Conclusions
“Mamma in her kerchief, and I in my cap had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap.” Ah, that wonderful refrain from “The Night before Christmas.” Were Mamma and Pappa being smart about sleeping in a cold bedroom accompanied by kerchief and cap, or was it just the case that their home, like many others of this era, did not have adequate insulation to fend off the chill of a winter’s night? Whether planned or not, there is something to be learned about a “long winter’s nap” accompanying a cold bedroom. There is also something to be learned from the Mexican and South American novelists who portray successful siestas. Sound sleep occurs on hammocks slung over hooks on a tiled porch. Sometimes, hot and humid climates can induce sleep—especially in the early afternoon. As it has often been said “only mad dogs and English men go out in the noon day sun [especially in tropical locations].” Non-mad dogs and non-Brits take a nap.
We are left with choices to be made regarding the sleep environment we prefer—whether it be hot or cold, dark or light, noisy or silent, alone or with a partner. We might like to vary the environment from day to day or at least from season to season. Perhaps a special night on the Night before Christmas or on a warm Fourth of July evening (after watching the fireworks). My grandchildren would join my wife and I in sleeping out on the deck in late August. Snuggled in sleeping bags, we would watch the shower of shooting stars that appeared at this time of year. The stars would entertain and enthrall us when we were awake, while the cool summer breeze would grace our sleep. We would wake up to the sunrise over our California forest home. Now that was environment-enhanced sleep—and my wife and I didn’t even don our kerchief and cap.
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References
Bergquist, William (2019a) Pathways to Sleep I: An Introduction. Library of Professional Psychology. Link: Pathways to Sleep I: An Introduction | Library of Professional Psychology – Part 8
Bergquist, William (2019b ) Pathways to Sleep II: How Do We “Manage” Sleep. Library of Professional Psychology. Link: Pathways to Sleep II: How Do We “Manage” Sleep? | Library of Professional Psychology
Bergquist, William (2023) Dorveille and Breath: Two Sleep-Enhancing Strategies. Library of Professional Psychology. Link: Dorveille and Breath: Two Sleep-Enhancing Strategies | Library of Professional Psychology
Bergquist, William. and Agnes Mura, Ten Themes and Variations for Postmodern Leaders and Their Coaches. Harpswell, Maine: Pacific Soundings Press, 2005.
Sapolsky, Robert (2004) Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers [3rd Ed.] New York: Holt.
