Exploring Life Without Sleep

There are some days where I wish time stood still, just so I could have extra time for the things I love to do but never get a chance to. I crave having extra time to do the things that I love to do.

I must admit that sleep is my favorite part of the day. It’s the only time where I can drift off, maybe have some exciting dreams, and just rest my whole mind and body. It’s the only time I ever feel truly peaceful because my worries dissipate.

But I often find myself wishing for more time. Our days fill up so easily, leaving little room to decompress, regulate, or simply exist. We wake up, push through work, come home, eat, try to unwind (not nearly enough), then collapse into bed so we can do it all again.

For a neurodivergent mind, that cycle feels especially heavy. So, if I suddenly didn’t sleep, here’s how I imagine my nights unfolding.

Start Projects

My mind is constantly spinning with ideas—articles to write, recipes that I want to test out for Soul Kitchen, staying up to date on my social platforms to reach more readers, all of the little creative sparks I don’t have the time for during the day.

Late at night is when I thrive. I’ve let down my mask, and I feel most like myself. I often have a difficult time getting to sleep because my creative ideas are endless. But if I had extra hours, I’d follow that creativity without guilt. I’d let myself be a wandering artist at midnight.

Clean and Reset

I actually get a boost of energy at night — call it my second wind, if you will. But if I keep seeing things pile up into a mess around me, at some point, I become motivated and inspired to clean it all up, organize it, and hopefully get rid of a few things.

Listening to music really helps get me going. So, I’d turn the volume all the way up on my earbuds and get to work. It’s truly amazing because I’ll really get into the nooks and crannies, dusting everything off, vacuuming every last bit of dog hair I see. I really surprise myself.

For me, it isn’t a chore. I genuinely enjoy cleaning, but only when I feel ready to do it. I don’t like feeling any added pressure. I move slower and wait for the motivation and inspiration to strike. And when they do, I’ll have a beautifully clean space — until it becomes messy again.

Read Books

When it comes to books, I get lost in them for hours. If it’s a book that I just simply can’t put down, that’s an indication that I’m up for the long haul.

If I had extra hours at night, I would lay in bed, turn on my reading lamp, and read the stories that allow me to escape reality.

When I read the popular series ACOTAR by Sarah J. Maas, I was completely captured by it. I had never stepped into the fantasy world before reading this series, and now, I have a hard time going back to anything but.

They were rather long novels, and I ended up reading each one so quickly that time didn’t exist to me. I’d stay up practically through the whole night reading them. It’s obviously one of my favorite series of all time.

Reading is truly something that I love to do. So if I had the time to do it, I’d run through novels.

Simply Exist

If I had more time — real time, not rushed time — I think I’d spend a lot of it just simply being. Sitting with my thoughts, letting my nervous system decompress, and listening to the beauty of the night.

Reflecting on this has made me realize something meaningful. It’s not about having more hours to get things done. It’s about wishing that I had more space in my life. More space to create, rest, be myself, and actually live life at the pace that suits me.

Even if sleep stays necessary (and thankfully, it does!), it’s worth noticing what this answer uncovers: that we deserve more time to slow down — and more time that truly feels like ours.

What would you do with extra time? I always love turning these prompts outward, because the answers are tiny windows into what our souls are hungry for. Tell me in the comments or share your own reflection. I’d love to hear!

“Even if sleep stays necessary, we all deserve more time to slow down, create, and simply exist.”

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