Opinion  Alan D. Abbey
Go to sleep
Alan D. Abbey
Published: 19.09.05, 15:35
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7 Talkbacks for this article
1. Good point
JJ   (09.20.05)
Its true that we don't sleep enough, sleep makes one restful, reflective, and at peace
2. More than a praying issue
Eric ,   Bet Shemesh   (09.20.05)
As Olim from the US, we had to adjust from a 5-day work-school week to a 6-day week here. Life here is non-stop. In the US, the traditional work-day begins at 9:00 AM, here more like 8:00 AM or earlier. It's not just an issue of people going to pray early in the AM - when I walk to the synagogue at 6:15 AM, there are already throngs of people queued at the bus stops, heading to work and school. It's common knowledge that teenagers need huge amounts of sleep, yet my high-school child has a first class at 7:30 AM - it is not possible for half-awake teachers or students to be productive so early in the morning, why even bother? Alas, It will be difficult to change our cultural and societal time clocks. 24-hour TV, the Internet, 24-hour shopping just make it all worse. Even if we move to a shorter and later work-school week, we will always find other things to keep us awake much too late. I fear that we are doomed to live in a sleep deprived world, and thus and irritable, grouchy and non-productive one. Whatever happened to the concept of the "siesta"? My father has a 30-minute nap each afternoon, maybe we should follow his example!
3. Sleepless in the U.S. too
(09.20.05)
I always marvel when a foreign associate from Europe has an automated email reply that says their office is closed for a 2 week holiday. This would never happen in the U.S. My teens also start school at 7:30 - after catching the school bus at 6:30 a.m. to get them there on time. My husband works for big blue working nearly around the clock, including weekends and when on vacation. I work in an intellectual property law firm and attorneys send email to my private email account regarding work, long after I've left the office. I need to set boundaries. We are not observant, but the concept of shabbat makes a lot of sense .
4. Sleep
Birdi ,   Israel   (09.20.05)
Brilliant article, the truth is out about sleep.Of course we Israelis dont sleep enough. Goodnight.
5. Sleep on Shabbos. There is no requirement for women to
Bunnie Meyer ,   Santa Monica, CA   (09.21.05)
attend shul on Shabbos and from Friday night to Saturday night I get about 18 hours sleep and it is wonderful. G-D gave us Shabbos to rest one day and anyone who wants to work on Shabbos needs some Ortrhodox instruction on how to enjoy the day off.
6. your writing put me to sleep Alan!
Josia ,   Israel   (09.22.05)
But seriously - very informative piece ... I'm off to bed. J.
7. blame Thomas Edison
M ,   USA   (10.12.05)
Sleep deprivation is important and serious. However, don't blame the Rabbis/religion. Place blame where it belongs - the elctric light bulb/Thomas Edison....
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