Comments on: Sleepless in West Virginia

By: FedEazel

FedEazel — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 01:02:55 +0000

I lived in WV for two years and never got a good night’s sleep. It was the nature of the work up there in the oilfield, and I’m certain that the other two major resource-based professions (coal mining and timber) are the same way. WV doesn’t have very many manufacturing or service industry jobs, its hands-on blue collar work. Combine that with the poverty that greatly affects the diets and health of the non-laborers and the mindset of all residents, and you have a recipe for no one ever sleeping quite enough.

Still miss it, though; its a beautiful place.

By: Justin

Justin — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 15:48:28 +0000

I think there is a perception among many Americans that less sleep translates into someone who is harder working and more dedicated to their job.

However I believe the reasons behind not getting enough sleep may have more to do with late night TV (or surfing neatorma), than actual spending more time at work.

A lot of us underestimate how much better we can preform on our jobs and in school after getting a good night’s sleep. Our body seems to trick us sometimes into thinking we are fine when in fact our brains aren’t working at 100%.

That said, the “right amount of sleep seems to be different for everyone and can often change from day to day. Sometimes I wake up feeling refreshed after 5 or 6 hours, but the next day I’ll probably need 8.

By: dutchboy

dutchboy — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 15:29:30 +0000

Why are we constantly being told that we don’t get enought sleep?
It’s almost like there is someone behind it, I’ll go out on a limb to suggest it might be the sleeping pill guys.

By: Marianne

Marianne — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 15:24:25 +0000

randolf hurts:

Of course it’s the opposite:

“… did not get a single good night’s sleep in the previous month …”

Am so glad there’s a whole state of people who can commiserate with my insomnia …

By: Steve in ND

Steve in ND — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 15:10:43 +0000

It’s cold here in ND. The warmest place is to stay in bed.

By: randolf hurts

randolf hurts — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 14:59:33 +0000

Am I reading this wrong?

One single night of not enough sleep in the past month? Is that what describes insomnia now?

By: Craig

Craig — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 14:48:13 +0000

There’s a lot of poverty in WV, especially the Appalachia areas. I imagine there are a lot of people working two or three jobs just to get by. Unfortunately, that’s why meth is so popular in areas like that: it allows people to work two or three jobs with little sleep and little food. It’s a sad situation.

By: meg

meg — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 11:34:06 +0000

At first I read this as “WV in most need of sheep” and wondered “Why on earth does a state NEED sheep?”

Then I realized what it said and that I only got 4 hours of sleep last night. Go go coffee time!