Sleep

Why do we sleep? We sleep for essential physical and mental rest. Sleep gives your body time to repair itself and carry out important functions, like clearing out waste and releasing hormones and boost the immune system. Without these processes, our bodies can’t function correctly. The brain also benefits significantly, processing and storing memories, strengthening important neural connections, clearing out waste products, and regulating emotions, which supports improved concentration, judgment, and problem-solving.

I am a bad sleeper but in recent years there has been improvement through therapy, meditation and breathing exercises. I also found a lot of advice and tips in Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams, the essential bestseller from Matthew Walker, PhD. It’s simply a must-read.
I can also really enjoy the music from Max Richter. Richter is a German-born British composer and pianist. He works within postminimalist and contemporary classical styles. In 2015, Richter released his most ambitious project to date titled Sleep, an 8.5-hour listening experience targeted to fit a full night’s rest. The album contains 31 compositions, most of them 20–30 minutes in duration, all based on variations of 4-5 themes. The music is calm, slow, and mellow, and composed for piano, cello, two violas, two violins, organ, soprano vocals, synthesisers, and electronics. Max Richter’s recent album Sleep Circle is the newly recorded and abridged version of Richter’s 2012 project Sleep. Sleep Circle is informed by the experience of his concert performances of the original album.

Some nights I wish I was a cat. Yes, cats sleep a lot, typically for 12-16 hours a day on average, with some napping for up to 20 hours. Niki is my new therapist. He’s learning me to fall asleep faster and sleep better. Here we are, listening to Max Richter’s Sleep Circle and enjoying our first session.

Enjoy this beautiful day, my friends, wherever you are.
Peace, love and understanding across the world.