It seems that with every ticked off box on the calendar, on seeing every rising sun, we welcome a new National insert something whacky/mundane/anything here Day.
Well, the bright sparks who choose these titles sure lack generosity, for the 30th October – the ONLY day when we, by law, have to enjoy an extra hour in bed – is the day bestowed with the honour of National Sleep-In Day. Our precocious, presumptuous little smart phones will automatically change in accordance with the clocks, and we’ll likely be none the wiser to the extra hour’s rest. The ‘forgot to change the clocks back’ excuse for office tardiness will be met with a chiding, not chuckles, and we’ll wake up having not luxuriated in the knowledge of our indulgent, nationally cherished extra hour.
30th October. What a date to deem National Sleep-In Day.
How unimaginative. How frugal. How tight. How completely against the spirit of having a lie-in. So, with that rant out of the way, here are 5 IDEAL reasons why every day should be National Sleep-In Day.
It Enables Creativity and Is Indicative of Intelligence
We all know the health benefits of sleep per se, and there is nothing more positively impactful than getting enough, but we’re here to talk about lie-ins specially.
Being a night owl and enjoying sleeping-in are inextricably linked, and a higher creative output is the natural bedfellow of the accordant sleep pattern. Scientific studies have shown that those who go to bed later tend to be more intelligent and creative. The most creative, successful companies in the world now tend to operate with flexible starting hours and allow people to work from home (translating as ‘from their beds’, don’t you think?). Maybe it’s something about the dead of night and lack of external distractions, but we tend to agree with this assessment. Whether you think this article was written in the morning or evening, then, we’d prefer you not to comment on.
It’s Non-Conformist
Society seems intent on making us feel guilty and ashamed for everything. We’re criticised for oversharing yet the overly private are deemed suspicious. There are derogative terms for those who like to spend and for those who like to save, equally. Show too much interest in something and you’re obsessed, not enough and you’re apathetic. We seem to be living in an age where you can’t win.
One fool proof way to issue a raised middle finger to ‘the man’ without doing any harm to your fellow humans in the process is by having a lie-in. There’s something decadent, extravagant and ostentatious about waking up of your own accord at 11 in the morning; a feeling which the miserable fools who wake up at 6am for no reason other than to meet societal expectations will never have the pleasure of experiencing.
It Promotes Lucid Dreaming
Lucid dreams are those which we have a sense of control over and occur best (you guessed it) during the lie-in phase. When we’re aware that we’re dreaming, and start to exercise some autonomy over our actions within the dream’s landscape, it is said that there are benefits. As dreams are a space for personal reflection, and a way to process the day’s events, lucid dreaming increases the ability to gain real-life mediation. It’s also said that this type of dreaming allows for a ‘mental rehearsal’ of the day ahead, allowing you to practice for occasions for may feel apprehensive about and hopefully, in the process, soothing your fears.
It Strengthens the Brain and in Doing So, Your Memory
REM is an invaluable period of sleep which occurs late in the sleep cycle and is widely accepted to be vital for healthy brain function. As it happens towards the end of a 90 minute course, only by not waking up to an alarm can you naturally complete the final one of these cycles before you wake up. REM serves to sift through the facts and figures accumulated during the day and binning those not deemed useful – clearing space and aiding memory retention in the process. This crucial part of sleep also assists your brain in procedural retention; that is, establishing methods and ways of doing things which you’ve learnt in your waking state. This REM stage is best nourished, undisturbed, during your morning lie-in.
It Leads to a More Laid-Back Temperament
Never are tensions more frayed than during the rushed morning routine a missed alarm has caused. Coffee is spilled on your ill-judged, un-ironed white shirt. Breakfast is eaten under the running shower head; where the lather begins and cereal milk ends, you’re not so sure. You slam the door behind you only to realise your keys are inside. Any attempt to block out rush-hour’s soundtrack of sneezing and sighing is torpedoed by your phone’s lack of charge. This is not the way to stand your day in good stead.
If only you’d have slept in; slipping out of bed on the right side, taking everything low and slow and in your stride, carrying out your day’s jobs with the mellow afterglow only a lie-in can bestow.
So, ignore the draconian ‘one-lie-in-a-year’ diktat. Switch off the alarm. Your work will understand…..
