Sleep is a significant portion of our lives, since we spend approximately 30% of each and every day doing it. Scientists have determined that getting enough sleep is more important than folks used to think. With jobs, families, and life in general, things can get pretty busy. If you have to catch an early flight for a meeting, getting enough sleep is not an option. That’s the only place in our busy lives where we can find more time is by sleeping less. Teenagers aren’t sleeping enough either. And it isn’t good for us.
I read a book in my late teens – Sleep less, live more. Unfortunately, I embraced its message wholeheartedly. The author pointed out all the extra things you could do by shaving off an hour or two of sleep each day. Learn another language, write a novel, exercise, read more – you name it. The same argument applies to a short commute. One hour less spent in your car means an extra 60 minutes each day to spend with your family. Commutes often require us to get up at zero-dark-thirty to get to work. And the early bird gets the worm, right? But a sleepy bird probably won’t catch as many worms as one that is well-rested.
I got up at 5:30 for years to catch the 6:38 BART train. It got to my station at 7:30, and a short walk had me at my desk by 7:45. Once we moved up here full-time, my part-time job in Redding allowed me to leave at 7:30, and get to work at 8. The extra sleep, being in charge of my own transportation, and seeing those fabulous views each morning made me think I had died and gone to heaven.
Having an early commute was even more difficult when I was suffering from untreated sleep apnea. I went to the bathroom at least six times a night. I later learned that my fight or flight response was alerted whenever I stopped breathing, which then triggered my bladder. I needed coffee all day just to function, and often slept through part of blockbuster movies, with my kids shouting – “Wake up dad!”
When I finally agreed to do a sleep study, I was diagnosed with very severe sleep apnea. So, I was given a little machine (usually called a C-pap, but mine is a Bi-pap) and quickly adapted to sleeping with a mask over my nose. And guess who started sleeping through the night? I’ve been sleeping like a log for 10 years now, and no longer fall asleep during the day (other than nodding off in my rocker – which is apparently normal at this stage).
After reading about the importance of sleep to the elderly, I’ve tried to get a minimum of seven hours every night – up from my life-long maximum of six. I can’t go to bed much earlier, as I’m something of a night owl. The little woman can drift off as early as 8:30, but she works hard, and has always liked to sleep. I’ve noticed that women are often like cats, and spend their free time napping. Midnight is about the earliest I can go to bed, and then I read for 20 minutes before strapping on my mask and heading off into dreamland.
A big perk of sleeping is dreaming. I have at least one new adventure every night, although I don’t usually recall what it was. So, if you’re not sleeping well, snore, get up often to use the toilet, and are a bit overweight – see the doctor and get a sleep apnea study done. If it’s positive, get it treated – you’ll be glad to be able to sleep again. Trust me – I know.
Corky Pickering and his wife relocated from the Bay Area to Cottonwood in 2014. He recently retired from the federal government as an attorney advising law enforcement. He has been a rock and roll bass player and a Marine JAG. He can be reached at thecork6@gmail.com.
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Sleep is too important to do it badly - Red Bluff Daily News
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