Aye, there’s the rub. – William Shakespeare

People have been talking and exploring sleep since the beginning of time.  This morning I have collected a few of my favorite things they have had to say about it…

Sleep is the best meditation – Dalai Lama

Indeed, sleep is the period during which your brain processes the previous day’s events and information, and prepares for the coming day’s.  Without sleep, we lack the ability to function at our highest level and are instead clogged by unprocessed information that distracts us from the present.

As a well-spent day brings happy sleep, so a life well-spent brings happy death. – Leonardo da Vinci

Many authors and thinkers have likened sleep to death.  While they do share some obvious similarities, one thing in particular that they have in common is that many questions remain unanswered about both.  In fact, to this day, scientists are still not sure exactly why humans need sleep.

Sleep is the poor man’s treasure. – Latvian Proverb

The benefits of sleep are immeasurable.  Although sleep is still somewhat of a mysterious activity, there is no doubt that it is one of the most important activities in life and one of the most useful. In fact, one spends a third of one’s life (approximately 10 Years) in bed!

Don’t give up your dreams, keep on sleeping. – Albert Einstein

Dreams occur during the REM (rapid eye movement) cycle of sleep.  They are your brains way of processing the information it accumulated the day before.  Did you know? 12% of people dream in black and white, a number that has decreased since the invention of color television.

Finish each day before you begin the next, and interpose a solid wall of sleep between the two. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

The world record holder for staying awake the longest was a 17 year old boy named Randy Gardner.  In 1964 he stayed awake for 264 hours and 12 minutes!  That’s a little over 11 days! Apparently he chose not to follow Emerson’s insightful advice.

Without enough sleep, we all become tall two year olds. – Jojo Jensen

In fact, sleep deprivation can affect the brain very similarly to alcohol.  After being awake for 16 hours, your performance quality is equivalent to if you had a blood alcohol content of .05%. This might explain why teachers are always advising their students to sleep rather than spend all night studying.  It is generally not wise to test your knowledge while intoxicated, and yet, that’s what most students unknowingly choose to do.

There is only one thing people like that is good for them; a good night’s sleep. – E.W. Howe

Wise words.

Cheers and sleep well.