Sleeping Quirks


If you had visited my blog last week you would have noticed that most of the topics I posted on were slightly on the heavier side. I guess it just was one of those weeks where everything in the horizon seemed to be colored blue.

So I’ve decided to take a breather, take it easy on the grave issues front for some time. You know come up with easy going posts. Sounds good? I thought so too!

But what do I write today? A lot of ideas seem to be floating around me. But no sooner than I extend my hands that the thought bubbles burst away, almost teasingly. So near yet so far these thoughts I tell you. All of them so much within, yet beyond my reach.

Anyways, moving on.

How’s your day been so far? I’m in office blogging away to glory in between work. I love doing it you know. There should be something that helps me go on in this mundane place of work right?

By the way did I tell you about a conversation I was having with my dad and sister the other day? I think not. Well, why don’t I tell you about it today?


A certain realization dawned on my dad a few nights back when he kept tossing and turning up to 3 in the morning. He likes to worry for us every night and hence he more or less sleeps very late every other day. He’s sweet, worrying about us and all. Even if there is nothing to be anxious about we know he’ll think of something. If he could we would be have been placed in an Utopian world by now, where no one could ever hurt or trouble us. But that is a topic for another day.

So yes what was that insight on which he stumbled upon you ask? I’ll tell you. We asked him the same question too.

On that night he realized that hands are the biggest obstructions for a person on the verge of falling asleep. Hands- where does one keep them? Not sure what he meant? I know. We weren't either. But then he explained.

But before that tell me have you ever noticed your posture while you sleep? Okay, let me rephrase that since how can you possibly notice yourself if you are already asleep. Silly me! Did anyone ever tell you about the posture in which you always sleep? Or, how do you lay down when you are about to doze off? Perhaps the posture of your sibling or parents when they take a nap? This especially with respect to how they keep their hands.


Think about what I asked as you read on.

So as dad was trying hard to fall asleep he realized that no matter how he kept his hands he just couldn't feel comfortable that night. So it dawned on him that every person has to find a suitable position to place his or her hands on to fall asleep peacefully. You must have noticed that some people put both hands behind their head while they sleep on their backs. It is only then that they drift in to sweet slumber. There are those who sleep on their tummies with both hands under the pillow or crossed over their head. Again, the only way sleep caresses them. And then there are those, like me, who curl to one side and then put one hand under the pillow while the other on their cheeks. Of course, there are also those who have no idea about the 360 degree turn their hands take as they sleep. There just seems to be a certain angle, specific to each person, which the hands need to be in for us to be touched by the Fairy God-Mother of Sleep. Can you believe it?

"So you know I have to keep turning the pillow like a roti till I actually fall asleep?"

Obviously dad was joking with us. We tend to discuss silly things like this, the three of us, all the time. In fact, the four of us, mom included. But admit it you did begin thinking about it seriously for a moment? I did too. Perhaps, there is indeed some truth to it. What do you think? After this discussion we all were so conscious about our hands while sleeping the other day that we had a big laugh about it.

Wait. Don't leave yet. I have something more to tell you.

The very next night after this sleep-posture oriented discussion a realization dawned on me too. Seriously! It struck me that the temperature of our ears is directly proportional to how much time it takes for us to fall asleep. Really! If your ears are warm then it will take you more time to fall asleep. I can’t sleep if my ears get hot which happens most of the times when the pillow isn't cold. So you know I have to keep turning the pillow like a roti till I actually fall asleep! Yes, all this just to keep my ears cold. Strange but true.

Got you, didn't I? Didn't you begin thinking about your ears too?

So tell me do you have any quirks for going to sleep? Maybe the pillow in a certain position or you head tilted in a certain way?

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