When I was growing up, anyone in the house who was sleeping was let alone. Sleeping meant that sleeping was needed, so a sleeper was to be kept in mind. Creeping around the house, avoiding any noise possible, going somewhere else for a while – that sort of thing was called for. I have read that it is well established that teens really do need extra sleep and that our secondary schools are not helping when they start classes too early.
I think there are different conceptions of sleeping: a healthy activity that refreshes the body and the brain, an indulgence that encourages laziness and should be minimized and everything between. As a teacher, I had the notion that families could arrange for adequate sleep for the kids even if they didn’t have much money. I am very confident that the view a person has of sleeping has much to do with their upbringing and experience. I have a relative that seems to be able to sleep for nearing any amount of time desired, from 4 or 5 hours to 8 to 9.
I tend to fall asleep easily but I wake up easily, too. If I awaken and think that I probably haven’t slept for long enough, I can easily go back to sleep. Since July, I have been working on self-hypnosis and find getting myself into a trance helps me fall asleep even though Roberta Temes, PhD, and others assure me that brain wave research and other indicators show that trance and sleep are different.
Lynn is sensitive to light and seems to wake up if the sun peeps into the room, even without directly shining on her. I am more sensitive to noise and awaken when there is an unexpected sound. We both find that A.W.A. [aaaah, those dreaded words again: “As We Age”], we need more help in getting warm and staying that way. We sleep better with more blankets than we used to.
True to practice in my childhood, we try to be very quiet and undisturbing if the other one is still sleeping. I have a remote that allows me to turn on the modem and router from far away so I can use a laptop without tramping around the house. Reading a book, taking a walk, eating a banana or other food that needs no preparation are good uses of time when there is still sleeping going on.
