Parkzeit 2021-2 (EN)

A Good Night’s Sleep
In a world that never seems to settle down,
sleeping appears like an untimely need.
And yet, a good night's sleep is an efficient
and valuable source of energy that has
no substitute. Psychologist Dr Melanie
Robertson is committed to restoring sleep’s
deserved status. She advises us to think of
sleep as a caring big brother who embraces
you protectively each and every night.
Somewhere in the city, a church clock chimes
twelve. It's midnight and the moon is high in the
sky. However, no one seems to be thinking about
sleeping: People crowd the counters in the bars,
the streets are busy, and the windows are brightly
lit. Now seems as good a time as any to quickly
make a final bank transfer for the day, to place an
online grocery order for tomorrow's birthday party
at the deli around the corner, and, once you've put
on your reading glasses and poured yourself a
glass of wine, to check out the latest goings-on on
your social media channels. And, before you know
it, night turns into day and the clock strikes again.
Those who go to bed at such times may well
wonder why sleep seems so elusive: The brain and
body are wide awake. Reason – and reason only –
suggests turning off the lights. And when the alarm
clock rings the next morning, you hardly feel up to
the day’s challenges. Your head is buzzing and your
eyes are watering. Sleep was unable to perform its
healing effects. Instead of allowing sleep the time it
deserves and seeing it as a source of regeneration
and rest, it is instead treated like an unwanted
problem. The result: a vicious circle. Dr Melanie
Robertson can help you to escape this pattern.
Dr Robertson, we all know that sometimes
young children don’t want to go to bed for fear
of missing out. Are we adults feeling the same
way these days?
Yes, in some ways that’s a good parallel. We all
want to function at a high level. When we are
asleep, it seems like a waste of time. It’s a time
when we all must let go, which is hard for many
people. The idea of relinquishing control for a few
hours does not fit to our lifestyles of constant
accessibility and availability. Therefore, sleep is
having a hard time in our current living and working
world. Sleep patterns change as we grow older.
Sleep becomes more fragmented. Sleep
34 A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP 35