A lot of clever sayings have been attributed to Ben Franklin. “A penny saved is a penny earned,” “Well done is better than well said,” and “Haste makes waste.” These I can relate to. I believe in saving money, taking action, and doing things right the first time around. However, there is one quote he is famous for that I take issue with. It is “There will be plenty of time to sleep when you’re dead.” Why? Because although this may very well be true, I think getting enough shut-eye is underrated. In our frenetic fast paced world, sleep is not as revered as it once was. So, I am here to sing sleep’s praises!
When I am out of sorts, I look to my diet, exercise, and sleep habits to pinpoint the problem. For most of my life, I paid way more attention to what I ate and my physical activities than how I retired in the evening and how I felt the next morning. But now I consider my forty winks routine just as important.
From my journal: November 22, 2020, Newbury Park, California
“Cozy Earth sheets arrived…so soft, luxurious! Need better sleep…my thoughts return to my health…this year was a struggle on many fronts.”
We may think of sleeping as downtime and it is in the sense that we are at rest. However, sleeping is not a passive activity. It’s then our bodies and brains are busy with the processes of regeneration, maturation, and growth. So, getting a good night’s sleep is essential to our health. Managing our weight, stress levels, and keeping our immune systems in tip top shape are all aided by adequate sleep. Learning, focus, memory, even our mood is boosted when we get enough zzzs.
While we need sound sleep to be refreshed, our habits have dramatically changed over the years, and maybe not for the better. In ancient times people slept in a biphasic pattern. That is, two four-hour segments with a few hours of awake time in between. Without artificial lighting, our ancestors went to sleep at sunset, awoke in the middle of the night, then two hours later went back to bed until sunrise. It wasn’t until the 1600s that this rest pattern began to differ. With the invention of the streetlamp and light bulb, people could be up, and out and about after dark.
The Industrial Revolution that started in the mid-1700s, played a part in changing the way we snoozed, too. This is when we transitioned from creating goods by hand to machines. Up until this period, people used to nap in the afternoon for 30 minutes to two hours, but once machines were in use, segmented sleep no longer fit into the typical 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. work shift. And factory owners realized they could increase productivity and profits by adding night shifts to their schedules, further altering our slumber hours.
Today most experts recommend a full eight hours of sleep to keep us in optimal health. However, there is much evidence that we are not biologically suited to a one eight-hour period. A study by Dr. Thomas Weir, scientist, and former chief of NIHM’s Clinical Psychobiology Branch revealed that when test subjects were deprived of artificial light for 14 hours per day, within a few weeks they reverted to sleep patterns of long ago. Also interesting is that the amount of sleep needed for individuals varies depending on age and chronotype. Typically, children and teens need about two more hours of sleep than adults. And chronotype, a person’s natural propensity to feel more awake at specific times of day and more tired at others, factors in as well.
Although the quantity of sleep needed may differ from person to person, the quality of sleep is critical for everyone. So, it’s essential we have proper bedtime habits and routines. Common suggestions are sticking to a consistent sleep schedule even on weekends, creating a relaxing routine like writing in a journal before bed, and keeping your bedroom dark, cool, and quiet.
My sleep time rituals include all the above, and more! Being a tactile person, nothing feels quite as good as selecting one of my two-piece pajama sets in knit jersey or flannel to wear. So soft, so smooth, and oh so cute! If I need another layer, I may throw on an oversized cotton sweater, too. Next, I wash and brush up. Then, I pamper my feet by warming them in Bomba socks. All cozy, I start to unwind. I’m a big fan of savoring a cup of caffeine free Sleepytime or Nighty Night tea before bed. So soothing. To reduce ambient noises, I switch on my sound machine. And I make sure I have a few fun books on my nightstand that I can enjoy for a bit. Often, I keep paper and pen there as well, just in case I wake up and need to write something down. Then, it’s time to slip between the covers. Breathable, temperature-regulated bamboo sheets add comfort, while fluffy cotton quilts and blankets make lulling off to La La Land a snuggly good time. When at last my head finally hits my silky pillow top, and I turn out my reading light, I’m ready to bid the day farewell and say my prayers, as I welcome sweet dreams, and golden slumbers fill my eyes.
A Journal Journey 
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