Showing posts with label night. Show all posts
Showing posts with label night. Show all posts
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
...and miles to go before I sleep...
A point to ponder - why do we sleep at night, and not really at day? Why is it that sleeping is necessary? Why would one feel fresh after a good night sleep?
Not that these are questions that I would want answers to, in order to get enlightened! It's just that, I was trying to sleep last night, and just could not! I would have had what, maybe three hours of sleep last night, and still I am as fresh as ever. And many-a-times, even when I get as much as 14 hours of sleep at a stretch, I can feel uneasiness creeping into me.
I tend to feel good about the fact that the work I do is what I really like to - and the best part is that the arrangement that I work in suits my time and the things I want to do too. This morning itself, I was having this conversation with P (P's a friend of N, with whom I am staying right now), and I felt very proud telling her that I work in an arrangement that suits me, and I do work when I want to - all this enables me to sleep when I want to, and as much as I want to. Though I said all this (I mean it too!), but in retrospect, I can't still figure out why my sleeping cycle is like that! Why is it that I normally can catch sleep only after 3 o'clock in the morning (Is it that I am meant to stay in the vast lands of Switzerland!); why is it that there is hardly any correlation between the number of hours I sleep and my energy levels after getting up.
Obviously there is the question of whether any sleep is needed or not - No one has proven that humans needs sleep to live, obviously. How do you keep someone awake? When you get tired enough you can sleep through anything. More to the point, killing someone for science is unethical.. but an experiment has been done on mice, where they were left on a constantly turning turntable, with food and water, for several days. The constant slow spinning made it impossible for them to sleep, and after a few days, they died. I don't know how close we are to mice family, but I sure think I'll sleep!
There have been studies that show that the length of sleep is not what causes us to be refreshed upon waking. The key factor is the number of complete sleep cycles we enjoy. Each sleep cycle contains five distinct phases, which exhibit different brain- wave patterns. For our purposes, it suffices to say that one sleep cycle lasts an average of 90 minutes: 65 minutes of normal, or non-REM (rapid eye movement), sleep; 20 minutes of REM sleep (in which we dream); and a final 5 minutes of non-REM sleep. The REM sleep phases are shorter during earlier cycles (less than 20 minutes) and longer during later ones (more than 20 minutes). If we were to sleep completely naturally, with no alarm clocks or other sleep disturbances, we would wake up, on the average, after a multiple of 90 minutes--for example, after 4 1/2 hours, 6 hours, 7 1/2 hours, or 9 hours, but not after 7 or 8 hours, which are not multiples of 90 minutes. In the period between cycles we are not actually sleeping: it is a sort of twilight zone from which, if we are not disturbed (by light, cold, nature's call, noise), we move into another 90-minute cycle. A person who sleeps only four cycles (6 hours) will feel more rested than someone who has slept for 8 to 10 hours but who has not been allowed to complete any one cycle because of being awakened before it was completed.
It explains why, when I get 8 hours of sleep I feel tired and groggy, or when I get 4 hour of sleep, I can barely wake up. As human beings, we should know about this fact, as everyone always says "get your 8 hours". Yet some people fare better than others. Why is that? Probably because the more rested people are actually getting closer to 7.5, or 9 hours, while the 8 hour folk feel constantly unrested.
I now know when my alarm should ring! And now I know, why those 3 hours of sleep last night were more than enough!
Not that these are questions that I would want answers to, in order to get enlightened! It's just that, I was trying to sleep last night, and just could not! I would have had what, maybe three hours of sleep last night, and still I am as fresh as ever. And many-a-times, even when I get as much as 14 hours of sleep at a stretch, I can feel uneasiness creeping into me.
I tend to feel good about the fact that the work I do is what I really like to - and the best part is that the arrangement that I work in suits my time and the things I want to do too. This morning itself, I was having this conversation with P (P's a friend of N, with whom I am staying right now), and I felt very proud telling her that I work in an arrangement that suits me, and I do work when I want to - all this enables me to sleep when I want to, and as much as I want to. Though I said all this (I mean it too!), but in retrospect, I can't still figure out why my sleeping cycle is like that! Why is it that I normally can catch sleep only after 3 o'clock in the morning (Is it that I am meant to stay in the vast lands of Switzerland!); why is it that there is hardly any correlation between the number of hours I sleep and my energy levels after getting up.
Obviously there is the question of whether any sleep is needed or not - No one has proven that humans needs sleep to live, obviously. How do you keep someone awake? When you get tired enough you can sleep through anything. More to the point, killing someone for science is unethical.. but an experiment has been done on mice, where they were left on a constantly turning turntable, with food and water, for several days. The constant slow spinning made it impossible for them to sleep, and after a few days, they died. I don't know how close we are to mice family, but I sure think I'll sleep!
There have been studies that show that the length of sleep is not what causes us to be refreshed upon waking. The key factor is the number of complete sleep cycles we enjoy. Each sleep cycle contains five distinct phases, which exhibit different brain- wave patterns. For our purposes, it suffices to say that one sleep cycle lasts an average of 90 minutes: 65 minutes of normal, or non-REM (rapid eye movement), sleep; 20 minutes of REM sleep (in which we dream); and a final 5 minutes of non-REM sleep. The REM sleep phases are shorter during earlier cycles (less than 20 minutes) and longer during later ones (more than 20 minutes). If we were to sleep completely naturally, with no alarm clocks or other sleep disturbances, we would wake up, on the average, after a multiple of 90 minutes--for example, after 4 1/2 hours, 6 hours, 7 1/2 hours, or 9 hours, but not after 7 or 8 hours, which are not multiples of 90 minutes. In the period between cycles we are not actually sleeping: it is a sort of twilight zone from which, if we are not disturbed (by light, cold, nature's call, noise), we move into another 90-minute cycle. A person who sleeps only four cycles (6 hours) will feel more rested than someone who has slept for 8 to 10 hours but who has not been allowed to complete any one cycle because of being awakened before it was completed.
It explains why, when I get 8 hours of sleep I feel tired and groggy, or when I get 4 hour of sleep, I can barely wake up. As human beings, we should know about this fact, as everyone always says "get your 8 hours". Yet some people fare better than others. Why is that? Probably because the more rested people are actually getting closer to 7.5, or 9 hours, while the 8 hour folk feel constantly unrested.
I now know when my alarm should ring! And now I know, why those 3 hours of sleep last night were more than enough!
Thursday, May 19, 2005
Sunday, October 31, 2004
Better late..than never..!!
Boy oo Boy!
What a time it has been, since I last visited this place.
Seems like eternity.
And I truly missed it like hell. Was wondering all these days what could have been the password to this Blog. Silly me. Who else forgets not only the password, but the username as well. hehe.
Now then, what shall I jot down here. I dont even remember when I last posted. I dont think I hav posted anything in this term. So, I wud start with the holidays, preceding this term.
What a time it was. Getting home, having nice food, those feelings, that care, going shopping, doing teeny-weeny things, calling all friends again and again, collecting stuff from here and there, scheduling time as if one needs 48 hours in a day. And yes, that most famous get-together at home, which brought out the best amongst everyone. Atleast it gave a hearty laugh, proved a gathering. I wish for such gatherings in the times to come.
And yes, how can I forget the time I spent with Shuchidi. Taking her to shop around, which proved to be as boring as it could possibly be. But doesnt matter; relax chap, it was for her wedding.
:)
Then the journey back to College. Starting the preps for the all new IIMK-IIMB sports meet. And yes, above all, the all-famous accident. Now I recall why I couldnt post earlier. This thing could never cross my mind, as I was hardly able to type.
What a time it has been, since I last visited this place.
Seems like eternity.
And I truly missed it like hell. Was wondering all these days what could have been the password to this Blog. Silly me. Who else forgets not only the password, but the username as well. hehe.
Now then, what shall I jot down here. I dont even remember when I last posted. I dont think I hav posted anything in this term. So, I wud start with the holidays, preceding this term.
What a time it was. Getting home, having nice food, those feelings, that care, going shopping, doing teeny-weeny things, calling all friends again and again, collecting stuff from here and there, scheduling time as if one needs 48 hours in a day. And yes, that most famous get-together at home, which brought out the best amongst everyone. Atleast it gave a hearty laugh, proved a gathering. I wish for such gatherings in the times to come.
And yes, how can I forget the time I spent with Shuchidi. Taking her to shop around, which proved to be as boring as it could possibly be. But doesnt matter; relax chap, it was for her wedding.
:)
Then the journey back to College. Starting the preps for the all new IIMK-IIMB sports meet. And yes, above all, the all-famous accident. Now I recall why I couldnt post earlier. This thing could never cross my mind, as I was hardly able to type.
Then missing those practice sessions, which I wudn't have missed for anything. Going over to Bangalore, just to escape from the thought that I couldnt participate any longer, in the sports meet. It broke me to pieces, but thats the way it was meant to be. Went to Bangalore, and stayed with Aasheesh, Tarun, Vicky et al. Though had a nice time, but not even for a moment could I forget that my visit to B'lore was just a pity escape from the thoughts I would have had, while being at campus.
Coming back to K. Healing gets slower & slower, day by day. It was, as if, a race was going on, between the healing, and my patience. The worst time here at K for me.
Come IIMB team, and I get involved. If not very much in playing, then in organising the stuff. Could play Football only in that leg of sports meet. Couldnt play Cricket, neither could swim, for the good, and now old, reason. Shastry also comes. He's fun.
Now the reverse leg, to be held at IIMB. Again, unfit. Still, determined to play. Be it Baddy, Volley or Soccer. Carrom is a different matter altogether. Can't lose out on any of them.
Lost Soccer (obviously), won Baddy (team being invinsible), and went down, after giving an unexpected fight, in Volley. Then the night comes, and at this time, I have slept only 4 hours in last 3 days. Still, I insist on Carrom being played on that very night.
To start with, Doubles. The worst I could be in temperament. Had chances in all the 8 boards; even tried to apply my sick and fickle mind, but to no avail. At last, lost the doubles match, with "I" being the worst of the 4 players playing that match.
I had lost all my senses. Had become a zombie. Still, dunno what urged me to ask for playing Singles, I had to take my pride into my stride. It was a matter of my pride, my passion now.
And my competitor, the simplest of all guys in today's times, Prithu. I did not even want to play my natural "negative" game against him, looking at his innocence, and simplicity. We start the game.
First board, we start. Woop.! All 9 of my coins on the board, and his coins up. He leads by 12 points.
Thats a mishap for me. Enuf is enuf. It cant get worse than this. I have never lost a singles match in Carrom ever, in a tournament. Was it going to happen this time? I hope not.
Dont know what I got into. Next few boards, I pull it off. I win 28-12.
I could never have imagined it, if I would have lost the match. I still cant get it. How can I get into such a miserable position??
Anyhow, its over now. We come back to K. Take our exams. And start off with the normal life. And yes, planning for an inter-hostel sports meet. Atleast regain the confidence here.
Thought of trying to recover my blogger ID and password, and got it. So, here I am, as I type these words, again a zombie, at 4o'clock in the morning.
I wish you were here, whosoever you are! I dont know, and I dont care. All I know is, I know nothing.
Cheer up buddy. Way to go!
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