So, why do guys fall asleep in an audience?
By Rocketj1
@rocketj1 (6955)
United States
May 1, 2016 6:36pm CST
Ok. What's up with guys dozing everywhere you look? No, not in beds or reclining chairs where one might expect to see someone sleeping. I'm talking about in class, in church, in the audience of a play.
One question: Why? Ok. Two questions: Why always MEN?
I have yet to see a woman (over the age of maybe 8 or under the age of 80) sleeping away in an audience. No woman fighting to keep her head from falling to her chest or lifting her head with her eyes half-closed with a silly smile on her face pretending to have heard the joke the others are laughing at. No dropping the hymn book on the floor for her. No gradual leaning towards the unsuspecting person next to her. No loud buzz-saw snoring.
Nope. It's always a guy.
Why? Well, I know it's not one thing. It's not because it's "too warm in the room".
That's the explanation that I am often offered by Mr. Rocketj1. Can't be. How do I know? Because it happened today at a play and it was freezing in that auditorium. A play that HE wanted to attend. A play that happened in the afternoon after dozing off earlier in the day at church. A play that he insisted on attending, even when I said I wouldn't go if he was just going to sleep through it. The one he promised to stay awake for.
That's when I noticed the guy across the aisle from us. He and Mr. Rocketj1 were in perfect synchronicity. Heads slowly falling. Heads rolling a bit from side to side then lifting up. Both men looking up towards the stage with eyes barely open. Legs jiggling a bit to make an attempt to stay awake and then...... heads slowly falling again.
Is there a physical explanation or is this something psychological for men? Have they all just simply given themselves permission to do this?
And why does he NEVER fall asleep at the movie theater? Or a baseball game? Or (thankfully!)....... while driving??!
Just wondering.
1 person likes this
2 responses
@savak03 (6684)
• United States
2 May 16
Well, first of all I have to take exception to your statement that women don't do this. I know for a fact that they do because I am one that does. In fact I have been known to fall asleep while reading out loud to my husband. 
It was actually kind of funny. He was paralyzed from the neck down and never could read well for himself anyway because he was dyslexic. But he wanted to read the Bible from cover to cover so we started a program where I would read each day to him after breakfast. I would actually wake myself up saying words that were not on the page I was reading. Then I would have to ask him where I had left off and go back and start from there.
As a reason for those of us who fall asleep in the scenarios you list I have to say I think it is just plain fatigue. I know in my case I was tired all the time do to the work load that I had. I nursed my husband at home, raised two small children at the same time and worked part time at a physically challenging job in our apartment community. Believe me when I say if I stopped moving I fell asleep even if I was standing on my feet.
Now, as far as your comment on why he doesn't fall asleep at a baseball game it is probably because he is always jumping up and cheering the team so he has not stopped moving. And he probably has some subconscious system for staying awake behind the wheel because he knows how dangerous that would be. I have no clue why he stays awake at the movie theater though. I go to sleep just watching TV. 
It was actually kind of funny. He was paralyzed from the neck down and never could read well for himself anyway because he was dyslexic. But he wanted to read the Bible from cover to cover so we started a program where I would read each day to him after breakfast. I would actually wake myself up saying words that were not on the page I was reading. Then I would have to ask him where I had left off and go back and start from there.
As a reason for those of us who fall asleep in the scenarios you list I have to say I think it is just plain fatigue. I know in my case I was tired all the time do to the work load that I had. I nursed my husband at home, raised two small children at the same time and worked part time at a physically challenging job in our apartment community. Believe me when I say if I stopped moving I fell asleep even if I was standing on my feet.
Now, as far as your comment on why he doesn't fall asleep at a baseball game it is probably because he is always jumping up and cheering the team so he has not stopped moving. And he probably has some subconscious system for staying awake behind the wheel because he knows how dangerous that would be. I have no clue why he stays awake at the movie theater though. I go to sleep just watching TV. 2 people like this
But have you ever done so in public? I don't think I've seen women do that. Have you?
@MRS_Taylor (96)
• Canada
1 May 16
my former partner would fall asleep in a movie theater, he could fall alseep sitting on a couch while people talked and conversation-ed around him. i just to get so frustrated and often felt neglected and ignored on account of it. Alot of his problem bless his heart it's still his problem is he runs himself too much between work and trying to be the mr nice guy, mr dependable, and yes man always does what he can for others putting their wants above his own needs depriving himself of proper rest at the best of times.
1 person likes this
