As cat guardians, we’re very aware the our feline friends know how to make the most of sleep time. Today is Festival of Sleep Day, and we’re going to take some lessons from the cat playbook.
Festival of Sleep Day was created for people wanting some “shut eye” and relaxation after the holidays. Holiday season is tiring with shopping, parties and visitors. so it’s time to slow down.
Research shows there are detrimental effects to sleep deprivation including:
• Heart Disease
• High Blood Pressure
• Stroke
• Diabetes
The effects of lack of sleep aren’t just physical, there are some mental effects, too. Attention, alertness, and concentration aren’t as sharp.
Reasoning and problem solving don’t operate as efficiently either, which makes it more difficult to learn. This makes sleep incredibly important for college students, or people simply trying to learn a new language on their own.
Some of the cats from our Facebook community: Rontzi, Abby, Hooli and Ben, help illustrate how to get the most from your sleep time
Determine Sleeping Arrangements: Alone, With Pets, Or Significant Other
Taking a page from my cat Marty’s (pictured above) lesson plan, think I will go this one alone. Start by determining if you’ll get the best sleep alone, cuddling with pets, or with your significant other.
How Long Will You Snooze?
For most of us, it’s back to work today after the holiday break. Rontzi (pictured above) made sure to set her alarm before heading off for her nap. Depending on your schedule, decide if it will be power nap of 30 minutes or less, or will it be an all-afternoon snooze.
What Will You Wear?
To get the best rest, it’s important to be comfortable. Pick clothes that will help you get to that zone. Also, be sure the temperature where you’ll be sleeping is right for you. Research shows the temperature that leads to the best sleep is around 69 degrees Fahrenheit.
Select Your Best Nap Spot
Getting good rest time is about being comfortable, so be sure to select a location where you can spread out. I often fall asleep on my love seat, but I have to scrunch up a bit to fit. That’s a no-go in this case.
Did This Help?
After you awake, take a few minutes to determine of this sleep time helped. Most of us are sleep deprived to some degree, so taking some time to catch up can help energize us. If you determine you do feel quite a bit better as a result, look at your typical schedule to slot this as an ongoing activity.
For some, the Festival Of Sleep may seem wacky, but I think our feline friends are definitely onto something, sleep really is a great thing! Try it, you’ll like it!
If you’d like to see more pictures of the great cats in our Facebook community, visit and like our page at Facebook.com/FullyFeline
This post originally appeared in 2017 but has been edited for content.
Written by Karen
