Glitch in Sleep

Inside a web of almost infinite complexity was a storm of activity. Electricity flashed, chemicals reacted, repairs were slowly being made.

Outside, it looked peaceful as if nothing was happening. The faint sounds of breathing could be heard. Sunlight peaking through the window blinds.

Then wham, all activity ceased as the nutrients and proteins started to arrive. No time for deep repairs, they'd have to made do with whatever progress for the battle ahead.

Gaba proteins stopped being produced, melatonin receptors were blocked, a network of electric pulses moved throughout the structure.

Hasan woke up, a loud alarm beeping from his phone.

♪♫♪♪♫♪

The sounds of Marimba chimes and digital synthesized music slowly, but forcefully waking up.

Hasan felt groggy and tired, his body heavy. His mind unclear, he willed himself to get out of bed dragging one leg out of the blanket. Then another, before his feet touched the ground.

Hasan yawned, his eyes half opened. Not fully focused, he immediately started at the phone screen, it read 8:10.

Thinking about whether to go back to sleep he asked himself, "Can I squeeze in another 15 minutes?"

After thinking for a while, he decided he couldn't. Heading to the closet he put on his clothes. A dress shirt, black pants, belt, tie, and socks. One by one he straightened his collar, rolled up his cuffs, buttoned and fastened his pants and headed to the bathroom.

Arriving there, he opened up a drawer. Reaching for a plastic bottle, Hasan unscrewed the orange cap. Inside the jar were daily vitamins. Hasan ate two before washing his face.

Thinking about his schedule with dread, "Ugh, work meeting in 10 minutes."

He only had two more days left in the week, then it would be Saturday. Hasan grabbed some yogurt from the fridge and brewed himself a cup of coffee.

Morning as usual.

____

His brain however was a different story. By now, the ends of the neurons were starting to tear and fray. The system did as best as it could do repair genetic mutations and mistakes in the code, but there was only so much it could repair while the brain was awake.

At this moment, most of the energy was occupied with frontal lobe and motor functions. The creativity, imagination, and recall of important information was prioritized.

Everything that Hasan had ever learned, the projects he had to complete were all stored in the hippocampus.

Hasan was busy filling out spreadsheets and reading a report. Language recognition from the wernicke and brocke areas were activated.

His brain was like a machine, but it's gears haven't been oiled or repaired in ages. It was a newer model, Hasan was only 28. Sooner or later that damage would start to accumulate.

More and more free radicals, cell damage, and genetic mutations appeared. For now at least Hasan's body repaired itself. He was young and healthy.

Although he was done with high school and college, work life was very much the same. Social gathering, work meetings, and business meetings still had to be attended to. On top of that the regular responsibilities and bills of daily life had to be taken care of as well.

___

At this age, Hasan couldn't wake up early without an alarm. Coffee, computers, and the grind were part of his daily lifestyle.

The two or three hours that the alarm clock interrupted were the most important phases of sleep. Hasan heard other people talk about it, but it didn't impact him.

(friends, scientists, experts, professors, doctorates, researchers)

"Another piece of advice that's good to follow, but unpractical", Hasan thought.

___

2 PM

Hasan finds a break between lunch. Seeing as he's mostly done for the day, Hasan lies on a couch and takes a power nap. Falling into a deep sleep, Hasan starts to dream.

The brain again attempts to make more repairs, the length of time it has to do so is much shorter. The tools are less prepared.

the alarm sounds again.

♪♫♪♪♫♪ *bzzt* *bzzt*

various text and IRC messages pop up on his phone and desktop computer.

Looking at the time on his phone its 2:45. Hasan once again heads back to his computer to finish the day.

___

take a break, sleep well. Don't use an alarm, prioritize sleep. health.

damage, hard to repair. how much do you value health and sleep, intangible

missed classes, health has a cost.

rejected passages

His amygdala was working overtime to cool the system down and keep him relaxed. Preparing to stimulate him for a boost in thinking. However as his stress levels rose more and more during the day, it left noticeable damages that would have to be repaired at night (if they could).

The backlog the brain was working on had been extensive, working late, alarm clocks.

situations during the day.

*waking up without an alarm

worth it. exercise, eating and diet