleep or ten but my functionality is obviously better at ten?

I went to sleep at 6 this morning and then got up at 11. Is the sleep just as good as if I went to sleep at 10 and woke up at 4?

Thank you for serious answer...knew I could depend on you

serious *looks at the subject line* that is actully quite a sensible one, someone must do something about that.

Yes, it was just as good... aside from the obvious difference that you only had 5 hours of sleep between 6 and 11, as opposed to the hypothetical 6 hours between 10 and 4.

As far as why you feel the same after an hour of sleep but less functional than you'd feel after 10 hours... our bodies are designed to *need* a certain amount of sleep. Probably when you've managed to get 10 hours of sleep out of 24, it's because you were under such a sleep deficit from the day or two before that you needed that much in order to feel rested. Of course if the sleep deficit is more than a couple of days old, you really can't catch up on your sleep, you have to just start over where you are and try to start getting enough sleep.

An hour of sleep can be very refreshing if you've slept an excessive amount the day before so that you just don't need that much sleep right at that time, or if something wakes you right after you've had just enough sleep to take the "edge" off. It's just that the effects of that hour of sleep aren't very long lasting.

If your sleep rhythms are significantly affected by day length, your energy levels and sleep cycles could still be affected even after a lengthy sleep during the short winter days, while feeling more energetic after a short sleep during the long summer days, although you'd still be likely to notice a difference in how functional or clumsy you feel after only a short sleep as opposed to a long one. You should be able to minimize the day length effects by keeping your room as dark as possible while you're sleeping during the shorter nights, and exposing yourself to as much light as possible during the shorter days. (not necessarily direct sun though, you don't need to burn!)


All this talk about sleep is making me very slee...

Gosh this is all very intelligent!

What about if I'm sleeping tons and tons every day through the night AND the day and still feel awful? Oh wait...I guess that's affected by depression right?

Yeah, that sounds like depression to me. Either that or it's a sign of some kind of medical condition that should be addressed professionally.

Regular exercise does tend to help with making sleep cycles more even too, as long as you don't overdo it.

Chuckle...I've taken up bed surfing. It's a fab sport...admittedly not much exercise though.

So reckon the depression could be affecting the fact I feel the same regardless of how much sleep I've had? *eg exhausted*

Yeah, but exercise tends to help with depression too.

It doesn't have to be some kind of physically exhausting 3 hour exercise marathon to affect you.

... just a short walk outdoors, or some gardening, or dancing is fine to start out with. Anything that gets the blood circulating and your lungs working a little harder can help.

Noooo not outside! Outside is bad!
It's exercise just to get out the door!

Well I did the vacuuming today and I have a HUAGE house so does that count?
Whta about hyperventilating and panicking? Does that count? And Im going out tonight on the train which is scary...does that count?

just by the by! I HAD POST 66666!!!!!

Coren: Drat, I missed it! THURSDAY THURSDAY THURSDAY THURSDAY THURSDAY THURSDAY THURSDAY THURSDAY THURSDAY THURSDAY THURSDAY THURSDAY THURSDAY THURSDAY THURSDAY THURSDAY THURSDAY THURSDAY THURSDAY THURSDAY THURSDAY THURSDAY THURSDAY THURSDAY THURSDAY THURSDAY THURSDAY THURSDAY THURSDAY THURSDAY THURSDAY THURSDAY THURSDAY THURSDAY THURSDAY THURSDAY THUR-ohhh *slumps to the floor unconscious*

Esty: Thank the gods there was a big rock nearby. Bad Coren! Bad, bad Coren!

Yeah but I managed to make it a post about sleep!!! Honestly Im such a gimp! However the fact of having the post is now in my news marquee

Bad Coren

Garrett: Huh. Coren?

Coren: *wakes up, a bit dazed* Hmm?

Garrett: You're an idiot. Now come with me.

*Coren and Garrett disappear in a flash of light*

Esty: I imagine that Coren is going to get punished a lot worse than he would have ben on here. Garrett generally doesn't like idiots.

On a side note. I find that when I get too much sleep like let say over 8 hours, I'm actually more tired than when I get no sleep at all.
Its strange that sometimes if I sleep too much I can't stop sleeping, but if I don't sleep at all I'm not wanting to sleep. Can't explain that other than maybe once I tried the sleep my body decides it wants more. And if I don't sleep my body doesn't miss it since it doesn't know what its missing yet. If that makes sense.

*burp*

Yes, that makes a strange amount of sense.

I think I could do with some good, old-fashioned, non-drug-induced sleep right now. But I can't, because it's Wimpy morning over here in good ol' Oz and I have to go to school (most unfortunately).
I'm happy, though, because next Doobry I'm going hooooooooome!
(I'm living at boarding school right now, by the way...)

Ooohh boarding school...I remember that thing! Do you like it? I liked and hated mine...until they hated me