I'm Going to Die from Lack of Sleep or Too Much Sleep

Well, I am a life long insomniac. From as far back as I can remember, I have lain upon my bed awake, while the world around me slumbers and dreams. I know this to be a fact, because I used to smoke cigarettes while hanging out of my bedroom window, and the world was asleep. Except for the one time I saw the imprint of my father's face on the screen in the next room. I did a good imitation of deep sleep when he came in my room a few minutes later.

The years I had babies were not as traumatic for me as they were for "normal" sleepers. I was awake anyway, why not feed the baby? When my daughter was in the hospital ER all night long one time, I sat upright in my chair with my eyes as wide as an owl's all night long while the nurses and doctors struggled to stay awake.

One time I stayed up for 72 hours straight. That however, ended with me having a conversation on the front porch with someone who "was NOT there" and I knew it. Not good.

So, I spent a decade working with a doctor to get my insomnia under control. It is medically documented that too little sleep has many health repercussions. I've finally gotten to the point that I can sleep with the rest of the world, and I can even sleep after the rest of the world has arisen, commuted to work, and made it to their lunch break. What can I say, I have alot of sleep to catch up on. So imagine my pain when I read this from Dr. Mercola's sleep article:

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Dr. Mercola states:


Increase your risk of cardiovascular disease – One recent study found that sleeping fewer than five hours a day more than doubles your risk of being diagnosed with angina, coronary heart disease, heart attack or stroke.

But sleeping more than seven hours also increased the risk of cardiovascular disease; more than nine hours of sleep resulted in a 50 percent increase in risk.

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I live in a family where cardiovascular disease will probably kill you, at a young age. I learned a long time ago that poor sleep, or not sleeping at all, was detrimental to your health. Now I find out that sleeping too much is just as bad.

Has anyone told Sophia Loren? She goes to bed at like 5:00pm. She says sleeping is her most favorite thing in the world. She tries to get 12 hours a night. Now I'm no expert, but isn't she in her 70's??????

My father died at 56 years old. I didn't see him sleep very often. Ms. Loren sleeps alot and is in her 70's.....I think I'll go to bed now. I'll see you at the crack of noon.