Understood about the lamps, and single digits (Fahrenheit) is common here during the winters, so most certainly will I start planning for that. Thank you!

I agree with this statement. Exercising had always been something that helped to ground my mind and improve my mindset; however, I had to learn how to not overdo it as a means of self-harm which I had done for a time too.

Thank you for actually mentioning the existence of warmlines. They are not commonly mentioned for people. There are also specific resources and call lines for an individual depending on their history, such as for those who require ASL or those who are trans.

I am doing alright enough. I have begun to get my flow going once more with my schedule, though it has not been easy. It does not help that admittedly I have been dealing more with a lot of my pains than I like to over the past few days, with me having to resort to using my cane a bit around the house and resting so that it relieves the pain and difficulties.

I’ll have to listen to this in a bit, but thank you for sharing it. Have you ever listened to Citizen Soldier? Some of their songs I admit to liking a lot.

For what reason are you so convinced that it is anathema work work an 8-hour shift while having a biphasic sleep schedule? You appear to be under strong assumptions about polyphasic sleep patterns, and that is detrimental to this discussion. If you could answer that question, then I could try to find a way to explain in a way that works for you.

Honestly, I first saw your post and had to sit there for a bit and think on it. I did not have an answer for you as to when I truly do have time to just freely relax and think. I have the ability to memorize what is discussed in the classes and think on how to apply it to my work as well as applying to future goals I have for myself; however, I do not actually have a time that I, as you said, just replenish by doing nothing. Even in the time around my resting periods where I am not doing as much work I am still distracted so I don’t think I truly ever relax and let my mind freely float and think to replenish itself as you had mentioned. That may be something I really need to do something about. You mentioning the brain-lock is accurate for me, I have noticed times where I am stuck hitting a wall if I try to work out anything and end up having had to take a break to sit down and sleep typically to recover. You are correct, I am closer to early 30s than early 20s, and I can agree that the balance of physical, spiritual, and mental/emotional time has changed since I was younger, and even changed as the world around me has changed. When I was younger I needed more time for my mental/emotional time and my physical time than I do now. It is interesting how the balance does change.

Thank you for honestly giving me some room to think about what I may have to try and make changes to better make things work. It is most appreciated.

To first correct mistakes:

• Firstly, I never mentioned an “inability to pay attention”, perhaps that is something you had imagined, but I shall assure your mistake in that I do not have difficulties with paying attention nor do I struggle with concentration.
• Now, I shall admit to difficulties with sleep and exhaustion; however, I shall seek to clarify for you that my exhaustion is the type of fatigue that is the common response people find to having been in a state of higher stress as it starts to find points where the stress decreases, the body finds fatigue and exhaustion after. It is quite common actually to see in our world, believed to be a response to the adrenal gland and how as it goes from high activity to normal levels of activity the differential causes a sensation of exhaustion.
• Sleep is likewise not something I struggle with, while it may not seem like many hours to you, the amount of hours I do sleep is enough for me to function and has been enough for me to function for over the past decade of my life; furthermore, I do not struggle with falling asleep, or staying asleep, barring unique situations where I am forced to push myself where I do not get to sleep in my usual routine, as had been outlined with the mention of overtime in my original post.

With that clarifications of the assumptions you had made in your first question, to now answer your questions:

• The “how exactly” biphasic sleep schedule is working for me as it provides opportunities for me to have mental reset in between two high-stress careers. It is not a traditional biphasic sleep schedule I agree; however, I had spoken with others who use polyphasic sleep schedules and we had come to the conclusion that my schedule was satisfactory enough given a life that I cannot easily change the schedule of. The way in which it works well for me is that I have a routine built around permitting it including my dark-hour periods for making sure my body is obtaining what it needs.

• I believe my former answer was satisfactory for this one, that by having a routine in place it helps me to work the amount I do. I once more state it is not a routine for everyone, but it is the most satisfactory option available for me.

• I believe I had answered the question as to why I work two full-time jobs in my original post, by simply saying “it is due to circumstances out of my control the life I have going for me.” That is a satisfactory answer to provide for you that healthily follows the boundaries I have in place with aspects of my life, boundaries I had learned and developed for myself with the help of my therapist, to answer your final question.

II do hope that my answers to your questions were satisfactory.

I had to get in the habit of having a chair for showering sometimes when my leg was first healing and I was adjusting to the strain of standing for long periods of time again. It helped me a lot to be able to take my time and be thorough with the process without risking my leg giving out on me.

Fully agreed. The importance of a specific community cannot be understated. It would be good to have it be for people who had been there as peers in the community, but the mods would have to be properly trained and vetted above all else.