Wow, that is a very judgmental statement. I have lived, with some frustration, but not harsh judgement, as far back as I can remember, as a few-hours-a-night-sleeper. But recently two studies have been published and they are full of dire warnings about lack of sleep: less than eight hours, will lead to dementia! Or maybe they said, “……could lead to dementia.” Talk about a guilt trip for us insomniacs. The message is clear: “Sleep or you will be a burden to your family and society.”
My mother tried her best. In my early childhood, she would have me tucked up in bed by six-thirty. Of course, I was wide awake. I could stick my head out from my window (actually it was me looking out of a porthole but that is a whole other story) to watch and even chat with the neighbourhood children all playing away in the June evening light. My mother wanted me to be out of the way before my father got home. My brothers were already stacked away at boarding school.
When it was my time to be shipped off to England to boarding school my plight became a lot worse. Never will I forget my first night in the dormitory: my bed was right in front of a large window with no blind or covering and it was a full moon shining straight in. It was horrible: wide awake, homesick, parents over the channel in France. So sad, (boarding school stories are always good for some sympathies in these 2020s.)
There must have been a time in my 20s and 30s when I slept better but maybe I just partied late, or at least picked my own late bedtime!
When babies arrived, any sleep that was going to happen was upset. I weathered it of course, like all those other parents. But even I had days when between work and babies, I was really quite zombie-like.
Now in advanced years, a good night’s sleep is a precious gift, and sometimes they do happen – not very frequently. But now I have tools! Not sleeping drugs, strangely, never gone that route. Here are my comfort when I-can’t-sleep-friends: a weighted blanket, eye mask, and best of all, my iPod. Not for music, which would be too stimulating, but for podcasts; the spoken word either lulls me to sleep or entertains me when I can’t waft off to sleep.
I think I am one of those people who truly does need less sleep. So far, beyond the usual confusion of overloaded modern life and my age, I don’t think I have shown too many signs of dementia. Oh, some days I am not quite A-1 from a skimpy-sleep night, but most days I am OK with six hours of interrupted zzzzzzs.
So studies: go stuff yourselves!