Zzzz time.. is it necessary?

Health care workers recommend sleep as an essential part of healing and healthy lifestyle. However its purposes are only partly clear and are the subject of intense research (Bingham, et al.).

For some people, sleep is a phenomena or an extraordinary event. Ask any nursing student about sleep and they'll probably ask you to define it and use it in a sentence. Closing of eyes to rest for nursing students is called napping (max 2hrs), not sleeping. A bed for nursing students are no longer for sleeping but a place to put their feet up while reading a 4 inch think medical surgical book or a rectangular shape thing they bought in Ikea as a place to put their nursing books because their shelves are full.

I work in a hospital and I'm amazed how many of my clients sleep late and wake up very early. When I asked one of my older client about his sleeping habit he replied, "I don't sleep, I only take naps.. I have been sleeping all my life." Is he telling me something profound or just simply saying I'm old, I can't sleep so back off? On the other hand, I have clients who sleep almost the whole day that I need to force them out of their bed by bribing them they can sleep after having a short walk with the physio.

Another example is my 11 year old sister who can't get enought of sleep. You sit her in the car, she'll fall asleep after driving a few blocks. You pop in a movie in the DVD, she'll fall asleep before the intro finishes. You ask her to get something for you from the other room you can be sure she won't be back and you'll find her dozing off. I, on the other hand, can't get enough sleep. There are only two reasons I would prefer to sleep: When I'm dead tired and during a boring class. Actually, there is one more reason: After I ate a huge meal (Who doesn't?). Anywhoo... its been a while since I slept on my bed... I just can't force myself to go to bed.. my usual routine.. I lay on my couch, watch TV then find myself waking up the next morning. I miss sleeping. I use to love to sleep. I use to look forward for my bed time so I can dream of flying... yups.. my favorite dream is when I can fly... I'll try to fly in any of my dreams.... but that's something to chat about next time..

According to Wikipedia, sleep is a "natural state of bodily rest... and essential for survival." So do we die if we do not sleep? or do we die from exhaustion related to not sleeping, which means it is not because of not sleeping but due to exhaustion? Research shows that the quantity of sleep is not as meaningful as the quality of sleep, that is, a person's major sleep is relatively inefficient and inadequate when it occurs at the wrong time of day. Hmmm...When is the right time to sleep then? Is it when we are sleepy? Does this mean I can excuse myself during a boring lecture to doze off? To be honest.. I don't khow how to elaborate this further... all I am sure of is there are only 24 hours in a day and I don't want to waste it with too much sleeping. So to the sleepers like my sister, sleep well but be sure to wake up and smell the beauty of life.