'You become like a warrior': Sleeping on the street in a 24-hour city

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For many homeless people, severe sleep deprivation can make getting off the street seem impossible.

Matt doesn't know where he'll set up camp after dark tonight.

The 32-year-old may curl up in an alcove of a city building, lay on a park bench, or try to find an alleyway that hasn't been used as a toilet.

But he's likely to get a tap on the shoulder shortly after he shuts his eyes.

"Along the pathways like Flinders Street, where there's shops and everything, people can put their beds and lay there and beg," he says.

"But the moment you go to have a little nap somewhere quiet, there's someone coming up saying 'get out'."

That's not to mention trying to avoid the drunks on their way home from a night out, or other homeless people who have addiction issues.

A city that never sleeps

All-night weekend public transport in Melbourne began at the start of the year.

You're just trying to survive each day, when really you should be focusing on the dream, not just trying to work out where you're sleeping. Melbourne homeless man, Matt

Lord Mayor Robert Doyle has a vision for a city that never sleeps, with retailers, galleries and arts venues encouraged to open around the clock.

For the CBD's homeless population, that is likely to mean even less sleep than they're already getting.

"You become like a warrior, you're just trying to survive each day, when really you should be focusing on the dream, not just trying to work out where you're sleeping," Matt says.

"Then we could go out during our day and be more productive, rather than be looking for a place to just lie down for a bit."

When he does sleep, it's generally with one eye open.

Matt's friend Adam*, who has been homeless for six months, says he can never fully relax.

I've had my backpack and all my ID and phone stolen already. So I've had to start again. Just trying to find a secure and comfortable place to recharge and get through the next day is probably the hardest part. Melbourne homeless man, Adam*

"I've had my backpack and all my ID and phone stolen already," he says.

"So I've had to start again. Just trying to find a secure and comfortable place to recharge and get through the next day is probably the hardest part."

Both young men refuse to stay in emergency accommodation or shelters, because they believe they are less safe and more damaging to their mental health than the streets.

"Because we're all dealing with different things, when you put a whole heap of wild people together under the same roof, these guys' problems start becoming your problems, and it's almost more toxic," Adam says.

"There's a lot of people who just get out of jail in there," Matt says.

"I'd rather sleep amongst nature."

Sleep deprivation, they both say, is the biggest issue damaging their chances of getting off the street.

But with as little as two hours' sleep a day, often on hard, cold concrete, and with a lack of adequate mental health support, sometimes they have little motivation to make the changes necessary.

"That's when depression can sneak in and you can start choosing the wrong paths to go down," Adam says.

"A lot of people on the street are redlining. That's what we call it — where their frustration's in the red, they're at their limit.

"Every day is different. It all depends on the weather, whether you've got a good night's sleep, and if you go to bed hungry you wake up angry and pissed off at the world.

"There are a lot of angry people amongst us and we have nothing to lose.

"When you're living on the street and from day to day just trying to survive, it's pretty easy to get depressed and lose motivation and give up."

'A form of human torture'

Melanie Raymond, chairwoman of outreach organisation Youth Projects, says sleep deprivation is "a form of human torture" that is widespread among Australia's homeless population.

When you're sleeping rough, you really need to be resilient to survive but lack of sleep keeps chipping away at what strength you have left. Melanie Raymond, Youth Projects chairwoman

Ms Raymond says a lack of sleep often leads to poor overall health, including worsening mental health issues and coping skills.

"When you're sleeping rough, you really need to be resilient to survive, but lack of sleep keeps chipping away at what strength you have left," she says.

"Some big companies who are donating to charity and want to be good corporate citizens are probably making the life of a homeless person worse right on their doorstep by moving them on in the middle of the night, yet they don't even realise the implications."

And while free 24-hour activities can offer some inclusion to those who have no home to go to, Ms Raymond is concerned it may reduce the hours of downtime for her organisation's clients.

"A city-that-never-sleeps approach has a very different meaning to someone who is homeless in the city centre," she says.

"It could make it harder to find a place to sleep without noise and interruption, yet there are so few alternatives because of the demand on already overloaded homeless services."

Matt and Adam are optimistic that one day they will get off the streets and fulfil their dreams.

Matt would like to start his own personal training business.

Adam, who has skydived 89 times, would like to receive training to be an instructor.

In the meantime, their wish is that others can show more compassion for those sleeping rough.

"People really need to dig deep and understand and not judge, because people out on the street aren't evil," Matt says.

"If we get heard, then we can get helped."

*Name has been changed to protect privacy.

Topics: homelessness, community-and-society, melbourne-3000