more thoughts on sleep

One of my friends posted this article on facebook which states that sleep is the next big issue in the fight for equal rights for women. But I'm inclined to agree with the commenters: where is the evidence that women are the ones who suffer from this affliction the most? True, they are usually the primary caretakers of children who often require their caretakers to lose sleep. But employers appear to expect both men and women equally to sleep less than they need.

Actually, maybe the problem isn't just employers. It's also the transportation system. I sleep best in the morning, and when under-rested, I'm out of luck if I miss that 8:19 train (which gets me to work before 10). Meanwhile, getting enough rest makes you healthier, live longer, smarter, more alert and have better judgment -- all things I know my employer would like for me to sustain. That said, I have no complaints about my employer for the record. They are incredibly accommodating of my needs. But that hasn't always been the case. So, I also feel the pain of most workers who don't have the same luck (or is it persistence?).

I've weeded out the more judgmental of my social circle. But many of these former friends, and my mother, judge me for my need for sleep. I feel sorry for them, but I also know, and have received the feedback from many others, that I get way more done than the average bear. It's not unlike issue-based politics, task-based work performance evaluation, and health-based evaluation of personal success. Break it down, and you'll find what the real issue is. My point is that we also have to fight society for our right to rest.