As I shifted my position while attempting to resume my nap in my ‘Comfy Chair’ I wondered about the physics of proper body positioning to initiate sleep, fall back asleep or simply to rest awaiting sleep. I’m sure everyone has their own ‘Go To’ position when they want to fall asleep.
Sheldon from the television show ‘Big Bang’ has his selected spot on the couch that he ‘Owns’ and no one else is allowed to sit there. Reflecting back on many show’ I remember that he seems to choose lying flat on his back with his hands on his chest clutching his blankets. I know that for many people that position may increase their snoring, and some take the step of sewing a tennis ball to the back of their night shirt so that they will be uncomfortable and roll over or stay on one side or the other.
I start out on my left side, and then shift to my right side. If that does not induce sleep, I lay on my back, arms at my side. Usually that works.
If not then I mentally focus on different adventures, being Captain on a Star Trek episode, or injecting myself into a variety of my favorite television shows or movies. I learned about a mental exercise called ‘Remote Viewing’ kind of a mental teleportation to any destination you can think of. I have enjoyed visiting remote Pacific Islands, Antarctica or even to the dark side of the moon. Somewhere along the way I drift off asleep.
Falling asleep for a nap in my ‘Comfy Chair’ is much easier, I simply turn the TV on to a replay of a show from the 60′, or select a 24 hour news show where they repeat the same stuff over and over. Sometimes I put on some classical music, and drift off to Nirvana land.
People spend one-third of their lives asleep, mattress salespeople usually point that out as they try to sell you an expensive sleep system, so they can earn more money and sleep better at night while you lay awake at night trying to figure out how to pay for it.
It was once thought that sleep was a passive activity, but science has proven that our brains work overtime during sleep making and breaking neural connections that result in mental restoration. Kind of like an assimilation and reboot on your computer I guess.
Lack of sleep has a very detrimental effect on humans. Infants require 16 hours of sleep a night, teenagers 9, as we grow older many require less sleep, but 7-8 hours is recommended.
Not getting enough sleep can lead to serious health problems, it can cause accidents; at work or while driving or just doing things, it can cause depression, it ages your skin, can make you forgetful, gain weight and even increase the risk of death, now that will keep you awake just thinking of all of these bad effects.
So tonight I wish all a good night’ sleep. I hope you all sleep like a baby, maybe not 16 hours worth and of course no diaper changes and crying. For me, time for a nap!
‘Remember, every day is a gift! Some are just a little more fun to open than others. – Joel
Author of: ‘The Guinea Pig In The Freezer’
joelmvernier@aol.com -¬ Joel M. Vernier
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