Are You Getting Enough Sleep?

[@actuallyitscady]

The fact that you have the patience to stop and stare at the camera for 15 minutes every few hours impresses me more than the all-nighter tbh

[@SkeetRadar]

I think he was watching something on tv

[@NickTuring]

Probably doing breathing/meditation exercises. Those help me a lot on all-nighters.

I think he was editing video, and watching the results on a big monitor under the camera.

[@BeMyArt]

it's also maybe relax for eyes

[@lucinvic]

The way he looked at us made me think that, yeah, ol' Mike's ready to pull the plug on this thing.

[@LimeyLassen]

I find the idea of an uninterrupted life existentially frightening.

[@LyricalDJ]

It kind of is, isn't it? Thanks, that's quite interesting.

[@Angelllro]

It's funny how often you hear only from people that are far from productive things like "How better life would be without sleep" . People like Elon Musk should have the right to complain...

[@phantomstrider]

Me too Limey. That's a really good point

[@danielmcelroy4505]

Synerrox เ I wonder if that's part of it--that falling into laziness would be easy because, well look at how much time you have. And then the dread sinks in.

[@abdulhakimahmed3262]

PhantomStrider Woah.... Phantom strider comes here at of nowhere... love your channel! :)

[@mfwhom5214]

Ever since I heard Idea Channel was ending I haven't been able to sleep.

[@mfwhom5214]

And do the Twin Peaks episode before you leave us forever.

[@Neel-ff4mn]

MF Whom ? I was going 2 say the same thing. 😓

[@NeoChromer]

MF Whom ? Its ending??? What??

[@mfwhom5214]

NeoChromer look at the channel's videos.

[@FrenchToast663]

heads will roll for this. The PBS remembers!

[@j0nk]

I don't have much to say on sleep at the moment (other than that I'll be missing some tonight), so I'll have to get back to that later BUT: Mike, you may think that you spent too much time on the music for this episode but damn it was worth it. And so was the time lapse. I don't know if it's simply because they're different (and don't get me wrong, I love the usual format just as much), but these videos with more experimental cinematography or editing have always struck me in a different way. This is amazing work.

[@brennonbrunet6330]

I've come back to this video some four years later, and I still agree with what you wrote here. This is probably the most emotionally evocative video that they ever did. It only now occurs to me that this would be a great video for meditation. If anyone is informed as to that sort of thing, I would love to know if I am correct in my assumption.

[@SinisterSi718113]

Man, you sure did take your time with that coffee.

[@danielmcelroy4505]

All nighters are all about milking that coffee lmao

[@TheGamingMexican69]

Daniel McElroy get more coffie

[@davidbjacobs3598]

That's what I came down here to comment. Like, "damn, you are seriously nursing that coffee." I'd have finished within 30 minutes... and then gotten another.... (and then another after that.....)

[@SinisterSi718113]

same

[@Shadowsofinkprojects]

The trick to managing an all nighter is managing when that caffeine crash hits you. Finding the balance between just enough, and not enough, coffee without losing your buzz. It's like balancing on a wire.

[@macxgeek]

One aspect of sleep that was not included here was that it serves as a daily "reset" beyond the obvious physical benefits. A forced cooling off period after an argument or injury. "Go home and sleep on it", a convenient way to buy time to ponder a decision or forget some minor annoyance. Without sleep we would feel the need to be "on" without pause.

[@danielmcelroy4505]

Memory and muscle 💪 so I'll take what I can get!

[@Shadowsofinkprojects]

Interesting fact, your brain is more "on" while you're asleep than it is while you're awake. It's hypothesized that a lot of dreams are test runs. Where your brain is trying out situations in hopes of preparing for future events. The major reason, I think, that the "go home and sleep on it" method works so well is because it allows your brain to think over an issue in a less constrained manner.

[@RantKid]

Patrick Birke that's all related to learning though, something already addressed in the video

[@swashbucklr]

Not even a minor annoyance - I advise all my friends that if they get into a late-night fight with a partner, they should break it up and go to bed. They're be better equipped to deal with the problem in the morning.

[@Grizabeebles]

+ Jacob Evans -- My wife and I, on the other hand, live by the maxim to "never go to bed angry." If we get into a fight shortly before bed we stay up, take a break, and then work out as calmly as we can what we're actually mad _about_ so that we know what to talk about when we get up in the morning or after we're both home from work if we are working different shifts.

[@mimimidias]

This video shows how you can play with the format of Idea Channel videos. You don't need to leave us to experiment with a new format! :(

[@charlesrosenbauer3135]

mimimidias I think this video is a hint of what the new format will be. This really didn't seem like a normal Idea Channel video at all. Where was the "here's an idea?"?

[@lpburrows]

Maybe that *was* the idea. #meta

[@Yamikaiba123]

He never said he was 'leaving us'.

[@annyongpanda]

+Charles Rosenbauer He said in the last Q&A that he didn't know what was next, but it would take probably 3 months before he could solidly decide. He's going to experiment with things until he knows what gets him jazzed to make stuff again and also is likely to draw a new crowd of viewers.

[@Tweakjones5]

totally true!

[@ShaedeReshka]

I get enough sleep regularly. It's a priority of mine, I love it, and I think I benefit tremendously from it. That being said, every so often (maybe every 6-9 months) I get the itch to stay up all night. I simply can't sleep, don't want to sleep, and feel like I'm going to lose my mind if I sleep and wake at the normal time. So I stay up and completely throw off my sleep schedule. For some reason this feels really good and getting it back on track afterwards is gratifying. It's a complete mystery to me.

[@greenlemon9155]

I envy you my friend

[@norielsylvire4097]

How many hours a day do you sleep? Cause enough sleep can be different for different people. I sleep 6 hours and I'm like a motorcycle, almost hyperactive. But I do want to try sleeping 8 hours a day and I wanna ask you these questions. For example, when do you go to sleep and when do you wake up? Idk about you but I have the six hours sleep cycle embedded in myself, so for example if one day I decide to sleep more, I literally wake up at exactly six hours (plus or minus a minute) and then have to sleep again to increase the number of hours I sleep xd But I do want yo try sleeping more to see if I can be even more energetic and productive.

[@SupLuiKir]

5:54 I was expecting him to spend about 5 minutes doing air quotes so that it would align when he said the word "content" in his script.

[@xwingfighter999]

Yarr.

[@Endoterrestrials]

that would be so impressive

[@agent45267]

my guess is that he was filming himself writing the video's script, so it would be hard to plan

[@pokechao196]

A few years ago I was diagnosed with epilepsy, and I quickly found out that a good night's sleep was mandatory. Since then, life has been a careful game of managing the waking hours I have between college, work, family, etc. So I am getting enough sleep, for the most part. One of the biggest changes this brought to my lifestyle was noticing how sharp and focused you can feel when you're well-rested. It's that sense of clarity that allows me to get things done despite the time restrictions. Also, that time lapse was amazing. Any tips for creating a sunset-sunrise video like this?

[@aclkeba]

I really enjoyed the style of this video

[@Gloria_Cook]

Anthony Keba good thing we're going to get many more of these videos with equally cool styles. . . oh wait

[@sprotte6665]

:(

[@samvargas2868]

+

[@aclkeba]

aw dude here come the feels yo :( I've been watching this dude since his episode about Santa and WWE.... or was it the doctor and religion.... they're all so good...

Very vsauce-esque

[@PokeProfSunny]

Going to sleep everyday helps set barriers between each day, not sleeping at all would make it feel like the days never end.

[@leslielewis8757]

PokeProfSunny I find that I don't count it being the next day until I go to sleep. This gets really interesting when I pull 24+ hour [wakefests?].

[@JRoDaShoww]

PokeProfSunny exactly why I hate sleeping. I never want the next day to come as soon.

[@RandomName-my2uo]

During my uni years I'd often stay awake for 2-3 days at a time and I'd lose all track of what time day month it was pretty much constantly

[@speculativemusings3593]

Something not touched upon here was the effects of shifted sleep cycle. Those of us in the work force whose sleep must be fit in to an odd schedule, whether that be those who must wake extra early due to an early morning shift, those who must go to sleep very late due to a late one, or those who must become nocturnal due to an overnight shift. I sometimes find that, even when I get what should be "enough" sleep, I still feel exhausted from my weird sleep schedule. Energy drinks and coffee can only help so much!

[@bifflechips-t5r]

Fry Brony Yeah exactly. I've been working a mids shift on this deployment forvthe last 6 months, and I'm already an anxious insomniac, so it's been hell on my sleep more so than usual.

[@danielmcelroy4505]

+

[@danielmcelroy4505]

Jason Lasica sending good vibes 🙌 insomnia's the worst

[@Cinderlite]

Same. I've been working 7pm to 6am for 2-3 years now and I'm just constantly exhausted. I've begun to notice and affect on my mental health and everything and it's terrible. )8

[@NickCombs]

If you haven't tried it, melatonin supplements might be worth trying. It's a natural chemical your body makes to help regulate sleep. Doesn't really knock you out, and doesn't form an addiction, but it can improve the quality of your sleep.

[@alexanderstrindberg6516]

Watching while supposed to sleep

[@IrisGlowingBlue]

+

[@crowbartender]

My sleep schedule is extremely bad right now. I literally don't even start feeling tired until about 6 am and I often wake up at 3 pm. I don't have any reason to wake up early (school, work etc.) so it doesn't matter in that regard but it's starting to feel like I almost don't belong in the society I'm living in. I go to sleep when everyone else wakes up and wake up when everyone else is getting off from work. I've really noticed that "time slept" isn't the only relevant metric when you think about the effects of sleep on quality of life. I get solid 8-9 hours of sleep every night but I feel tired all the time. So yeah, I'm getting enough sleep but the sleep I'm getting is poor quality and happens during the wrong time of day.

[@deus_ex_machina_]

Crowbartender I feel ya man. I'm in the same boat.

[@puupipo]

Crowbartender I've been there and I know it isn't fun. I remember it feeling like I was completely alone in my world that was my apartment. Man, I had almost forgotten that that was how I used to live my life. You've got to change this. My advice: Get out of your home. Give yourself a reason to go outside. If nothing else go to a cafe or a library every day.

[@danielmcelroy4505]

I always wonder if it has to do with the ammt. of light, social interaction, other animals or nature cues... with you (but when the work/ school week gets back it's a d r a g)

[@Card-a-mon]

Stop being a lazy piece of shit and go to sleep at 10P.M just close your eyes

[@montycantsin8861]

I'm doing this, too. I've done it most of my life in some way. My mother worked nights, so in some ways, I was born into it. I think the key is not to torture yourself about it. at least, for me, it does nothing to "correct" my schedule, if there is such a thing as a correct schedule.

[@YDMFreshmaker]

Not being physically able to manage on less sleep in a society that expects it from you is incredibly difficult. It isolates you, it makes you appear lazy to employers and anti-social to (new) friends and co-workers. It destroys your ability to keep up with media, to maintain or progress in any kind of hobby and to commit to attend anything on weekdays that might mean you get home late. I sleep for around 9 hours a day- I need around 11 hours to actually feel fully rested, but 8-9 hours just about keeps me going. If I get less than, 8 it takes me about a week to recover and be able to actually properly think clearly. After 2 or 3 days on 6 hours I'm like most people after a week of insomnia. I've never been able to go longer than 18 hours without sleep- I've tried but just fall asleep. I truly envy those who are able to sleep less than I do. I've had to essentially give up on doing anything non-essential at home, except on weekends, because I simply don't have the time for nonessential stuff. P.S- I've spoken to doctors and I;m not sick, just unlucky. I just *really* need a lot of sleep.

[@TrollJohnSmith]

feeluman

[@thefishking7582]

So the key to not dozing off when trying to work through the night is to stare intently at the camera for a few minutes. I'll keep that in mind.

[@danielmcelroy4505]

* breaks fourth wall for an energy boost *

[@Levvvali]

First of all, I think that from an artistic perspective the video is extremely well done. I'm very impressed that even in wrapping things up you're still changing and improving. But now to my point; I'm currently in my final year of highschool, and I'm hard pressed to find almost anyone who sleeps 'enough.' It's impossible to wake up later than seven or half past seven and be on time for the start time, yet I find that work schedules for fast food in particular demand that we be able to work nearly any day within a large time span. (Most students I know get up at six am.) This means time losses on weekends, weekdays, evenings and mornings. This is only for part timers, but even then I find my own sleep schedule being dented ever so subtly over and over by little changes.. Something like working until eleven for a night or two, so it's about half past midnight when I can get to rest (if I rest right away) and then when I would catch up on weekends they give me a morning shift starting at something like six am. This cycle can drain someone, even if it happens for just a week or two. I might get enough sleep had I the opportunity, but alas it is stolen from me. It doesn't help that teenagers such as myself have screens and socialization to do at night.. So while I might just 'go to bed earlier' as many would suggest (when possible) it takes something away from our lives.. Like at night, while we're supposed to be sleeping, that's the only time that I won't be bothered. I won't be called upon to go do chores, or leave for church, or perform an assignment, etc. There is no other point in my day where we are so truly free as the late night, and I find it often comes down to whether you care more for being well aware for the activities that are expected of you or the few hours of true alone time you get when staying up later. In my own experience I find that teens now perhaps value the latter more, which results in nearly everyone being tired with the early school starting times. Last thing.. Thanks for all your videos. They were good stuff. Been watching for a few years, so maybe I should've started to comment earlier. I usually have about six hours of sleep a night, but with school over I've been getting a full eight most of the time.

[@danielmcelroy4505]

Such a good point. HS and college life come out at night, and there's only so many hours. Not that you should be on party mode all he time, but we're young and should chill and meet people - hope you get some sleep! ✌️

[@dalegaliniak607]

When I was in my early 20s, I tried to polyphasic sleeping. For those of you who never heard of it, it's the idea of intermittent napping, taking a short (~15-20minute nap) every few hours. The way I did it was using a system called the Everyman, which is to do the naps, and get two hours in the middle of the night. Adapting to it is painful. I don't think I would have managed to succeed at it if I didn't have a huge incentive in my life to do it at that time. I had just gotten into grad school, and was working a full time job and a part time job. Over that year, because of health issues with my boss, I essentially was working two full time jobs, going to grad school full time and even TAing. Sleeping less wasn't just nice, it was survival. One thing that I learned is that you never truly "adapt" to the lack of sleep, you just sort of learn how to function with it. You also become much dumber. Learning new things becomes incredibly difficult. I remember picking up a book on Objective-C, and I legitimately thought that is was one of the most difficult things ever. But once I started sleeping normally again, I picked it up and realized that it was just me at the time. You can function on that sort of sleep schedule, only getting about 3.5 hours of sleep a day, as long as you're doing things that you already know inside and out. It's nice to know that it's possible, in case I never need to do it again in my life, but I religiously get 8 hours of sleep now, because I learned, the hard way, that the productivity gained in the wakeful hours really outstrips all the hours lost by sleeping.

[@Shadowsofinkprojects]

I find this interesting, because when I was only averaging 4 or so hours a night in my early twenties. It was one of the most effective learning/creating times in my life. I was a highly functional sleep deprived individual, as most people never guessed that I got so little sleep (usually nobody notice until I hit the 24 hour mark), but I never felt that it lead to me being less able to think effectively. Focus was an issue at times, but coffee always cured that.

[@shoprocksfilms]

My experiences have been way more limited, but this all makes sense! When I don't sleep much I can still get to work, get things done, and keep reasonably calm. But when I get lots of sleep, I become so much smarter and emotionally stable, and just feel physically way better.

[@bufferkiller]

I've battled with and suffered from insomnia my entire life. I'm 34. I can function on no sleep, and average two to four hours. Or, I did. April of last year I learned a simple breathing technique that helps me better oxygenate before sleep (4-7-8 Breathing method) and on the first of June this year I added a medication prescribed by my doctor as well as a guided meditation app (Insight Timer) to help me sleep more. When I started the 4-7-8 breathing, I didn't sleep more, but the quality of my sleep improved dramatically. Since combining it with the medication and meditation, I am sleeping one to 3 hours more each night. I'm not sure if the quality is as good as the breathing alone, but I do feel better now. Less pain, some days no pain. People that scream insomnia after drinking coffee all day and not putting down their phone to sleep don't often understand that insomnia hurts. It is physically painful. It isn't the lack of sleep that often makes me unproductive, it is the pain that holds me down. With that being said, not being in a constant state of jet lag does have what feels like a downside. I consider myself to be a fairly creative human. One of the most creative states one can be in, is tired. When tired, be it from getting up early or staying up late, allows the brain to make connections it normally wouldn't due to its logic and rationale being diminished. Adapting to my newfound lack of this form of creativity is sometimes difficult. So I find myself wondering if my lack of pain is worth giving up my extra creativity. I'm still not sleeping the "recommended" amount of sleep, but for the first time in my life I feel like maybe I'm sleeping too much. Maybe insomnia is better. Maybe there is an in between I can find. Is it better to sleep well and feel good, so that we can be productive members of society, or is it better to have that extra edge that has helped so many create so much beauty in the world? Or, just maybe, I'm just looking for something to complain about and should be happy that I can finally sleep decently.

[@leslielewis8757]

I too find that the time when my creative juices flow most is when I have been up far longer than I should have been.

[@bufferkiller]

I've read explanations that say it is similar to being intoxicated, in that being tired keeps our brains from filtering out ideas that would normally be too absurd to consider. www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/tired-brain-could-actually-be-more-creative-one-180954802/

[@leslielewis8757]

That makes sense. Especially since sleep deprivation also leads to literal hallucinations.

[@bufferkiller]

Tell me about it. Basic Training had quite a few of us hallucinating during the first week or so. Weird hallucinations too.

[@viljamtheninja]

I'm also pretty terrible at sleeping, but I've never, as far as I know, experienced pain as a result of it. What kind of pain do you experience due to insomnia?

[@eruno_]

I like to describe myself as 'sleeping enthusiast' because sleeping is one of the most enjoyable things I find in my life.

[@AaronQuitta]

I believe I am, recently I switched to a sleep cycle vased on solar time because it generally feels more natural to me and also helps because I am very sensitive to light while sleeping. My schedule is 8pm to 6am ST, for a total of ~10 hours.

[@Shadowsofinkprojects]

That would be waaaay too much sleep for me. I would be horribly groggy just from oversleeping.

[@zzzzzzzzzzzspaf]

funny, I am also wuite sensitive to light while sleeping and my answer has been to completely redo the day night cicle artificially. My room can be completely dark inthe middle of the day and I have a powerfull lamp that slowly dims down for half an hour when I go to sleep, and dims up whe I need to wake up

[@GregPoblete]

Sleep? I haven't heard that name in years.

[@IrisGlowingBlue]

+

[@genghisbunny]

One of my favourite videos you've made yet. Glorious to watch you closing on a high. Thanks for all of it.

[@TactownGirl]

No, I'm not. I work at an Amazon warehouse and during the busy season around Christmas, and prime day, the whole place is on mandatory overtime. My normal schedule is 7:30 am - 6:00 pm, four days a week. On over time weeks, it's 6:30 am - 6:00 pm, five days a week with a half hour lunch. On a normal day I spend about 30 minutes traveling to and from work, and I like to leave early incase there's traffic. So, on a normal day I'm leaving for work at 6:45, and getting home at around 6:45, or later depending on traffic. (which is worse coming home) If I'm supposed to sleep 8 hours, and I need 45 minutes to get ready in the morning, (see: Eat, shower, get dressed, wake up fully) that means I have to wake up at 6:00 am, so if I want 8 hours of sleep, I need to be asleep by 10:00pm, so in bed and shutting my eyes by 9:30. That's less then three hours an evening to unwind, rest, shower, cook and clean dinner and get anything else that needs doing done. During one of our busy seasons, it's two hours. Normally this is worth it for the three day weekend but more often then not those go away. An over time week consists of five, 11 hour work days. When you only have two hours a day to yourself, it feels like sleep can be sacrificed for a few more minutes of unwind or rest time. But it can't. Not when you work at a warehouse and you're evaluated daily on your productivity performance. I love Amazon, for the benefits and perks, and the good pay. They treat us employees really well in every way except scheduling during Peak and Prime weeks.

[@JoshuaHaveman]

That stop light in the lower right corner is mesmerizing. Especially when it syncs with the music. Aside from that, props to Mike for making an art essay that demonstrates while commentating, performs while pontificating. Well done, sir.

[@sjwimmel]

Mike, I don't know what new thing you're going to think of after Idea Channel. But if this is the direction you're going in, consider me on board!

[@thedudeperson]

J. van der Linden Ive got some bad news

[@sjwimmel]

Oh, I know Idea Channel is ending. But I've also heard that Mike is going to figure out Something New. I don't know what it is, but I just want him to know that if it's anything like this video, I'm excited!

[@GregPoblete]

I love how there's a rhythm with the traffic light.

[@SciJoy]

My second choice for super power has always been to not have to sleep unless sick. We used to have a rotating second shift that used to really mess me up. Have you ever read about the JPL workers who have to synchronize themselves to Mars (Sol) time? Some people have their whole families switch with them so they have time to see them. I think that really throws people off too.

[@TidySage]

Videos like these truly show the rhetorical and visual genius of everyone who works on this channel. Hope you guys are successful in whatever you pursue.

[@MisterMoxie7]

I find myself thinking about this frequently, and I've actually come to resent sleep. Rationally, I understand that it's necessary for healthy functioning, but emotionally it's unsatisfying to the point of frustration. Even when I get a decent amount of sleep, I'm still tired, so I kind of think, "What's the point? If I'm going to be tired regardless, I may as well skim a few hours to get some perceivable value out of my time, right?" While I'm the only person I know who actively dislikes sleep, virtually everyone I know is sleep-deprived to some degree. It seems to start in high school, where the overwhelming demands of class, homework, extracurricular activities, jobs, and attempting to have a social life strain kids' schedules to the breaking point. Something has to give, and that something is usually sleep. In a time in their lives when they actually need more sleep than most, they're getting less on average. Over time, coping with fatigue becomes the new normal, and even when our schedules could accommodate a full 7 or 8 hours of sleep, we borrow an hour or two from that time to get in one more game or spend a little more time with friends before heading home, knowing we'll suffer in the morning but readily accepting that trade because that suffering is so familiar. For me, at least, "tired" became less a temporary feeling with a traceable cause and more something akin to a personality trait, an ingrained part of my being that seems not just normal but unavoidable. I feel like the need for sleep is onerous, a tyrannical demand for more of my life than I am willing (or sometimes able) to give. It has unclear benefits, doesn't always make me feel better, and consumes an enormous share of my time every day, even now that I've shaved my average time down to only 4 or 5 hours. It's my hope that we'll overcome the need for sleep at some point in the future. Hopefully my sleep deprivation doesn't kill me before then. More generally, I think it's worth pointing out that some people are predisposed to have a late-shifted circadian rhythm, the "night owls" of the world. Even with good sleep habits, they tend to stay up later at night and sleep in later in the morning. At least one kind of night owl identified by a Rockefeller Institute study has a genetic variation that causes melatonin levels to remain low until 2 or 3 AM, well past the normal time of 9 or 10 PM (source: medicalxpress.com/news/2017-04-night-owl-gene-variant.html). These people are forced into unnatural sleeping patterns by the modern world, as most jobs demand that they wake up hours before they naturally would, but they get their second wind in the evening and don't start to feel sleepy until the wee hours of the morning, compounding the sleep deprivation. They have to either force themselves to sleep before they feel tired and still feel sleepy in the morning or sleep when their body tells them to and lose sleep because of it.

[@warpdrivefueledbyinsomnia8165]

I think that's me. I'm at my best when I wake up sometime between 9 AM ant 10 AM and I seem to catch a second wind at around 8 PM (varying yearly with differing sunset times). I feel like I have the "midday drag" at about 5 PM, which is when I used to take naps when I was younger. I don't start feeling tired until sometime around 1 AM. I used to work day shift for years. I'd get up between 5:30 and 7 AM consistently. Yet, no matter how little sleep I'd get the night before, I'd always catch a second wind around 8 and want to stay up until around 1. If I forced myself to go to sleep before midnight, I'd have a tendency to end up with restless legs. It's probably some weird subconscious thing my brain is doing, and I probably could change my sleep pattern if I really tried. But, screw that, there's coffee for those days.

[@juan.zabala]

Cheers for the visual and musical nod to Koyaanisqatsi. Got the chills at the end!

[@lionskull1]

Honestly, half the time I could not focus on what you were saying because of how inefficient that stop light is. At night, it should be either red or green (depending on which street has higher priority) and only change if there is a car on the sensor. That way, the people on the main street aren't hindered and the people on the side street get an experience similar to a stop sign. But no I don't sleep well. I sleep at 1-2am and wake up at 9-10 for my 9-5 job which ends up being 10-6 or at 11-1 on weekends. I hate going to sleep but I also hate waking up. I am also the most productive at night, I get the most cleaning, homework, project completion, and alertness between the hours of 10-2 at night.

[@danielmcelroy4505]

Ana Lê S. THE dilemma !

[@danielmcelroy4505]

Lionskull - I sense a 99pi episode subject... I'm all for the yellow blinking / red blinking, warning / stop sign arrangement if it suits the street (and I would guess it suits many)

[@jack456790]

The problem with the setup you propose is that the sensors used to detect traffic approaching is often flawed. Many people who drive a motorcycle or scooter have experienced that the sensors used usually miss these vehicles due to their small size. Also the foot traffic may be an issue, many times the push to signal buttons are damaged or just simply not hooked up. And because of the regular cycle of the lights it is either unnecessary to fix or goes unnoticed.

[@SimplyMavAgain]

I try to enjoy every single video of yours so much more since... you know. The fact that you suddenly up production value so much for your last videos adds to that so much more. I am really greatful to be able to have joined you on this journey. Even if i wasn't there for several years like many others. It was an amazing ride.

[@jesmay4623]

I don't know if this is something that has been mentioned yet in the comments, but certainly wasn't in the statistics, is how often shift workers will be required to do clo/opens. Where an employee is scheduled to close up shop on one day, and than open the next, which - depending on the hours of their place of employment - can just barely met the required 8 hours between shifts. 8 hours, which when you factor in time to travel home from closing, have dinner, go to bed, wake up, get ready for work, and travel back to work. And that doesn't even take into account those people who have more than one job, which presents it's own form of challenges. Than you consider that studies of sleep depravation have shown that it has similar physical and metal effects to being drunk, and yet if someone who is sleep deprived isn't preforming at optimal efficiency it is blamed on them not being completely dedicated to their job. It's no small wonder that we have such a huge cultural reliance on caffeine and other stimulants.

[@vitamindubya]

Jes May are these jobs mandatory?

[@jesmay4623]

Well... in a capitalist society where money is required for the necessities of lie, and the primary way one acquires money is through employment and jobs... and where the bare minimum employers are required to compensate their employees is so low that one often requires multiple jobs in order survive... than yes. Yes they are mandatory.

[@InsomniaticVampire]

This was probably one of my favorite episodes.

[@bsnoguera]

I used to sacrifice a lot, trying to "create the habit" of sleeping less - I'm a late sleeper and a late riser - until I found that it only made me less effective in the waking hours...

[@K2hansle]

I like this format where we mostly just listen to what's being said and there's that ambient music in the background. Also, love how you say "sleeplessness" rather than "sleep deprivation"!

[@ArdCoded]

what did you keep looking at?

[@pbsideachannel]

you

[@MatejSunavec]

his reflection of course

[@IsaacOrson]

Meditation?

[@julia_ruby]

His handsome, handsome reflection.

[@selatorepico5975]

bat man will never get over your answer, Mike. I can imagine him in bed looking at the ceiling, thinking about it...

[@JE-ij7fx]

I work a retail job. Shift work generally demands a flexible, open schedule in which shifts and workers are pieces in a puzzles to be solved. I've always found it interested that this push and pull of hours needed to fill a day, people to work those hours, etc., is what becomes the most important piece to any week. No more out much you sell, management will always try to use as few as they thing they need. No matter how poorly you may feel or work, shifts are only seen as being filled or empty, and not the (sometimes) fewer than 10 hours between those shifts. These kind of jobs value a warm body over literally anything. The best thing you can do at your job is be there when you're asked. No, I don't really get enough sleep.

[@alicepow593]

I came out to have a good time and I'm honestly feeling so attacked right now XD no I don't get enough sleep.

[@danielmcelroy4505]

Lmao @ me Idea Channel

[@alicepow593]

What did I do to deserve this treatment???

[@dungeonsanddaydreamsasmr7350]

Given the fact that I am writing this comment at 12:28 AM after staying awake for the past 20 or so hours, I don't think that I am. I do this on purpose from time to time because I feel a bit more creative at times like this. Times where I don't have to care about other watchful eyes and expectations. Maybe its just the feeling of not having boundaries that makes me feel more creative though. Lack of sleep does that to me. Idea channel is one to the things that I love to listen to late at night. I feel like I comprehend it more later at night which I find odd. Love the videos, love the idea and I live for the the way they make me think. Thankyou for being here for so long.

[@wilmereneris6254]

I usually stress out when I can't go to sleep, around the time I'd get only 6 hours of sleep I start feeling completely unable to sleep. The truth is I really don't need 9 to 10 hours. Some days I'll sleep only 2 and still manage a whole day of studying. On average It wouldn't hurt to sleep 9 hours instead of 8. What stops me is screen addiction. I should probably stop rambling on KZbin right now.

[@Quietu]

I get enough sleep, about 8 hours, but I still regularly feel exhausted. Sorry to hear IDEA channel is ending. It has been a constant joy. Allowing for an exploration of complex ideas that I haven't received on a regular basis since graduation from Grad. School. Thank you.

[@rowtow13]

It legitimately bothers me that I'm going to spend a third of my life just sleeping.

[@JoshuaHillerup]

rowtow13 in a way I'm more bothered with having to wake up.

[@Gr8rThenU]

I want to sleep forever

[@powderlead]

Holy crap. It's sad that idea channel is ending but it's going out with a bang. This video is one of the best videos you guys have made. Fantastic work! Also no, I do not get enough sleep.

[@arianeoconnor6719]

As a new mother, I always wonder why newborns have such an incompatible sleeping rhythm and how I'm still functioning after 7 months of no deep sleep.

[@WhatsSoGreatAboutThat]

I've often wished I didn't need to sleep and dreamed, when awake, of some kind of sleepless Utopia. I went into this video with my Utopian vision in mind, but boy did it fade fast. One of the best videos I've ever seen from this channel, the format is perfect!

[@tatianatub]

watching this at 2 am

[@NPSao]

ashley beaumont same, I am in bed watching this video at 2 am. I have to get up at 7am for work. I'm sleeping around 4-5 hours per night for over 5 years now...

[@greenlemon9155]

3:16am :p

[@MintyDarkFinger]

The production operative thing hit home for me as I know how much your employers are capable of completely robbing you of your sleep. I've worked continental shifts for the past year in my production job. Working mornings one week, then afternoons, then nights; and the affect it still has on my health and well being is still felt, especially during the night time. I find that I am almost never sleeping in the morning and afternoon shifts but sleeping nearly 10-12 hours a day (or just meandering in bed from fatigue) through the night shifts. It is not healthy, it shouldn't be allowed to exist, but so many people have little choice and so many employers exploit that lack of choice.

[@Kirhean]

Let me be cheeky and respond with a rephrasing of the question: Do you get enough rest? Is it truly sleep that we love? Or is it the moments we get, here and there, where we are afforded the last bit of real privacy and peace that exists in our lives?

[@TrollJohnSmith]

its definitely sleep. I desperately want to be away from myself after a whole day.

[@DewMan001]

This video actually energizes me. Makes me want to get to work. But then I look at the clock and realize I really should be winding down.

[@cams9531]

Watching this at 2 am, my life is a damn mess

[@yoyology]

I just watched this video after midnight at my second job. I work full-time as an academic librarian, and also part-time as a hotel night auditor on Fridays and Saturdays from 11pm to 7am. Paradoxically, I feel that I get adequate sleep more often on the weekends than during the week. Knowing that I will need to stay awake at work (and when driving to and from work), I am very careful about sleeping as long as possible and also about when I schedule that sleep to do me the most good. What suffers, though, are my relationships. My children see me for just a couple of hours between when I wake up and they go to bed on Saturday and Sunday, and that is never during a time conducive to doing the kinds of things I'd like to do with them: playing in the park, visiting the museum, etc. I miss out on time with friends as well, because I'm either sleeping, getting ready for work, or working during prime weekend party hours. I could talk a lot about the circumstances that led me to take on the second job, but suffice to say that librarianship doesn't pay well and health insurance is inadequate when a partner is chronically ill. I am doing what I have to do in order for my family to survive financially, but I fear that the tradeoff is that the emotional health of my family suffers.

[@EKTurduckin]

Holy cow. This is straight up one of your most powerful videos to date.

[@David-xn9mu]

Had you been planning on doing a time lapse project like this for a while? It sounds like something that you would have had on the back burner forever and finally found a video to do it for, it looked great and as I realized how long it was going for my mind was increasingly blown. I want to do that now!

[@pbsideachannel]

Yes! This was in pre-production for quite a while. We'd probably been planning to do something like this for 4-6 months? It took a while to figure out how to fit it into the normal production schedule / budget. We also had to wait until summer so I could sit for ~10 hours and not 15+ (shorter nights).

[@TobyFoxArt]

A complaint I make and I've heard other illustrators, painters and draftsmen make, is that you have to warm up and sink into your "rhythm" or get into the zone to produce good drawings/paintings etc. So there's a big portion of our days spent not producing the work we want to, but in preparation for it. Sleep seems to reset the process and consequently add the arduous task of waking up our ability every day. If you could just keep going, seemingly your efficiency would go up and your frustration down.

[@vankhanh4217]

Toby Fox Art FYI

[@joncampbell2185]

Here's an idea. The general lack of needed sleep among younger generations is a type of connection or bond, something virtually everyone can relate to. But it is also something over glorified. I've heard plenty of people talk about how they get single digit hours of sleep over the course of a few days like it's nothing. I feel as if a large chunk of people claim to get less sleep than they do in young demographics to fit in and make their lives appear more challenging and appealing to others. If this isn't the case then there would be a plague of insomnia, at least in my area.

[@RoninWaffle]

I'm amazed by your fortitude and determination to film this. I would've gotten a few hours into it and been like "ehhh..." and gone to bed.

[@dford192]

A video like this reaffirms why Mike should host this and have the show end instead of looking for a new host.

[@danielmcelroy4505]

With you 👌

[@SendyTheEndless]

The best bit about sleep is the transition into it. There's nothing like getting into bed tired and just slowly fading away into your subconscious.

[@Wat3va]

Please, don't let them kill the Idea Channel.. Please! If you start a new channel let us know! About sleep, I'm one to sleep 12hs if possible. I do wake up from time to time, but return to bed as soon as I can. That's usually on the weekends, and that makes my mondays the worst day ever. I wish I could just sleep the "necessary" 8hs, but my body is a night owl and my work is an early bird. It sux. Those that say that "you'll get used to it" are lying! Hard lying. I would love to never have to sleep but, man, I do love my bed.

[@LyricalDJ]

Maybe you haven't watched a recent video, but 'them' is Mike Rugnetta (the guy you've just been watching). It's not some order from bigwigs.

[@Wat3va]

LyricalDJ, I actually catch up with the videos every month. Didn't know he was going to end it.. Too bad tho.

[@mariekejee18]

The obvious answer to your question is no, I'm not getting enough sleep. But what I really wanted to say was how much I dig the editing and overall video this time! It's a really cool format, and I loved it!

[@thetokenblack8628]

No I don't because I stay awake till 3 am every night watching KZbin videos.

[@khanch.6807]

The Token Black Make it 6 am

[@ibanez456189]

Maybe you'll get more sleep now that there will be one less channel to watch?

[@aemidaniels]

Half of my life exists in sleep. I work through problems, learn new skills, organize my thoughts... why would I ever give that up for muscle fatigue and stress? It's a vital part of my day to day existence!

[@Legatoblue87]

What's the pointing in sleeping? Everything dies. Even Idea Channel :(

[@wgo523]

Sherard Roderick so I stopped sleeping yeah I stopped sleeping. what's the point of anything? diiiigitalaaal

[@Legatoblue87]

Alright, I can't be upset when St. Vincent is in the mix.

[@shimmypost852]

death Will come no matter what we do but the life we have is there to be enjoyed and loved. there for we sleep to live so we can see amazing things.

[@aaronsmith5864]

Sherard Roderick rock's don't die

[@rampant1apart]

Sherard Roderick WOW that got dark!

[@iAmArnuel]

This might be one of the best videos idea channel ever produced. Thx, I will miss you Mike and the rest of you at idea channel. And if this is proof of things to come, then I watch the dawn of tomorrow with curiosity, hope, wonder, and happiness. Thx, again.

[@RookiesRookie]

Have you heard of polyphasic sleep? It's where one separates their sleep into segments to get less sleep and remain functional, something firefighters or on call surgeons would have. Generally It's something like: Go to sleep for 3.5 hours, then take multiple naps throughout the day. After like 3 days I slept 12 hours and failed miserably. Made me appreciate sleep though :p

[@robbielosee]

Every time I timelapse myself, I catch my hands touching my face frequently, like a nervous habit. It was such a relief to see this and just laugh that I am not the only one who does this.

[@webkinzfan00]

Goddammit Mike don't you judge me too

[@SHCreeper]

I'm a 22 years old student, 2 years into my studies. I always told myself that my health is the most important thing and that I need sleep to stay (mentally) healthy. If I have several days off, I can sleep up to 14 hours.. I don't feel like I wasted that time or anything, because it makes me happy. But it became like a stigma after I told my friends about how much I sleep. I can't go on a party, or work late with others, without a comment that I'm missing out on sleep. During my semester I try to get at least 8 hours of sleep but that's not always possible. I always schedule 1.5 hours for my morning-routine: waking up, reading a little, showering and eating. I can't function normally without that wind-up time. I feel like I'm slowly getting used to less sleep, but I'm not sure I want that; sleep is a big part of my life.

[@EverSoJoe]

I clicked this video just to say NO I DON'T Now goodnight, because it's already way too late again

[@danielmcelroy4505]

Lmao

[@joemuis23]

>not mindlessly reading all the comments instead when you notice how little sheep you can still get.

[@pastelshoal]

I've recently been making it a point to get as much sleep as possible in order to have long and detailed dreams like I used to when I was younger. If you get enough sleep, it can be a fun and rewarding experience, a peek into your own subconscious of sorts.

[@3dpprofessor]

Recent studies have found a physical reason for sleep. The brain relaxes, opening up it's cels so that spinal fluid can pour in . This is the mechanism by which the toxins, that are the byproduct of all living cells, are washed out of the brain. Not washing these out could lead to Alzheimer's. So it's not just a "going off line while the filing is done" sort of thing. This leads me to wonder, though, how long does it need to do this? Polyphasic sleep cycles advocates naps of no more than 30 minutes ever 4 hours and those who participate in this schedule reportely only stop because their the only one among all their friends doing it, but otherwise report positive responses. Salvador Dali took the powernap to the extreme, with a spoon, or key in some reports, held in his hand over a metal tin. As he was drifting off to sleep the spoon would fall from his senseless fingers, hit the tin, and jar him awake. This would be all the sleep he claimed he needed to get back to work. And maybe he right. Maybe his brain relaxed enough to let in the cleansing fluids, then quickly and abruptly tensed, wringing it out like a sponge. One wonders about the damage this does to living tissue, which may explain Dali's work, but Einstein and possibly even Aristotle practiced the same sort of micro-nap. Either way it's a compelling idea in light of the new research.

[@Dsblmt]

Mike, this is absolutely wonderful. Thank you for all your hard work for us. I watched once and all I could do was watch you and your surroundings. I let it soak. I'm watching, rather, listening for a second time now. I find that on most nights I have fallen into the 2 sleep pattern. I never thought much of it as I live alone and it patterns well with my cats rhythms. I wonder what the thoughts on dreams are of those who'd rather be up all day. I wouldn't like to give up my dreams, I find them enriching. Thanks again Mike

[@LyeriaAurion]

No; next question

[@elliottmcollins]

By far, my most creative hours are between 9pm and 3am when everyone else is asleep and the world is quiet, pretty, and unexciting. I don't get enough sleep because I rely on having energy in those hours about once or twice a week if I'm going to do good, deep creative work, and if I only got 6 or 7 hours in the preceding nights, I'm just burnt out by the time the Witching Hour arrives. Light bulbs and glowing text have finally broken the once very close connection between day/night and light/dark, and we've been able to restructure our lives and societies around those technologies even though our bodies have no way of re-building themselves to accommodate our unnatural demands. This video's composition from left to right is an *amazing* portrait of that broken connection, the lamp constant and unchanging while the sun rises and sets and rises. And the way the sun dominates the lighting of the whole frame until it sets, when the camera adjusts and a sharp break between inside and outside is suddenly present. Mike and the clock, the person and time, keep going as though nothing has changed even as his environment suddenly breaks off from the natural rhythms like an iceberg shearing off of a coastline. And it leaves me wondering what to make of the final chapter of the image when the sun rises again and starts to define the lighting of the scene again as though Mike and the bridge are both under the sky. Is that an image of restoration, as the sharp lines between inside and outside fade? Or as Mike goes to bed, am I looking at a picture of how that connection can't be so easily mended once it's broken?

[@SangoProductions213]

nope. My body just doesn't work that way. How blessed humans are to live but simple lives and enjoy a world of unwaking wonder gifted to them by their own under conscious minds. How it is fantasized of, and recalled with such grace, or terror. How it is considered a great relief of stress and fear and love and hate. How great it must be to be able to sleep. How odd it is that those who can sleep feel trapped by it, while those that can't long for it.

[@Wraithiss]

The tone of this video is absolutely perfect, like it was made for me...

[@brockmckelvey7327]

I'M A COLLEGE STUDENT

[@danielmcelroy4505]

Lmao

[@StreifelXP]

This is awesome I love the commitment it must of taken to make this video. Also its fun to watch the street lamp in the bottom right

[@Choplogik]

Great video, Mike. Excited for where post-Idea Channel takes us. As for this one, I'm glad to have some cogent thoughtwork on this crrrritical topic. Thanks!

[@anthonycresto8562]

No; I'm a chef that usually works from the afternoon until night and sometimes help in my restaurant's bakery (yay 3am mornings). I have some control over my own hours but often overextend myself with other commitments outside of work (relationships, personal projects, watching ideachannel, etc.) So I find myself wanting more time and cutting back on sleep.

[@mooxim]

ASAPScience put out a video today saying people in a 14 year study who got less than 6 hours sleep a night were 4 times more likely to die by the end of the study. I'm up in 6 and a half hours and haven't eaten dinner yet. So no. I don't get enough sleep. And I think it is the thirst for meaningful content online like this that keeps me from going to bed.

[@itsKarenTerry]

I am both impressed and horrified at what it took to film this video. Watching this left me completely awestruck, and though my first instinct is to tell you to never ever do this again I can't deny this fact. You are truly an amazing filmmaker.

[@leslielewis8757]

Hey, I just binge watched all of Idea Channel. In case you are curious it took me roughly 2 weeks (I vaguely remember starting around the release of the video on ventablack). I have to say that this channel makes me proud. I am not sure if it is that I am proud of you as existing, sharing in being my species, sharing my college major, or just the fact that there is another person who shares my values and maybe even my hope that humanity can come together. I feel like this show is very important in the specific now and I am glad it is staying up even if it will not be releasing new videos. Good job. In regards to sleep: I have had a very interesting relationship with sleep. I have been simultaneously known for not sleeping enough and sleeping constantly. I have suffered from insomnia(or other sleep disorder either on and off or constantly (it can be difficult to keep track when you are either experience the memory and processing difficulties that come from lack of sleep or have every reason to not think about it cause you seem fine, not to mention spending 20ish years being used to it, and adjusting) Even when I do feel like I am getting enough sleep my sleeping schedule seems to refuse to be normal. It is funny you mention past sleeping habits including a break from sleeping around midnight (if I remember correctly) because if I try to sleep at night during "normal"(prescribed) hours I always become wide awake at that time, even after pulling bouts of not being able to sleep for 24+ hours. I have theorized that maybe my circadian rhythm is off since I was born in another time zone and have made small attempts during the periods of my life where sleep has been most illusive to research sleeping disorders. Unfortunately, when I was a teenager my sleeping habits were attributed to being a teenager and as an adult I have not had medical access to finding out anything concrete about my sleeping habits, other health issues, and how the two are related. The effect this has had on my life has varied depending on where my life was at and also the people in it. Sometimes it has made me appear lazy as it is hard to do things when you are trying to respect that everyone astound you is asleep and even harder to do things after they wake up and your body is only just then deciding you are allowed to sleep. Other times people have treated it as an eccentric part of my personality (specifically when I had a space where I could do things at night without worrying about disrupting the sleep of others. The most effective sleeping schedule I ever had was when I was in tech school. I had morning classes and would sleep for a few hours before and after those classes and woke up from early evening till wee house of the morning. I hope some of that was helpful in some way whether it raises important questions, is relatable, or leads to answers of some sort.

[@leslielewis8757]

As an aside but still relevant, the best method I have found has been roleplaying myself to sleep. Even though I basically DM it I don't consider it storytelling because I include myself as being experiencing it. Most of the time it takes place in a fantasy world, which has a hire effectiveness than real world based roleplaying which is more likely to break me out of the calmness I am seeking when storytelling.

[@magickwizo]

Maybe the best content you've ever created in this channel! Love you guys! From a Frenchman who clearly lake sleeping

[@kenmc555]

That stoplight is so hypnotizing.

[@NikaSensei]

I love how different this was from the regular Idea Channel format. More poetic. I'm excited to see what other cool stuff you've got in store for the channel's last hurrah :)

[@briankim432]

Props to Mike for being able to make this video, seems like hell sitting in one place for so damn long

[@MrDent89]

3:45 talks about going to the bathroom the exact moment he went to the bathroom. Dedication.

[@allanolley4874]

As with several other people in these comment I was diagnosed with sleep apnea and now use a CPAP machine. Apnea means not breathing and I am definitely pro breathing so this seems to me like a positive move. However what happened is I now get better quality sleep and do not have trouble getting to sleep (the machine does not bother me as it does for some), but I usually wake up and have trouble getting back to sleep after 6 hours. So I used to wake up tired because of apnea and apparently my body adapted to this and is now saying clearly you have had enough sleep a bit too early. Yet I am often still tired, but can't sleep. I have an erratic sleep schedule and that does not help. Some days are better than others not to bad really but it is a complicated thing. I am reminded that Socrates said if Death is merely eternal sleep then it is hardly a bad thing, because who doesn't want a good fitful sleep.

[@cb6365]

I definitely feel like there's a growing culture of "sleep is an unnecessary luxury." As an animation student, I struggle to maintain a regular sleep pattern. Sometimes I go to bed at a decent time and wake up early, sometimes I go to bed at 5 am and wake up at noon, sometimes I don't sleep all and crash for 12 or 13 hours the next day. It's really unhealthy, and I feel like it's one of the reasons why I have depression, but it's a habit that's unfortunately idealized in my career field.

[@CardboardMovieCo]

Actually one of the coolest things I've seen on KZbin. Well done.

[@Daniel-gd9hu]

my sleep schedule reflects the rest of my life well in that I cycle between getting plenty of sleep (having highly productive days) and way way too little (the days I go out to eat, watch TV, and feel miserable). most days are on the path from one of those extremes to another. working out more, being social, blue light filters, nothing I do can seem to keep me on the nice end of the cycle.

[@jrRabet]

Been a long time since i've seen one of your vids. This presentation style feels oddly... hypnotic.

[@skutch2439]

Great episode as usual. Love the time lapse. Can't believe I'm the tweet of the week. Thank you!

[@chsfrnc]

I have spent the last eight years serving within the United States Air Force. my day to day profession is the servicing and maintenance of the avionics systems aboard the F-16 Falcon, the work horse "bomb truck" of our aerial fleet. In the years I have been doing this, I have come to know sleep deprivation and its intimate embrace far more than society as a whole. Having spent the last seven months in general sleeping for an average of less than four hours a day (as I work from 2200 until 0600 and some days as late as 1000 the following morning) due to an inability to just stay asleep during the day. I have felt my body draining away. The aches and pains of the job itself carry over into my sleep, forcing me awake after so many hours, which in turn means I don't sleep enough and stay sore for longer. Saturdays are a godsend, as I tend to spend their entirety catching up upon the missed hours of sleep over the week. But still, the perpetual exhaustion, soreness, caffeine dependency, and the inability to even relax under the simplest of circumstances is easily the worst feeling I've had for the entirety of my adult life. It has forced me to turn towards alcohol as a surrogate to even get solid rest upon most nights. It has driven me to extreme depressive tendencies and suicidal thought on occasion (my therapist and I are working on this together). And the toll it has taken on not just myself, but all my brothers and sisters in the service elsewhere has been incredibly telling. Since this year began I have known three coworkers who have lost their lives, two to suicide, one an accident caused by exhaustion. Its overwhelmingly unbearable at times, and though my compatriots all understand that this is the life we signed up for, the undeniable fact that the highest levels of our chain of command simply doesn't care about the underlying causes is what drives us to these extremes. I fear personally that it won't last, as we continue to drive ourselves down the ravine of sleep exhaustion.

[@danielmcelroy4505]

I'm definitely not the only one and certainly not the most sleep deprived in the land of college students, but man have I had a lot of all nighters this year. I don't know what it is about college and all nighters but first semester this year I was putting in a couple a week. I've learned to sense when I'm starting an all nighter: it's a recognition of the time (duh), my completion level of a task, and a kind of zen/flow state that I know, at that point, I should/need to/am gonna keep up. I think this kind of flow is an internal (maybe subconscious) vision of where I'll be in a number of hours. I think I've learned to connect flow to an all nighter. My prime work time is usually 7-11p.m.-classes either early or in the afternoon with work on and off around noon-and then the all nighter comes or it passes. Add in hanging out, getting food, reading (or, unfortunately for this bookie, aggressively skimming), and planning out projects, I usually get into the zone pretty late. That excuse aside, I actually enjoy all nighters. I think that euphoria is really the flow state; if I have to work and I'm not sleeping until I get this done I'll lean into it, I'll go where the work takes me, and I'll get it done. That calm /sometimes adrenaline + caffeine fueled adventure can be a blast but I want to learn how to decouple them. As an art major I'm very project oriented (for that specific drawing, painting, sculpture, photo, poster, video) and because I know I can get to flow in an all nighter my anxiety around finishing a project can be less intense if I know I can bang out a few all nighters on it. I still enjoy them (and am gonna have a bunch more yet!) so I think it's a tool to have in the back pocket, but I'm looking to figure out what elements beyond flow make the all nighter pleasant despite the physical drain. Less people? Softer, consistent light? And behavioral psych people, I'd love to hear some theory. Anyway, hope you got some sleep Mike.

[@Isilily]

Thank you for being the only piece about getting enough sleep that actually examines how industrialized society has influenced how we sleep and doesn't just frame it as a personal imperative that we need to be guilt tripped into doing despite our production focused society.