I am officially a hypersomniac

It's a Saturday, and I know there are things that I have to do before next week, but…

I went to sleep last night at around 2, which is well, normal for me. Then I woke up at around 12nn for lunch, sothat's 2-3, 3-4, 4-5, 5-6, 6-7, 7-8, 8-9, 9-10, 10-11, 11-12… 10 hours. Then after lunch, which is around 1ish, I slept again on the couch, I was just sitting there and watching TV then got bored so I lied down, and slept until 430ish, so that's more or less another 3 hours. So it's not even night time yet, and I already had more than my fill of sleep.

I am officially a hypersomniac- the envy of all insomniacs.  

While I was sleeping

This is my second blog entry with such a title and content. The other entry was written more or less a year ago. But it still holds true.

While I was sleeping the world passes me by.

I reread some parts of "A Place Called Here", since I can't find the book that I am currently reading the past few days, and I read abou the part about Jack Ruttle's girlfriend, Gloria, who also slept. She slept while Jack was going through the disappearance of his brother, the death of his mother, etc. 

I sleep through everything. Even though I vowed that I will no longer sleep in class this term, I still did. I was falling asleep while sitting upright, I was falling asleep while facing a computer. I was missing out on a lot of my lessons, especially in GRAPHIX, I don't think I have learned anything from it this week, I fact, because I was too busy dozing. And in ADVANOS and NETWORK too, the room is perfect for sleeping, because the tables big and it is really cold, is not an excuse. I need to get up, and pay attention.

I fell asleep today at around 5 and I woke up at around 9. Yet another 4 hours wasted in the land of sleep. And I know, I had dreams, but I can't even remember it. But rainy days are perfect for sleeping, and so that's my excuse, and not because I'm sick, like my little sister thought.

Maybe I'm a hypersomniac (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypersomnia). According to this article in Wikipedia (I rely on Wikipedia a lot even though it is not to be considered a valid source):

Description

Hypersomnia is characterized by recurrent episodes of excessive daytime sleepiness or prolonged nighttime sleep. Different from feeling tired due to lack of or interrupted sleep at night, persons with hypersomnia are compelled to nap repeatedly during the day, often at inappropriate times such as at work, during a meal, or in conversation. These daytime naps usually provide no relief from symptoms. Patients often have difficulty waking from a long sleep, and may feel disoriented. Other symptoms may include anxiety, increased irritation, decreased energy, restlessness, slow thinking, slow speech, loss of appetite, hallucinations, and memory difficulty. Some patients lose the ability to function in family, social, occupational, or other settings.

Hypersomnia may be caused by another sleep disorder (such as narcolepsy or sleep apnea), dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system, or drug or alcohol abuse. In some cases it results from a physical problem, such as a tumor, head trauma, or injury to the central nervous system. Certain medications, or medicine withdrawal, may also cause hypersomnia. Medical conditions including multiple sclerosis, depression, encephalitis, epilepsy, or obesity may contribute to the disorder. Some people appear to have a genetic predisposition to hypersomnia; in others, there is no known cause. Hypersomnia typically affects adolescents and young adults, although the most common causes of the condition for the two age cohorts differ.

This introduction is from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Strokes website

Diagnosis

A specialist may administer the Epworth sleepiness test to determine the extent of hypersomnia in a patient. A self test is available at The Epworth Sleepiness Scale. An adult is considered to have hypersomnia if he or she sleeps more than 10 hours per day on a regular basis for at least two weeks^{[citation needed]}.

Maybe I should try the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (http://www.stanford.edu/~dement/epworth.html). The results of my self test:

 

9 and up

Seek the advice of a sleep specialist without delay

 I scored 13 points. Oh my…

I need help.

I need to wake up from the land of sleep and enter the world, before it continues to pass me by.

What I don't want to miss more or less a year ago, I still don't want to miss now. This is a video I grabbed from YouTube, made by this guy, Brian (http://youtube.com/user/D1g1tal1) of the song "While you were sleeping" by Casting Crowns.

My professor in Introduction to Philosophy was asking us the other day, how after all the different philosophies that we have learned in class, how would we integrate that with our Christian faith. I just thought about that, because that is one of the things talked about in the song, because people have their own ideas now, that sometimes, they question the existence of God, or not believe in Him altogether.

I don't know, I have learned about the different philosophies after reading "Sophie's World", and I, I don't know, I didn't really question my faith. I am not a devout Protestant who goes to church every Sunday, or whenever there is a Youth Service. In fact, I rarely go to church. But despite that, I have a very strong faith in God. 

This blog post has gone to another direction, but I shall continue…

 I think that even if you go to church every Sunday, it is not necessarily that you'd belive in God, or have a strong faith in Him. In fact, when I'm in church, I feel like I don't really belong, and the song "Stained Glass Masquerade", also by Casting Crowns. And I don't think I really learned much in church, because in the Youth Service that I have been attending last year, for my church service requirement in Religion class, the brother can't really relate to the problems of the youth, or my problems anyway, that is if I have any.

I think that it is by His actions that I believe in Him. I don't know about you, but I believe in miracles. Because there are times, when it is unexplainable, that things ust suddenly went my way. And it happened many times, so it can't possibly be damn luck. Besides I don't think that things truly happen by coincidence. I think that there is a reason behind everything that happened to me, and everyone else in the world. And whenever I pray, I think they have been answered in one way or the other. And that is why I have such a strong faith in Him, because I know that He is there for me.

Besides,  I think that sometimes, people needs something to believe in, to hold onto. Because sometimes, when you feel completely hopeless, I think that faith, or that belief in a something brings hope, because it gives you another option, another choice. "If you were asked to choose between the devil and the deep blue sea… "- Ms. Velasco.

So even with all the different philosophies, I still believe.

There is a time though when I was partly agnostic, and a big fan of David Hume. But there was never a time, when I totally not believed. Yes, maybe, it God, heaven, and all the angels up there with Him, can be proven, but according to David Hume, it can't be disproven either. So I was somewhat on middle ground, then.

And back to where I started from, I do not want to miss the return of Our Lord Jesus.

I read "Left Behind" the series, I watched the "Left Behind" movies, and I DO NOT WANT TO BE LEFT BEHIND. That option is just to grim. I especially not want to be left behind, because I was in the land of sleep, or too preoccupied with the world that I miss the important things.

I want to stop missing the world while I'm in the land of sleep. But I also want to stop missing the important things in life, like family and friends while I'm in the world. And I especially not want to miss heaven…?

As existential beings, we are always given a choice. And I chose to believe.

Because faith, faith is all we really need.

I think I have woken up, after typing this very long blog entry that will, without a doubt, surpass 500 words. I just pasted this in Microsoft Word, and the word count was 1,320 words.

I have woken up. I have chosen to wake up from my sleep.

Actually, I think that when someone who doesn't make any choices for himself, is as if he was sleeping. Since you can't really make any choices when you were sleeping, you are just there, there might be fragments of your subconcious in your dreams, but you still don't have control over it.

So here it is, people, I have woken up. I will begin living my life, as the existentialists say.

I have woken up.