My love affair with sleep started long before sleep tech was a thing, and in an era when sleep was still frowned upon as the pastime of lazy fellows.
Catching me taking naps at odd times when I was probably not even 10, my dad had almost given up on any hope of even a remotely bright future for me.
When I joined the boarding school in class 6, the strict daily schedule from 5 am to 9 pm seemed like a rude shock...till I found a hack to spend time with my sweet heart. After lunch, when everyone would go to the hostel to change, exchange some chatter, and get ready for sports, I would quietly go to the library and fall asleep on the desk as soon as I opened a book.
The nap on the library desk routine continued to work well during college days in Delhi University.
This skill came in very handy in the early part of my career.
I have fond memories of a few occasions when working late into the night, I would fall asleep on the office desk only to wake up refreshed in the wee hours, get some more work done, then go home for a shower and change and be back to office. Please don't judge me for this - those were days when I was a young bachelor living away from family and work was more exciting than most other things I could do with my time. Also, back then there was no social media for youngsters to spend 70 hours/week debating the merits of 70 hours per week of work 😊
After marriage, and before my wife could figure out a way to handle my love for sleep, we went to #insead for my MBA. To my pleasant surprise, the library there actually had a nap zone with loungers. For the first time in life, it felt as if my life-long affair with sleep was legitimate. Sleeping in the library was not an offence, as I had assumed all my life. In that split moment, the hefty fees that I had paid for my MBA seemed fully justified.
Fast forward to today:
Sleep is in vogue. Endorsed by physicians, influencers, and celebrities. 8 hours minimum, and the more, the merrier. I proudly flaunt a Fitbit on my wrist and pay for a monthly subscription that allows me to measure and analyze my sleep pattern in details. My wife and kids respect my sleep probably more than they respect me. I don't mind at all.
My idea of a good life on an average weekend: after a morning run and a sumptuous breakfast, you pick up a book, lie down in bed, and gently doze off - without an ounce of guilt.
How times have changed!
#sleep #life #musings #sleeptech #work