The Sleep Dilemma

Often, I hear that sleep is an important thing for people to get.  I have also heard that one should go to bed early and get plenty of sleep, like 8 hours.  Researchers are able to link cancer, heart disease and other ailments to lack of sleep.

These are factors which have never really been that important for me to pay attention to... 

With it being January I suppose many people are trying new things, attempting to change their lives for the better.  The gym is packed with people.  Reading has become important again.  Cable is being cancelled.  Less time on facebook.

And there are the people who reject all things New Year and continue with the same bad habits.  However, they need to make sure that everyone is aware that they don't hold to resolutions because...  Hmmm.  What do they say here?  All I can think is: lazy and uninspired?  They don't need to change because they are perfect already?  No one ever keeps their resolutions?

"Resolutions are stupid!"  Why would anyone say that?  It's a great time of year.

I remember lamenting to my Dad a couple years back that our friend just wasn't really interested in joining us at the gym and my Dad said in his defense that of course he wanted to be there.  Everyone wants to change and get huge.  Not an exact quote.

Getting up in the morning is tough.  Especially when I have stayed up too late, like 4 hours before it is time to go to the gym.  Now, the human body is amazing, because it can still function and do everything without sleep.  But, there is a consequence.  Not getting huge.

Actually, the consequence for me on lack of sleep has been these headaches I get a little after noon.  For years, I thought that I was not getting enough water.  So, I started downing the water in buckets.  I would drink 20 oz before the workout.  Then, another liter during the workout.  And then I would have 2 liters during the day at work.  After a few months of this and still getting headaches, I consulted the Duh factor.

Sleep!

This week I did a little experiment.  I went to bed early every night.  I got 5 grueling workouts in and no headaches.  I was awake all day without incident.  The only time I had trouble was during a training session that a teammate was giving us on git.  (And if you google that, you will understand why.)

But, here's the problem with getting too much sleep.  No creativity.  Or no illusion of creativity.  What is it about the night that is so enticing?  Why is it so daring to be up all night?  Why do I have this urge to watch Star Trek The Next Generation and Continuum until 1:30 in the morning?  What is it about the stigma of going to bed at a decent hour?

Normally, I would still be asleep right now on a Saturday.  Instead I am writing on a boring topic like sleep.  Because I went to bed early and got up early.  Normally, I have to play catch-up, because I am exhausted from staying up all night.  But now I am normal.  I don't have this edge to me.  I am just like everyone else who goes to sleep when they should.

What's going to happen to me if I continue down this road?  Will I be able to concentrate longer?  Will I start wearing polo shirts more?  Will I sit in traffic?  Will I eat more fiber and speak intelligibly?  Will I be awake at family gatherings?

And the biggest question: Will I get huge?