That's interesting LH. Is it just getting to sleep that you have trouble with, or do you also keep waking up or not sleep well?

I go to bed really late, because if I didn't I'd have trouble getting to sleep. I've learnt not to even try before midnight or 1am. Often it's a lot later. Once asleep I only wake up if nature insists. Then I have the most interesting dreams in the morning, which I often remember. Fortunately with my lifestyle I am ususally able to enjoy these with no pressure to get up early. I'm naturally a night person - always have been. I've tried to bring the hours forward at both ends but it's not easy, and there's little practical reason to anyway.

If I'm alone and the phone rings in the morning when I'm still in bed, it ALWAYS wakes me up and I can answer it normally. I wake up very fast, and can sound normal in seconds. However I prefer to wake up naturally without the assistance of assorted beeps and bells. I feel more rested if I wake up by myself calmly. A good stretch is very important too.

The main thing that bugs me is that there is this thinking out in society that "early to bed, early to rise" is a great virtue, and that sleeping late is somehow disreputable and lazy. I know I'm not lazy. I sleep on average 7-8 hours a night, wake feeling refreshed and have a full active day. I just do it during different hours than some of those virtuous types who say with a shocked expression "Were you still in bed?!!!" when they ring up on a Saturday morning at 10.30.

I'm so sick of those responses that I've asked John, if someone rings for me at a time like that and he answers the phone (HE has been up since 5am), PLEASE don't tell them I'm still in bed - just bring the phone in, wake me up and hand it to me. The person on the other end usually can't even tell I've just woken up. I'd rather not be put in that position of someone making judgments about my sleeping habits - it's really none of their business. For some reason, he keeps 'forgetting' and tells them anyway - GRRRRRR!

Okay, rant off. Back to the subject. All this reminds me that I do a helluva lot of thinking when I'm at the computer, which is a Good Thing because I can put it down in writing. Whether it is my BEST thinking is another matter, I suppose.