Mental Health

Sleep Is A Good Thing

To be honest, I can think of nothing worse than not needing sleep. I like the eight-ish hours of unconsciousness I embrace every night. Being on all the time is hard, especially if one lives with a brain that’s ambivalent about making good choices. If your life is about performance or prevarication, the promise of more time feels like a curse.

I’m not someone who has ever been even the tiniest bit interested in those locations that experience a month of full bright. I’d be twitchy in a day or two. A month or so of dark days appeals to me more, at least in theory. In practice, the lack of winter light at my current latitude will start to hurt the heart and head by the time February rolls around, so more of that would probably not be a boon.

Also, I don’t really like the cold.

I’m not sure added hours would be productive time. I’m barely productive with the two-thirds of a day I already have to fill. I could pretend the extra, non-sleep time would be full of tasks and pursuits valuable and profound, but that kind of thinking feels like a New Year’s resolution, sounding good on paper, while in the real world, rolling differently.

I suspect the extra time would be filled in the same manner I fill the time I have now – a little too much wasted, a little short on self-care, and far too much doom scrolling on social media.

Good time is spent differently, on things like walks with my dog. Why is junk time so much easier? Social media goes down like butter. I’m pretty sure my dog hates my phone. I’m pretty sure she’d think hustle culture was a mistake, too. Her happy place would be walks, swims, squirrel chasing, and pets until the bestower’s hand falls off.

If extra time was forced on me, perhaps I’d fill it with photography? I indulge in picture taking more now that I’m often out and about with my dog. The world is a shockingly photogenic place. Camera phones take more than selfies. You just have to look up.

She’s contemplating ducks.
Suki’s happy place is the water, even in November.
At the lake.
Conifer Mazegill in various iterations.
Confer Mazegill aka Rusty Gilled Polypore
I like the snow lichens as well.
There’s a fungus among us.
It’s beautiful, watching a piece of the forest over time – fifteen years and counting.
Locally referred to as the elephant tree.
I love the laughter of these small falls.
Running water holds no magic, in case you ever find yourself in need of safety or escape.
Lots of trees and limbs down this year. Drought brings deadfall.
Stoney Creek

16 thoughts on “Sleep Is A Good Thing”

  3. Oh, I wish I could sleep eight hours. I’m working towards it. I’m at 6-7 hours now.

    I love the pictures. I’m always taking them. People have said to me that I need to experience. I do! When you see the world with a photographer’s eye, you notice details others pass by. I don’t plan to stop.

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      1. There can definitely be a balance. I laugh at the criticisms – I don’t think anyone can say I don’t experience my life. I also try to not let my picture taking get in the way of spending quality time with others. Every moment does not need to be captured.

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  4. I need my sleep too. I feel like I’ve been struggling with getting eight hours since the time change- I need a good 7-8 hours to feel like a human.

    I love your nature photos. And Suki too. 💜

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