Invisible People Report-How Sleep Deprivation Affects Homeless People-

[Lady Freedom Returns]

Link to tweet

?s=20

Lacking a place to secure sleep compounds the problem of getting enough sleep. Sleeping with one eye open exceeds metaphorical usage when the streets are home. A study conducted in the UK draws the exceedingly obvious conclusion that sleeping on the streets leaves people vulnerable to both physical risks, such as inclement weather, and social threats, like abuse and violence. These fears prevent people from securing the restorative sleep that they so dearly need.

For another barrier preventing uninterrupted sleep, look no further than a 2002 case study about the squeegee kids of Toronto. Although shelters were an option, many youths felt unsafe sleeping there, fearing loss of possessions or getting hurt when a fight breaks out. Lacking better options, Toronto’s young homeless slept in parks, abandoned buildings, garages, subway stations, or makeshift shelters under bridges or on rooftops. Often, police would wake them and tell them to move on. In other cases, when they couldn’t find anywhere safe, they would stay awake all night.

[lunatica]

1. And people wonder why tent cities are created

The homeless need to protect each other by sticking together because god knows they are doomed if they’re alone in cities.

[elocs]

2. I worked at a Salvation Army Homeless shelter before I retired.

Ironic since I am an atheist.
I was the custodian and it amazed me how many of the homeless people would call me "sir" but then maybe they recognized how the lowly custodian could impact their day to day lives at the shelter.
But they were always sleeping--sleeping at the tables, lying outside. They never could get enough sleep because they lacked the simple thing we all take for granted--a door to lock so they could sleep in peace and safety.

At 9 a.m., weather permitting, we would get everybody out of the shelter so we could clean the building. Well there was an old homeless guy called Popeye (who it turns out was 3 years younger than me) who was always sleeping on the bench out back. He was the last one going out before I would lock the doors and I told him to come back inside. I led him into the gym/eating area that had a laundry room off of it and there was a small wrestling mat in there.
I told Popeye that he could go in there and sleep in the dark on that mat and nobody would bother him because the room had a door that locked and I had the key.
Those few hours of safe and secure sleep was my gift to him that cost me nothing and I was sure he would wake up around noon when people lined up past the door for lunch.
Well Popeye just kept sleeping even with the noise outside the locked door until my boss came and opened the door to get something and Popeye said to him, "Steve said I could be here" to which my boss just said, "OK" and closed the lock door and left, which I thought was way cool.

[Doremus]

4. Uplifting story. Thanks for sharing it.

[Newest Reality]

3. I know.

Even in my tent, it is not easy to adapt to that. Being in something helps, but you hear everything going on: cars, doors slamming, traffic, etc. You can get used to it, but it really doesn't feel like deep, smooth sleep. It is like there is an on guard sense being over-active.

Of course, you are at a basic, survival level in other ways, too. At an older age, you realize how much less resilience you have and winters and cold, rainy weather can be ravaging.