Sleep Deprivation Study - 9:40 AM

I didn't make it. Around 5:30AM, I started feeling sick and began to question the wisdom of staying up all night without sleep. I thought I'd take a half an hour nap and then get back to work, but things did not work out as planned. So I'll have to try again sometime, perhaps some time when I am not trying to make progress on work. I think it's probably not that hard to stay up all night reading or watching movies, but trying to work was difficult and I'm not certain my work didn't suffer because of my sleepiness. My brain feels a little foggy now, in fact, but I have to stay up to finish these reports. Bleah.

Sleep Deprivation Study - 4:12 AM

So far so good, but my back is starting to hurt a bit, and Georgia is in my bed sort of taunting me, I think. Or maybe she's just sleeping, but it kind of looks like she's taunting me. Mood is pretty good though, and I'm still being somewhat productive. I was hoping to stay up until 10PM or so today, but that sounds kind of awful.

Sleep Deprivation Study

So, I'm actually feeling a little better right now. I've been talking to people about various stupid plans for my future, and some of them are starting to sound less stupid. Alabama and Mississippi are probably off the table, but foreign travel is sounding more feasible, assuming I can save enough money for such an indulgence. Of course it's the weekend, and it's arguably a bit easier to feel optimistic about the future when one is ignoring one's work-related responsibilities. But this is a start, yes?

All that being said, I've been reading up on the use of sleep deprivation in the treatment of depression -- Basically, I think it works for about 60% of depressed individuals, but the effects don't usually last. Although they might last longer when used in combination with medication. I wasn't able to get my hands on a full published study (oh, how I miss you Mudd Library), and this isn't going to be scientific anyway, but I think I'm going to give it a shot. I spend too much time in bed, and I never feel rested anyway, so I'm going to try do without for a night. Or most of a night. I guess we'll see. I have coffee and B-12 and way too much work to do, so I can pretend it's an all-nighter. Although I don't think I've pulled an all-nighter since high school. How odd that I used to stay up all night when it mattered so little. Hopefully I won't go crazy and submit a bunch of nonsensical reports to my bosses in the morning (although that might lead to my termination, which would be a means to the end). Wish me luck, non-existent audience! (and then you say, "Good luck, crazy lady!")