I briefly considered doing a round number post celebrating the fact that we’re already up to 50 posts, but then I realized I’d also have to consider the fact that there’s still 316 posts left, and that made me feel a little less like celebrating. Instead I’m going to address an issue brought up in the sermon at church today (Go to Launch Sermon Player – The Simple Life Message #7 A Place of Rest), and that is the issue of sleep.
Sleep and I have always had a somewhat complex history. For one, I have never actually liked going to sleep, and that probably plays a lot into the fact that in the past I have put it off as late as I can. Once I am asleep, however, it’s the greatest thing ever and I dislike having to get up for any reason. Probably why my natural rhythm seems to be go asleep around two and wake up around ten (I very rarely get to indulge in this rhythm, but on vacations it really comes out). I will admit that one of my main problems with sleep is that I do not like the idea that the world is moving on while I’m checking out of it. The fact that five to nine hours is passing by with me being unconscious bothers me to no end. Even though there’s probably nothing productive I could be doing with that time, it feels to me as if I’m wasting it.
As I was reminded by the sermon today, that time is not being wasted, it is the time that is allowing the body to heal and the brain to cope. I’ve already done one major overhaul to my sleep patterns this year in cutting out the vast majority of my home computer use. Now instead of staying up until midnight or one playing games or just surfing the web, I generally run out of things to do around 11 pm and go to bed by 11:30. This has probably added on the average about an hour a night to my sleep time, pushing me closer to seven hours than six. It’s also taking me less time to fall asleep now, about 15-20 minutes rather than 30-45, although I still have to take some time to shut off the parts of my mind that are telling me that the world is passing me by.
Weight: 233.4 Max: 240 Min: 233.4 Body Fat %: 24.7
Yearly Mileage: 26.4 miles (+3.2 miles)
Current Belt: Purple – Next Belt: Orange – Next Test Date: 3/3/12
Fitocracy Level: 13 (17240 points, 640/3000 to next level) – ID: disciplev1
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Two things, briefly:
1) This was a major theme of the late Nigel Findley’s spectacular Shadowrun novel “2XS.” So even if you are only coming to a theological understanding of this now…you should have come to a nerdilogical understanding earlier. ;-P
2) In his series on Productivity (a related topic), CJ Mahaney noted that the single greatest change he made was shifting his sleep patterns from 2a-8a to 10p-4a. So I think you’re heading in the right direction. And you should totally track down that .pdf he wrote.
And now you know I still read your blog.
I mentioned this before…
God’s plan: 8 hours. Luxuriate in it, appreciate it, don’t take it for granted, understand its value, discover improved mind and body, health, attitude, strength…
Get up, work and ENJOY the day you’re given, then ENJOY rest. Everything will all be there when you get up again tomorrow!
Love, Your Elder Pontificator