I heard a
doctor on the radio a few years ago speaking of how he believed
sleep is not actually a neccessity. By his arguments, sleep is actually just an
addiction, and one we can eliminate. He believed that the problems people encounter during
sleep deprivation are in actuality nothing but
withdrawal symptoms as someone weans themself from the addiction.
Now I'm sure that most of you, like myself, have trouble believing the idea. I know that I don't believe it. But think, for a moment, about how nice it would be if we didn't have to sleep. Think how much more time we would have. I know I always have so many more things that I would like to do than time permits.
In the wonderful way that the human mind works, which is echoed in some ways by the way everything2 functions, writing this has brought two random associations to mind. The first one is simple: If we didn't have sleep, then why would we have beds other than for sex? When would children be given their first bed? It brings up a lot of questions doesn't it...
The slightly less crude, though perhaps also less intruiging thought that came to mind is the idea of people who do manage to get away with little to no sleep. Monks manage to get by with no sleep whatsoever, meditating for periods of 15 minutes several times a day. I don't have firsthand experience of this, however I do have a friend who managed to last an entire year sleeping only every other night. On the night he did sleep, he only slept for 2 hours.
People seem to need different amounts of sleep. Unfortunately, I need a lot. I wish I needed little, and sometimes I don't sleep enough to try to get things done. It always ends up being counterproductive however, for when you're tired you don't work well, which makes you need more time to do your work, which makes you stay up later, which makes you more tired, which... you get the idea.
I work much better with sleep... but oh! The possibilities with the time were it not needed. The possibilities... Time is of the essence.