At the end of a long day at work, I feel as if I could fall asleep on my feet, drop like a rock on the couch or plant my face on my dinner plate. How much more for those who are the third shift, the ones who pull all-nighters—nurses, road construction… | By Luisa A. Igloria on June 27, 2024 | At the end of a long day at work, I feel as if I could fall asleep on my feet, drop like a rock on the couch or plant my face on my dinner plate. How much more for those who are the third shift, the ones who pull all-nighters—nurses, road construction workers, practically everyone in a service position? Sure, now we know that certain animals can go for long periods of time without sleep. Has anyone asked if they are therefore perennially exhausted, and what they do to alleviate that? Studies show dolphins and great frigatebirds experience unihemispheric sleep—which means half their brain stays awake at all times while the other rests, so they never become completely unconscious. The common swift, only seven inches long, has a small, pale patch on its chin and a wingspan of nearly sixteen inches. As the days shorten, it begins its intercontinental migration, staying airborne for ten whole months without stopping. The half of my brain that's still awake can't even comprehend how that's possible. And when I'm really tired, it's like half my brain really wants to fall asleep but the other half is still cycling furiously from one thought to another, worrying about how I'm going to meet my deadlines or when I'll ever finish paying off my mortgage; worrying about my working daughters—if they're happy, have enough sleep, have enough to eat. | | | |
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