Can you learn to sleep?

I assume not, but then, when researching sleep for this project, just the thought of bringing books about sleep into my bedroom changed something. I slowed down, but what slowed? My thinking? Maybe. I know that as I thought about a sleep ritual remnants of one emerged. 

I made tea. I already have “sleepy tea” - as my mom calls it - in the cupboard. I just had to make it and after just considering a sleep ritual, I did. It occurs to me that I was also aware of the texture of my bed sheets and the motion of my limbs as they did things like “slide between” or over or into the sheets.

Sleep is not a given. There is too much to potentially get in the way of rest. It is too often described as an indulgence so no doubt there are psychological barriers.  I wonder what the value might be in formalising and publicly enacting a sleep or rest ritual? Would the same thing occur in others as it did in me? Would we respond to the suggestion collectively?

“Why am I researching sleep for The Handless Project?” you ask. I want to counter my usual theatre practice of nearly killing myself to do a project. I don’t know how to care for myself as I work and often exhaust myself in the pursuit of an idea. The activity I want to share will benefit from my having as much energy to give to it as possible. Compassion and empathy are adversely affected by lack of sleep!

24 hours is a long time and I have invited others to join me in it so I feel responsible for those people too. How do we arrive at the final hour without feeling destroyed? I’m going to explore that in the coming months and hope to share with you what I find. Maybe it will be useful.