Such a perspective is gaining more traction and it definitely makes sense. Consciousness being God is a theory that is extremely recent but it has some solid logic behind it, although some sages from our ancient past already hinted at all this. ("The kingdom of God is within you.")

This also raises the question of what happens to the self during sleep or after death. Is there even a 'me' or is it all illusion? What difference would it make if there were 100 billion humans or just one? And what makes humans so different from other animals here on Earth?

I think you are onto something for sure. Consciousness and time are so vital to reality, yet their mystery still eludes us to this day.

as a byproduct of consciousness itself. — ArtM

Thank you for your time and thoughts!

I agree one hundred percent with your questions - "This also raises the question of what happens to the self during sleep or after death. Is there even a 'me' or is it all illusion? What difference would it make if there were 100 billion humans or just one? And what makes humans so different from other animals here on Earth?"

This must be thought through, I think at the moment we're having a hard time to determine and differentiate the reality. I came across this example somewhere, can’t remember exactly where, but it stuck with me - "Imagine two twins inside their mother’s womb. For them, that environment is everything, warm, safe, familiar. Over time, it creates the illusion that their entire existence is just that space. Now, let’s say, hypothetically one of the twins is terrified to leave the womb, convinced that anything beyond it is death, the end of everything they know. But of course, we know that leaving the womb is actually the beginning of their real life, an entirely new level of existence they simply couldn’t comprehend from their limited perspective inside. What seems to be the end of something (life) for the babies, it turns out to be the beginning of everything."

This puts in perspective so much about life and how paradoxical it can feel at certain moments, but the experiences hidden beyond our present experience might just be the beginning of everything.