Until the industrial era, many Western Europeans divided the night into “the first sleep” and the “second sleep.” They’d go to bed soon after dark, sleep for four hours then wake for an hour or two during which they’d write, pray, smoke, reflect on dreams they’d had, have sex or even visit neighbours.
Insomnia occurs in animals and insects, too, sort of. Technically, insomnia is defined as a “complaint,” and since animals can’t complain, it’s difficult to measure in them. But researchers at Washington University bred “short-sleeping fruit flies” down 90 generations so that they would act like insomniacs. The result? The flies lost their balance and their memory; they could no longer learn.
For most people, sleep switches on and off like a light switch. But for insomniacs and narcoleptics, the switch doesn’t quite work. Instead they inhabit the space in between—never entirely awake, nor entirely asleep. Much like Phillis who was up until 4am teasing Liz H.
Sounds familiar. I hope they’re working on some long-term solution to the problem! Interesting to see than humans are not the only species thus afflicted though.
One common but little-known cause of insomnia is actually not insomnia; I suffered for many years without being able to get to sleep, and was eventually (after much arguing with my GP, who kept insisting it was a lifestyle choice and that I just needed to go to bed earlier) diagnosed with Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome. It makes life awkward — any time I have to stick to a 9-5 schedule I become useless within a day or two — and so far none of the treatments I’ve tried have been particularly effective, but it beats not getting any sleep at all!
i know the feeling on that 1st and second sleep stuff!
fortunately phillis can get some sleep while working on the blog. (tease, tease)
I sympathize with anyone (human or otherwise) who has insomnia. The physical and mental effects of it can be terrible. I suffered from it when I went traveling last year and at some very strange points it was like watching myself in a lucid dream.
Sleep for 4 hours and then have sex and then sleep for another 4 hours? So your partner develop insomnia as well? Or visit neighbours???? Weird neighbourhood ….
I dont get why they need to research that memory and such will get less with a lack of sleep …. I thought we all knew that already, no further proof necessary.
I hate it when I can’t sleep or feel restless for no reason at all .. especially as I need to get up early in the morning to go to work (that’s probably the reason why I hate it .. otherwise I just would go to bed later or read till I fell asleep). Manic states causes a lack of sleep as well .. but that’s a different story.
Anyhow .. it is not nice when you can’t sleep or don’t sleep a good night’s sleep hardly. I hope those who suffer from it will find a solution or learn to cope with it (if that is possible).
I’m sorry you’re not sleeping well phillis!
(That is, unless you are purposefully not sleeping well. In which case- have fun you crazy kid you!)
For most people sleep switches on and off? Really? Now I am jealous
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