This archive report was first published on 15 September 2019.
As I sit here, wide awake at 3am, I find myself envying those who can sleep anywhere, anytime. The deep sleepers, as I like to call them, are a mystery to me.
They can sleep through a hurricane, a typhoon, and an earthquake, while I'm lying awake, listening to every creak and groan of the house. I've even considered asking my neighbors to give me the watchman's job, just so I can have something to do at night.
But deep sleepers are not just those who can sleep through any noise. They're also the ones who can sleep in until 12pm, or even 6pm, and still manage to get a full night's sleep. They're the ones who can snore contentedly as you try to rock a newborn to sleep, or who can sleep through a newborn's hour-long high-pitched crying.
As a light sleeper, I've come to realize that there are many disadvantages to not being able to sleep well. For one, I end up doing all the work on weekends and during holidays, while everyone else sleeps in. I'm also the sort of person who can't just sit and do nothing - I always see things that need to be done.
Recently, someone who knows me well told me that he fears for my sanity when I retire. He pointed out that retirement comes with lots of free time, and I'd better have several side hustles going on by the time I retire, or use the remaining years to train myself to relax.
But what does it even mean to 'relax' and 'be in the moment'? Am I sailing this boat alone, or are we many? If you can relate, please inbox me - I think we need to form a support group.
