Need a “Sleep-cation?”

Johnny-on-the-Spot … by John Foster …

My wife and I and another couple is planning an Alaskan cruise later this summer but also on the agenda is a getaway to Pelee Island with the Uricks, capped off by the 2nd annual “Foster-Palooza” with my three sisters, also on Pelee Island.

The Alaska vacation will be on-board a ship while the first Pelee Island getaway will be in a lake-side house and the Foster Palooza will largely be at my sister Jerry’s house but my remaining 2 sisters and I will be sleeping at a different location on the same island.

The Alaska cruise will involve lots of new scenery, critters and activities while the first Pelee venture involves a lot of lake watching, eating, game-playing, some fishing and relaxing.

The 2nd annual “Pelee Palooza”, if it’s anything like the initial gathering will involve much laughter, great food and a cold beer or two…or three.

Suffice it to say that whenever the days’ activities end at any of the 3 events, sleep will not be a problem for me.

But in America, the “wine and cheese” set has begun to go on “sleepcations”.

It’s sleep tourism where you travel to places specifically designed to help you get better sleep.

Proof positive to me, much like the plethora of storage spaces bubbling up around us, we Americans have too many “things” and too much money to spend on them.

About 1 in 5 Americans are eyeing “wellness retreats” for vacations and, of that number, more than 50% of them are more mindful about sleep health.

So why not travel somewhere to snooze for the week?

In that group, sleeping outranks shopping, nightlife and wildlife-spotting as the preferred activity, or lack thereof.

You can find special “sleep suites” with fancy “sleep and relaxation” features, complete with “blackout curtains”, get “sweet dreams” massages, bath bombs, relaxation sprays, eye masks, white noise machines, eye masks and non-alcoholic “mocktails” or special herbal teas.

You can also consider checking into a hotel in your own city since some of them offer special sleep packages.

How about a breakfast buffet that stays open till 11AM where the eggs aren’t cold and there’s more than crumbs on the bacon pan?

You know what I’d really like?

An air-conditioned pillow.

I’m always flipping mine for some cool relief.

The point is that most of the “sleepcation” resort features can be replicated at home and it’s probably not as expensive.

Hey!

Sleep, or the lack of it, is an issue in America.

Up to 70 million of us have sleep disorders of one kind or another.

They can cause affect cognitive functions, mood, weight and the immune system as well as lead to chronic diseases like diabetes, obesity and hypertension.

One in 3 adults do not regularly get the recommended amount of “uninterrupted sleep” every night.

For adults 65 and older, that’s 7-8 hours while those under 64 should be getting 7-9 hours nightly.

I’m reminded of a furniture salesman in my hometown who would advertise his new mattresses by reminding us we spend one-third of our lives in bed.

My biggest nighttime issue is that 3 hour restroom call my bladder gives me every night.

Short of diapers or a catheter, I’m not sure of my options.

Falling asleep has never been an issue for me.

In the military, you learn how to snooze in airports, on busses, an airplane hangar, even on a flight line and I dozed quite nicely in the cargo bay of a very noisy C-141 aircraft on my way home from Greenland.

Some doctors wonder aloud if these “sleepcations” have any long-term benefits for the practitioners suggesting it’s nothing more than a “band-aid” for sleep issues.

Now I know sleep experts say a full-on “sleep retreat” will help guide your physical wellness.

I’m thinking a more practical application for we Americans with too much stuff, too much money and too much time on our hands would be to turn these storage units into mini-air conditioned rooms with a porta-pot and a recliner.

Man, I can blow some serious z’s in my old red recliner!

I may have just given away the next billion dollar career opportunity.

As for a “sleepcation”, I think I’ll limit that to afternoon catnaps.

In my red recliner.

If I just had that air-conditioned pillow!