4:23 a.m.

It's 4:23 a.m. and I have not been to bed. I've been intending to go for at least 5 hours now, but I've just been a flurry of activity.

I never understand why people want to sleep. It has always been torturous for me, as long as I can remember. I sleep as little as possible. I dread going to bed and can rarely stay asleep more than a couple of hours at a time.

Years ago I did a sleep study, when they were only done at teaching hospitals and were oddities even then. I don't remember all the names for various things, but suffice it to say I'm an odd duck when it comes to sleep. I go into REM sleep almost immediately, and can start dreaming when I'm almost between waking and sleep. This used to be thought impossible, but now with research into things like polyphasic sleep, we know it's entirely possible. It's just something that people generally have to train themselves to do, whereas it seems somewhat natural for me.

One of the tricks for me is that I don't have to have tons of sleep, but I do have to have some consecutively. So, if I'm ill or for some other reason up and down a lot at night I don't feel rested until I have some uninterrupted sleep.

Over the years I've learned to just pay attention to my body and what it is telling me about how much sleep I need. I'm generally up early and also up late. I'm sometimes doing things others might consider odd in the middle of the night. I just went out for a walk about 30 minutes ago, for example. But, it's 73 at the moment - it will be 103 later today - seems to me like 4 a.m. is a great time for a walk.

I have been cleaning and working on MHA projects, doing laundry, organizing things in my house, writing press releases, doing podcasting things, and watching CNN. In only 30 minutes Morning Edition will be on, but I think I may be about ready for a little sleep.

.....

Well, it's 7:08 now and many more things have been accomplished - for home and work. I've not been to sleep yet, but am starting to get tired. An hour or so of sleep will do wonders for me.