Sleep Deprivation - the consequences
Importance of being sleepy - pt3
The Experiment Continues
Today I document my experiences with staying awake 20 hours into the experiment (click if you missed part 1 and part 2?
3am. Now 20 hrs into the experiment and for some strange reason, I am finding that I am rattling through a load of ‘to do’s’ that have been lying around for some time. Have devised a couple more information leaflets for my website, sorted all my emails out – deleting unwanted and filing (yes filing) others. Starting to feel a real buzz about this now. Wonder if I could do this more often. What’s the harm really?? Especially if I am this productive everytime!
5am – I don’t feel tired. Yes I have a strange thick feeling in my head but, otherwise am still working away. I seem to have naturally moved from more challenging tasks such as writing reports, books, articles etc to more sedate but strangely engaging tasks such as changing the layout of a leaflet, choosing some artwork the leaflets and proof reading. That last one is weird. Surely I need to be alert to have an eye for detail? Maybe so, since I haven’t found a mistake yet…. unless of course that’s cos I’m perfect!
7am – 24hrs in. Can hear the street outside coming to life. This is weird. I suppose I have experienced this before thanks to my police career but normally at this time, having completed a full night shift I would be climbing under the duvet chuckling to myself at the thought that whilst the rest of the world is getting up, I am going to bed to sleep.
But not this time. Sadly I have another 15 or so hours to go.
Lesson learnt so far?
As a one off, which I hope this is, I can see the attraction of going without sleep. There is scope for achieving so much – ticking off the list all those jobs and gaining a real rush from that.
I can see one down side already though… It could be addictive!
Let’s see how the next 15 hours go... (read part 4 here)
Keep an eye out for the next blog.
Dave Algeo
Motivational Speaker on resilience and men's mental health.
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