Sleep Sabbatical

By Rick Alexander

After having about twelve days off over the Christmas break, I’m painfully aware of how much sleep I need. Sure, I try to get a minimum of seven hours a night, but even with that, I think I need more. Our over-scheduled, stress-filled, caffeine addicted and adrenaline fueled  existences mask our bodies deep need to periodically refresh and renew,

That’s why I am proposing a “sleep sabbatical”, a month of paid time off so you can SLEEP. No travel, no fast-paced vacation, no honey-do list, no work! Yes, you can do stuff, even some of the stuff on the forbidden list, but sleeping is the A+, #1 priority. Go to sleep whenever tired, awake only when your body says it’s time. Sleep trumps all during this “sleep sabbatical” Naps? Yeah, we got naps! Stay in your PJs all day? Bring it!  No guilt and no goals can be achieved during this time. SLEEP RULES!

I believe the word sabbatical comes the Biblical word Sabbath, the seventh day of rest. Some professions, mostly in the teaching arena, offer sabbaticals to take time off and refresh professionally. I personally think we would need a sleep sabbatical more than once every seven years. Every other year would be good, but a minimum of one month every three years is what we would need for it to be effective. Remember, this is in addition to whatever paid leave you already have, but you’d have to use it for sleep. NO CHEATING! How would that work for you?