Tuesday, January 17, 2006

WHEN SLEEP IS A 50-50 PROPOSITION — by Steve Nadis

I’ve now got a new condition which I just learned about thanks to the labors of scientists at Harvard University. By looking at the brains of sleeping rats, these researchers found that some animals are both asleep and awake at the same time. Some nights, I’m just like those rats. My dreams get stuck in tedious, neverending loops. The story line bogs down and my brain keeps processing the same information, or working through the same problem, turning it over and over in my mind, without making any headway. I wake up feeling exhausted–probably a lot like those rats feel. What you call this syndrome–half awake or half asleep–depends on whether you’re a glass half full person or not.
Posted by Snake at 14:11:44
Comments

8 Responses to “WHEN SLEEP IS A 50-50 PROPOSITION — by Steve Nadis”

  1. Windfall Woman says:
    January 17, 2006 at 9:53 am

    Well now, let’s look at the facts. You awake exhausted. Neverending loops? Turning things over and over? Hmmm…my diagnosis is either your brain is telling you to get those boots off or you are leading a much more exciting nightlife than we know! Is it a "good" or "bad" exhausted? Personally, I think you’re trying to make us all jealous!

  2. Snake says:
    January 17, 2006 at 10:07 am

    Wow, Windfall, I’m impressed. You’re quite a spinmeister.

  3. Windfall Woman says:
    January 17, 2006 at 5:10 pm

    I learned all I know from watching James Carville - a true American hero.

  4. Snake says:
    January 17, 2006 at 9:55 pm

    And well you’ve learned.

  5. Anonymous says:
    January 18, 2006 at 8:39 am

    ZARDOZ SAYS:

    HEY WAKE UP…

    JUST READ AL GORE’S SPEECH,

    HE CAUGHT ME BY SUPRISE.

    HE SAID A LOT OF THINKS

    WHEN IS A COUNTRY A DICTARORSHIP..?

    —————ZARDOZ

  6. gatemouth says:
    January 18, 2006 at 9:28 am

    Are you sure you’re asleep?

    "…stuck in tedious, neverending loops. The story line bogs down and my brain keeps processing the same information, or working through the same problem, turning it over and over in my mind, without making any headway." — That sounds like a typical workday to me.

    Next time it happens, pinch the person closest to you. If you get slapped, you’re awake. If it leads to something much more pleasant, you’re definitely dreaming.

  7. MsAmber says:
    January 18, 2006 at 11:18 am

    Yeah, I hate waking up after dreaming that I’ve already gotten up and went to work.
    Then I’m late and I haven’t washed my hair and I have to go to work with a hat on.
    That usually starts my day off wrong. Fortunately, I have a big dark office in the back of the building, where nobody will wake me, or notice that I am sleeping…
    Yeah, we can dream…
    MsAmber

  8. Snake says:
    January 18, 2006 at 1:19 pm

    Right Amber, I like to dream too. But I prefer good dreams over the occasional tedious ones I get. Gatemouth, the "pinch test" seems like a great indicator of wakefulness. And hi Z, thanks for the wakeup call. I heard something about Gore’s speech though I didn’t see the text. It’s all rather hazy. Maybe I dreamt it.

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