The Sleep Exchange Program

It's true; everyone has one special talent, and mine happens to be the gift of sleep. You might say, "the ability to sleep is not a gift," but I think I could find a great number of people that would disagree with you. I can sleep on command, in any position, in any location, in any state of mind. My freshman year of college I dealt with my problems by taking naps. Anytime I was mad, sad, depressed, whatever, I just made myself take a nap. It was the easiest and safest way to avoid dealing with my problems.

Out of this amazing ability to sleep at any time, came an inspiration. For the past three years I have lived with a wonderful young lady that we all know and love as Psydereal. Unlike me she does not have the gift of sleep. She has spent many nights struggling with the annoyance and frustration of insomnia. I sleep too much, and she sleeps too little. There must be a way to reach a balance. Thus was born the idea of a Sleep Exchange Program.

The exchange program would be entirely voluntary. To be a integral part of the program one would sign up to become a sleep donor. A sleep donor would have their sleep monitored for length and necessity. The donor would keep all the sleep necessary to sustain their life and well-being. Any excess sleep by a donor would go directly into the sleep pool. From this pool, people could receive the gift of sleep. This part of the program would be slightly more difficult. Ideally sleep would be distributed on a greatest need basis: those with a greater need for sleep would receive first dibs. Of course direct donations would be possible; a donor would be able to specify who received their gift of sleep.

By receiving the gift of sleep, you do not have to sleep to feel rested. Once you are given your sleep grant, you would feel refreshed as though you had had a full night's sleep. This would allow students to stay up all night studying for a final or working on a project. Parents of newborns would not be worn out after their baby stayed up all night crying. Those who truly needed some sleep, but were not able to particpate in the act themselves could finally feel rested and refreshed, and all those with the gift of sleep, who sleep too much for their own good, could help the world be a happier, less groggy place.

Unfortunately the Sleep Exchange Program is not possible in real life. But if it was, this would be one of the best ideas ever.