Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep

Sleep’s a funny thing Isn’t it? Come on, sleep is weird! And dreams? I’d say, don’t get me started, but please, get me started on that another time (ask me about the Oreo Cookie).Today though, dreams not my focus for this post. 

But this thing called sleep, it sometimes comes upon us at inopportune times, like in the middle of a late afternoon meeting. Other times, when we hit the rack with a stretch of hours ahead of us to rest and repair, sleep eludes us like a greased pig. Damn!

It’s the insomnia part that I struggled with at our family’s summer vacation spot, a park model trailer at Cape Cod. There were several reasons I couldn’t get to sleep, too warm, too crowded on the snugly fit-inside-the-camper-bedroom, inadequate mattress, and uncooperative pillows. 

Now maybe in my advancing (ha!) age, I’m getting picky about my pillow. I don’t like a pillow that’s TOO firm, I can’t abide one that’s too flat, and I have no patience for a bouncy pillow. Finally, we were at a Sears store that summer, and I picked up this little number. 

Sears Memory Foam Pillow

I love my awkwardly shaped memory foam pillow, it’s really helped with sleep (that and my mouth guard for that pesky sleep apnea). But I’m also amused by it. When the colder months hit (and by now we were back home, with the pillow), I noticed that when I first got into bed at night, that my head literally hit the pillow. That is, it kind of bounced off. Now this isn’t the same reaction as the bouncy pillow. This was…well really the best analogy that fits is that my pillow felt exactly like a sturdy corrugated cardboard box. Yup. Truly. 

This is what happens to memory foam when it gets cold. It gets very stiff and unyielding. 

Luckily, memory foam also warms with your body heat, and does what it’s supposed to do, support you with love. Does a cardboard box do that?  Well, maybe if it’s one of those re-purposed large appliance crates – that you can turn into a spaceship or diving bell or a depressing night court complete with drunks and prostitutes – yeah, those “support” you I suppose With love? Maybe. 

Sweet dreams