Saturday, November 24, 2012

24. Sleep Deprivation.

I consulted Google to find out how likely it is that I could die from sleep deprivation.  I found out that it's possible but that I'd have to be completely awake for nearly 2 weeks straight.

Apparently being awake for 10 hours, as I have been so far today, is not likely to kill me.

I read that a whole bunch of rats were dead after being forced to stay awake for 32 days.  But then I read another article where the rats were dead after only 2 weeks.  I'm not sure why there were scientific studies done to see how long rats could stay awake without dying.  I mean, I understand it because physiologically rats are similar to humans and yes, clearly, I'm curious about how long it's going to take for my tiredness to kill me.  What I meant is that I can't help wondering who decided they would spend their time keeping rats awake just to see when they die.

Also, how do you keep a rat awake?  Do you make it get up with its rat children when it's trying to sleep?  Do you make it go to work?  Do you make it cook and clean?  Do you make it participate in writing challenges like NaBloPoMo?  Do you give it an interest like watching TV, then give it a DVR so it can record all of its favorite shows and then have it stay awake engrossed in said shows long past the point where a sane rat would have gone to bed?  Do you take it to a cafe where it can order a coffee with a shot of espresso in it after already having 2 cups of coffee a few hours earlier?

Those are the ways I know to keep a human awake.  They work pretty well.  I've tested all of those methods and I can confirm that each one of those practices have successfully kept me awake.

If you've followed along this far, you may be wondering what my point is to all of this.  I'm sorry to say, I really don't have one.  Except that I'm tired and I think I'm starting to go just a little bit crazy.  I didn't have a blog post idea for today.  I have to leave in about 55 minutes to go to Friends Thanksgiving, which is, as you may have guessed, an alternative Thanksgiving we celebrate with our friends.  I don't have time for a nap, and even if I did, my son does not see the value in rest.  Since I won't get home until late tonight when I, no doubt, will have even less energy than I have right now, I wanted to get today's post written.

It's hard to write an end paragraph to a post that makes very little sense.  But I need to go put some make up on so that I don't look like a cast member of The Walking Dead.

Actually I don't think I own that much make up.

7 comments:

  1. OK, I know it's not funny but I couldn't help but laugh that you were googling how long it would take to die from sleep depravation! If you are really dying to know how they keep rats awake, they use a machine that rotates when the rat falls asleep so the rat has to move or else fall into water. Don't worry - I didn't know that until I looked it up - you got the scientist in me going!

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    1. Ack, that's worse than I thought! Those poor rats!!

      I think I probably knew all along that I wouldn't die from being tired, but it certainly feels that way some day!!

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  2. One of the best lines "Do you make it participate in writing challenges like NaBloPoMo?" I'm a whack job today and so over tired. You entertained me which is far more than I did for anyone today. Lipgloss helps everything. At least that's what I tell myself! Have fun and here's hoping for some zzzzzzzzz later!

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    1. I am constantly over-extending myself so I take on things like blogging every day and then since I hate to give things up midstream I keep going long after I should quit.

      I need about a week off with just resting and I think I might come out OK. My son is 5... I think I'm going to feel this way for a long time!

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  3. Ugh I am so sorry. Sleep deprivation is just the worst. Wishing you lots of sleep in the non-Thanksgiving weekend days ahead. You are doing an awesome NaBloPoMo job!

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    1. Thanks - I feel like I'm barely keeping up but there are only a few days left so I know I can do it. The quality of the work though, that's another matter!

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  4. SLeep deprivation is the WORST WORST WORST Ever. I am so sorry. It simply sucks. I hope your Friends T'giving is awesome.

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