Sleep Well Sleep Hard - Blog out with Hall of Fame Sleepers

Turning Japanese?

2007-04-20T11:30:00.000-07:00

Nakamichi or Maharishi?

Nakamichi is a Japanese high end audio company famous for its innovative and high quality cassette decks. In 1999 Nakamichi introduced home theater audio systems that could be hung on a wall. Nakamichi also sells high-quality mini systems, automotive stereo products and home video products.
Maharishi is a high end clothing company that focuses on denim and camouflage. Not to be confused with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, the founder of Transcendental Meditation.

And this speaker is actually Maharishi.

Sleep-talkers, day 4

2007-04-06T18:24:00.001-07:00

Day four at the sleep-talking lab... This time the guinea pigs are men in their thirties. By now, all I want to do is trade places with them. What's on their unconscious minds? Drop pajamas seat, pajamas sleeper and community pajamas type. B-o-r-i-n-g... Coping with their s-n-o-r-i-n-g... But the good news is that it's Friday and tomorrow I'm off the hook.

Sleep-talkers, day 3

2007-04-06T18:23:00.005-07:00

Day three and yes, I am hanging in there... sort of... somehow. Anyway, today it's boy toddlers. Cute little footed pajamas and lots of drool. The sleep-talking topics in this room focused on games, songs, computers and the like... Once again, to be expected. What was curious is that a couple of boys seemed to be having a similar dream or a telepathic dialogue about game lyric pajamas and download pajamas sam. This was a confirmation that it's the absolute last time that I am getting conned into this. I was honored when I was first asked to participate, but having been here for 2-3 days now, I realize that it's a chore.

Sleep-talkers, day 2

2007-04-06T18:23:00.003-07:00

On day two I was with rich housewives who were obsessed with horses and babies... hence the words that came out of their sleep talking mouths revolved around "sleazy sleepwear horse"or "baby clothes girl sleepwear"... Not exactly surprising or inspiring, to be frank. More like painfully tedious and uchallenging. My only challenge was trying to stay awake watching them sleep in cozy curled up positions. It's ok... two more days and I'm done.

Sleep-talkers, day 1

2007-04-06T18:23:00.001-07:00

A few months ago the sleeper commission asked me to participate in a sleep-talking study as one of the judges. I was hoping for an interesting experience, since I've always been fascinated with the unconscious mind and dreaming. The patients were split up by different criteria and put into separate rooms. On the first day I was monitoring a room of teenage girls between 13-18. Their sleep talking wasn't too hard to decipher. It mainly revolved around fashion and shopping for sleepwear, proclaimed in lines such as "clothing fashion girl loungewear sleepwear" and "com secret sleepwear victoria". Although there's no cohesive sentence structure, it was easy to record and analyze. Interesting? not really.

Sleepwear shopping online

2007-04-05T17:22:00.006-07:00

Shopping sleepwear online is not only a time-saver, but is also a money-saver. And since most stores won't let you try on intimates anyway, just use your best judgement and if you happen to be wrong, then you can always exchange. Be on the look-out for a sleepwear clearance after major holidays and at the end of summer.

Sleepwear Do's and Don'ts, part 2

2007-04-05T17:22:00.005-07:00

DO this white satin night gown with lace detail by Valerie Stevens sleepwear.

DON'T get caught in these pajamas by Wicking J sleepwear unless you work in a hospital.

Sleepwear Do's and Don'ts

2007-04-05T17:22:00.003-07:00

I love this cotton & cashmere layered nightie from Peter Alexander sleepwear. It's a definite DO. Erika Taylor sleepwear is clearly a DON'T to me. Too old-lady and tired. Time to move on to hip fresh new styles, even if it is for your private sleeping time.

Comfort rules

2007-03-21T11:19:00.000-07:00

Carole Hochman sleepwear is inspired by her boyfriend's cotton t-shirt, which is always inviting to sleep in. May not be the most feminine or sexy wear, but definitely comfortable when you're tired of the tight fitting negligees. And she makes it her goal to have high quality cotton. But there's another side to Carole - she is also the creative force behind some private labels, and is the licensee for Oscar de la Renta's lingerie collection.

Sleep better in silk

2007-03-21T10:35:00.000-07:00

Miss Elaine sleepwear is known for their long fluid silk gowns. The gown featured above is a Classic Miss Elaine Silk Essence, with long spaghetti straps, which comes in a set with a long wrap silk coat. I love the feminine lace accents on both pieces. Right now they are on special sleepwear sale at amazon.com.

Sleep like a king

2007-03-08T23:43:00.001-08:00

Want to sleep like royalty without breaking your bank account? Overtock.com is here to help. If you know about luxury bedding then you know that egyptian cotton sheets are the finest. Here you can find the right thread count and the right color to match your duvet covers and pillows.

Sleepwear for the little princess

2007-03-07T23:32:00.001-08:00

Kid pageants have always freaked me out. Kind of like the carousel tune in horror movies, I guess. Like it should be pleasant, but it's not... Anyway, there's just something unnatural about all those little girls all dolled up, acting as little women, body language, lipstick and all. This pink pageant sleepwear gown is yet another reminder of how tacky it really is. Even my grandma would never wear that. It reminds me of those ridiculous poodles or celebrity chihuahuas in their furry jackets and booties. Tinker? Tinker? Are you in there?

Sleepwear choices for women

2007-03-07T23:31:00.002-08:00

When it comes to womens sleepwear, there are simply too many choices. To narrow it down, you need to know what you're looking for. For simplicity and comfort, I recommend DKNY sleepwear. For a more racy-lacy number, you can't go wrong with Oscar de la Renta sleepwear.

Bedding, Jr. has more fun

2007-03-06T22:42:00.003-08:00

Juvenile bedding comes in all kinds of fun patterns, colors and your kids' favorite cartoon characters. What about the "big" babies? Why can't we fall asleep in Elmo's arms or trade places with Barbie?

Regional bedding

2007-03-06T22:42:00.001-08:00

John Deere Bedding is to mid-west what Roxy Bedding is to California. Just look at the logos. Nuff said.

Sleeping in the rain

2007-02-06T23:11:00.001-08:00

Sleeping in the rain is romantic when you’re inside, warm and cozy by a fireplace. But if you’re out and caught off guard, then it’s no picnic. Make sure that you go to the bathroom right before the competition, or else the sound of running of water will send you to the john and get you disqualified from the race. There have been cases of participants relieving themselves in bed, and they too were disqualified. If you don't trust your bladder, use a waterbed and make sure to have waterbed sheets.

Sleeping in the wind

2007-02-06T23:09:00.002-08:00

Sleeping in the wind is no easy task. There is a lot of self-protection to account for. Depending on your location at the time of wind, you need to know whether your surroundings are hazardous in terms of debris. If you’re in the woods under windy conditions, beware of falling branches, rockslides, etc. Having a sturdy low tent is a plus and then it’s all about positioning. If you’re in a mountainous region or a rocky beach, try to be adjacent to a side that goes with the wind and not against it. Bedding wise, just use your common sense. Naturally satin bedding would not do well in windy conditions, neither would canopy bedding, for obvious reasons.

Sleeping in the snow

2007-02-06T23:09:00.001-08:00

Sleeping in the snow can be fun if you plan ahead. You need to be prepared and efficient. You’ll need warm flannel sheets and down comforters - optimal bedding for below zero conditions. Down comforters are good insulators, but nothing’s better than a partner to cuddle up to. If they like it, you can enter the couples sleeper cross division. But if you do end up solo and have a generator, then you could also plug in a Sunbeam electric blanket for a constant heat source throughout the night.

Sleeping in the sun

2007-02-02T17:46:00.001-08:00

Sleeping in the sun requires proper hydration beforehand and smart sleepwear and bedding. Calvin Klein sleepwear is made from light breathable cotton,hence a perfect option for high temperatures and sun exposure. Choose white or pastel colors for less heat absorption. You should cover yourself as much as possible to avoid dehydration. The less your body is covered, the faster you lose water through your exposed skin. So please beware. I strongly suggest bringing along a camel water pack, a mosquito net and a good sunscreen. Bedding is as equally important; for extremely hot conditions I recommend Egyptian cotton sheets and a visco pedic foam mattress, because it takes on the shape of your body, which prevents you from tossing and depleting your energy and water supply. Be careful and all the best.

Sleeping in the elements

2007-02-02T17:45:00.001-08:00

There is a whole science to sleeping in the elements. Over the next few posts, I will feature my recommendations for sleeping in the wild. So keep your eyes open and good luck.

If you’re too domesticated and spoiled and have self-doubts about sleeping in the wild, you can try out a couple of training sessions that will help you gain knowledge and confidence for the outdoor survival.

There are training centers across the country, and even abroad now, that can help you gear up for sleeping in the great outdoors. If you need contact information for the center nearest you, please leave a comment underneath this post and I would gladly help you out.

Kid's Bedding

2007-02-01T18:04:00.003-08:00

That is not to say that all kid's bedding needs to be devoid of color or pattern. Boys are infinitely fascinated by cars, so they'll enjoy Nascar bedding resplendent with the latest sports cars and champions' signatures. And girls will love the abundance of color and fabric choices from Seventeen bedding, their favorite magazine's collections.

Sacred infant sleep

2007-02-01T18:04:00.001-08:00

Having hypochondriac parents was quite a traumatic experience to go through as an infant and it most definitely left an imprint on me. For starters, i am hot blooded, so how on Earth was I meant to make it clear that I need ventilation and hydration. My attempts at sign language escaped my parents, no matter how hard I tried. Today, I highly recommend that future parents consider infant bedding a serious matter. It shouldn't be too busy or suffocating. Parents like to distract their babies by hanging toys and noise-makers, but forget about the zen sleep quality that their infants lack as a result. Just stick to simplicity, they'll thank you later.

A Dream of Car Repair

2007-01-30T17:57:00.005-08:00

I'm far out west. A dusty town. Not even, just a roadside stop. My car is in the shop. The mechanic rolls out from underneath and it's not the burly cigar stubbed mechanic. Instead, it's this girl. The beautiful collaboration of the greasy leanedness of a hard working man with the wit and string curled smile of a woman. She's young but she's wearing the work of her years. Maybe born with a sticky wrench in her hand.

Tar between her teeth, oil under her finger nails. She's talking and talking. I don't even know who she's talking to cause she hasn't seen me yet. Cigarette in one hand, socket wrench in the other. She might be the mechanic that Wynona Ryder never was. And this is what she says:

"The way I see it is - you got ten fingers, you're gonna die with 'em. (at 'em she flashes a huge teethy grin that beams out from under her oil slick face.) Well ya got eight fingers, two opposable thumbs that is, ya get rid of those thumbs - you save a lotta money on nail polish. Ya figure, the average middle lower class woman paints her nails about fifteen hundred times till they're seventy-five. At least. Maybe more. You get rid of those thumbs. Save a lotta money. Still look pretty.

But ya see I'm supportin the proletariat. Those big men up there in the government, they know smokin's good for you. Makes you live longer. They all smoke. They tell all of you that it's bad. That it's gonna kill ya, printin up little messages on the boxes. It's all hoax damn it! Think I like smokin? (she spits) Pppppeh! It's nasty, but I do it to champion the proletariat. Somebody's gotta smoke. Be no one around to fix your car if I didn't."

That night I was sleeping in Jockey sleepwear on Hotel Collection Bedding.

Fairy Tale from the Dreamer

2007-01-30T17:57:00.003-08:00

My mom tucked me in as I was wearing footy pajamas (or is it footed pajamas?). My mom rarely read me fairy tales but I repeatedly had dreams in which she would tuck me in and read me a fairy tale that I had written. After I told her about the fairy tale from my dream, she wrote it down and then from time to time she would read it to me as I lay tucked in bed. This is the fairy tale:"There are billions of little circles drifting across the big square. The big square has lots and lots of very tall triangles. The circles made the triangles white and soft and so the triangles are very very happy and will be for a very long time. Soon the cirlcles will come to the triangles again. And the triangles will be even happier. The funny thing is: These triangles are always happy... because they're so high all the time."

Free Dreaming

2007-01-30T17:57:00.001-08:00

It's common knowledge that competitive sleepers, in their quest for controlled, elegant and statuesque sleep often lose their natural ability to dream.
I've decided to do a series of posts that will share and recount what we call "free dreaming." The casual sleeper has access to a wonder of wandering dreams. When I was younger and a free dreamer, my mother logged each dream knowing, that each one might be the last. When I look at these old records of my dreams I must admit that I wish free dreaming were a sport itself. My mother not only logged my dreams as I described them in the morning but she noted the details about my pajamas, mattresses or anything unique about that night.

Designer Bedding

2007-01-29T23:25:00.001-08:00

As far as designer bedding is concerned, Nautica bedding is the most simple, summery, vacation-evoking of them all.
if that's what you're looking for, of course. But if your cup of tea is floral and feminine, then oscar de la renta bedding is the one for you.

Modern Bedding for Modern Man

2007-01-26T18:08:00.000-08:00

" Modern man associates himself with the ancient world, not in order to reflect, like a mirror, but to capture its spirit and apply it in the modern way." Palladio 1564 A.D.

It's couldn't have been better said. Everything is borrowed and brought back numerous times... it's a recycle cycle. Look around, even the 80's made a comeback. But it's the way that it's done that makes it timeless and modern... When it comes to modern bedding, I lean towards classics like Calvin Klein bedding because I know what to expect: clean, fresh, no frills.

Star Wars remake

2007-01-25T17:57:00.001-08:00

I was never a huge Star Wars fan, but I recall sleeping on Star War bedding as a little boy. At an age I couldn't choose for myself yet... There's a cute Star Wars video game out, LEGO version... and I'd be more likely to buy those sheets.

Navigate dreams

2007-01-25T17:56:00.004-08:00

These Nautica catalogs have me keeping up with my new year's resolutions so far... heck, they even have me buying Nautica sleepwear! I've been working on my abs and buns of steel and this year I, too, will have Edward Burns' six-pack, marry Christy Turlington's twin sister, have 2 gorgeous kids, buy a yacht and a house in the Hamptons...Only I'll keep my baritone, thank you. (sorry, Ed, but you sound like a little girl on helium...) Then it'll be easier to "Navigate Life" ... with a whole new set of variables.

Wild West

2007-01-25T17:56:00.003-08:00

I love travelling... for pleasure, for business, for sport... I've crossed this country numerous times, and on the last trip I fell in love with New Mexico. The rolling hills, auburn sunsets and coyotes... The colorful Native American wool blankets and western bedding inspired my dreams about Billie, the Kid galloping full speed through the deserty plains outside El Capitan.

Feather beds are for princesses

2007-01-25T17:56:00.001-08:00

Feather beds are over-rated. Except, they remind me of a childhood story by Hans Christian Andersen "The Princess and the Pea". A tale of how a prince found his "real" princess, the one that was bruised by a pea through a towering pile of feather beds... "Fifty feather mattresses up and up she climbed..." It's a cute story for the little ones, but if you've kept up with my entries, then you already know that I'm a true visco fan. You just can't go wrong with a visco foam mattress. It forms to your contours and is built to last...so what's not to love?

You say night CAP, I say NIGHT cap

2007-01-24T01:59:00.000-08:00

You say night CAP

I say NIGHT cap

Ralph Lauren or me?

2007-01-23T23:08:00.003-08:00

My ex was a little compulsive, to say the least. She used to put me through hell with her sleeping rituals. At first I thought I'd get used to it, but it only got progressively worse with time. We met at one of the sleeper cross conferences in Singapore. She was soft-spoken, introverted and exotic... until I got to know her true colors. Here's a typical scenario: It was her turn to visit me and I had planned out a romantic practice session for the two of us in the Redwoods. I had sketched out the route up the scenic California coast, stocked up on supplies and was anxious to see her at the airport that afternoon... She finally arrived... with suitcases that were bigger than my SUV. When I jokingly asked her if she was moving in, she laughed, but made it quite clear that she was going nowhere without her ralph lauren bedding and her matching ralph lauren sleepwear (and everything else, of course). She said: "It's for GOOD luck, Barrett!" But I somehow interpreted that as a cover-up for her crush on a man whose teeth are whiter than mine. But "good" luck or "good" looks... was only half the trouble...you see, the real issue was that her obsessive attitude was stepping on my bohemian toes...and I like my feet, so I had to pick them over her.

Child prodigy sleeper

2007-01-23T23:08:00.001-08:00

Some of us are lucky enough to know what we want to do with our lives at a very young age while others struggle their entire lives in search of a purpose. I was born lucky and am grateful to be gifted with a mission in life. Long distance sleeping is most often heredetary, yet there are also cases of competitive sleepers that are simply products of their environment. I am one of extremely rare cases (born asleep), hence my chances of passing this gene to my offspring are multiplied. I reckon I would be a proud father no matter what, but if I pass this down, I will prepare my newborn's surroundings to the T. In my quest to provide my future sleeping prodigy (I picture having a daughter) with the finest ingredients for sound sleep... I came across the most adorable hello kitty pajamas! Just too irresistibly cute to pass up.

Under-cover(s), part 2

2007-01-22T18:09:00.001-08:00

For those who get cold easily there is always long underwear or long johns, if you like. You can buy them in cotton or silk, but if you need extra coverage, opt for ski thermal underwear, which is layered and conserves the heat better. My personal favourite is the original red union suit with a poop chute. There is something nostalgic about it...

Under-cover(s)

2007-01-22T16:51:00.001-08:00

What do you wear under the covers?

a) tighty whities
b) mens thongs
c) boxer shorts

If you answered a, you are an amateur
If you answered b, you are rebel
If you answered c, you are a true sleeper cross veteran who knows from experience that comfort is priority in this event.

Dr. Sleep prescribes...

2007-01-19T17:20:00.000-08:00

Improve your quality of life with sleep. It's the best medicine out there. Still don't believe me? Need a second opinion? The sleepless society will confirm my rants. I'll let them break down the medical aspects, while I take this time to focus on the best accessories to recharge. What does one need for the most optimal sleep, you ask? Well... what you sleep on is vital and I highly recommend a temperpedic mattress. It forms to your body which results in less tossing and no back pain. 1000 thread count sheet is the next priority. Remember that we spend a third of our lives in bed, so don't short change your health and buy the best. And... less is not more when it comes to sleep. Sleep is about both quality and quantity. Treat yourself to high end cotton sleepwear. You won't regret it.

Respect your sleep

2007-01-19T17:19:00.000-08:00

Having been born asleep, dozing comes naturally to me. I have always had utter respect for sleep, so becoming a competitive sleeper was an organic transition. Today I'm surrounded by those who understand and those who criticize my "unusual" lifestyle. The ones that criticize are usually the ones that are sleep deprived, envious and bitter for they claim to lack "that kind of time". But their over-achieving mentality doesn't phase me, since there's time and place for everything. And it is out of my respect for sleep that I do not get offended by their attitudes. On the contrary, I believe that every person's intentions are good, but lack of sleep drives them to irrational behavior and poor decision-making... and so I sleep for them. I am a firm believer in the universe being a whole of which we are a part and are therefore all connected. Each time I lay down for a session, I dedicate it to all those that are sleep-robbed.

Sleepwalking in style

2007-01-18T21:47:00.001-08:00

I never understood why cartoons and movies always portray sleepwalkers with eyes shut and arms stretched out in front of them? ...considering that sleepwalkers need to see where they're going despite their semi-conscious state. Sleepwalking (or somnambulism) is more prevalent in pre-teen kids, but if I ever get busted for sleepwalking by the sleep cross committee, I hope to be wearing my finest silk sleepwear. Although I enjoy an occasional birthday suit snooze, I'd rather be caught sleepwalking in style than in the nude.

Bear with me

2007-01-18T05:29:00.000-08:00

That’s it! I give in. Hybernation is a one way ticket to winter in comfort. The animals have it all figured out. Optimal competitive sleep season, you might think. Alas, not so, not for me. I am either too cold or too hot, too itchy or staticky, too dehydrated or just plain ol’ miserable. This is clearly not my season to thrive. But just imagine how magical it would be to fill up with enough food for three months, put on your favourite flannel pajamas, wrap up in mink blankets and check out for a nice long session. Hmmm…sweet indeed. I wish I was a bear today.

Luxury sleep aids

2007-01-17T11:28:00.000-08:00

Once again, while I seek out exotic sleeping locations, others seek out exotic sleep aids. I’ve heard rumors of a growing number of bourgeois sleepers in Europe that have been joining the international sleep league and their tastes scream luxury. Satin sheets are back this season and are an absolute must for the die hard trend followers. For some this item remains timeless, yet to me it’s still so 80’s Prince era. And most recently, designer bed skirts have been the dernier-cri among the fashionistas of sleeping. To each his own, I suppose, though I remain a devout purist when it comes to my dream state essentials.

Cultural sleeping diversity does matter

2007-01-17T11:24:00.000-08:00

At the last sleeper cross convention the question of “sleeping covered” was raised at the discussion panel. It appears that in some cultures, it is bad luck to watch one sleep. They believe that in a powerless state of sleep one’s dreams can be stolen, hypnosis may take place and spells might be cast by an unknown party. If this is to be a true international event, then competitors have to abide by certain rules. The judges feel that cultural and religious boundaries need to be addressed to make this event open to anyone. This may put off the International Championship for some time again, but at least everyone will be happy and have the opportunity to enter the cross without feeling discriminated against. The argument against this ruling is that sleeping covered may be conducive to cheating. In order to reach a compromise, tests are about to commence at the headquarters lab and the results will be determined early this spring. Great! That’s when my insomnia starts to set in. if I continue my breathing and meditation classes then I just might make it, if not… then I’ll have to wait a year to reapply. But I’m not too worried… I have my entire lifetime to compete, and there is a record out there to be broken by me. More mature, experienced sleepers always seem to excel, and I am nowhere near my peak.

ODE to OCD

2007-01-17T11:08:00.000-08:00

You may have noticed that I tend to lean towards more adventurous sleeping environments and am seldom bothered by my circumstantial surroundings. To me it's part of the challenge. However, I do realize that not every competitive sleeper out there is as low-maintenance as myself and I can certainly respect that. Some sleepers worry about the level of hygiene of their dozing quarters and need to have their bases covered before they can even begin to imagine breathing evenly, let alone relax, let go and snooze. These types of dozers usually go for the traditional sleep basics: mattresses, pillows and comforters. The familiar is important, but age and material are even more crucial here. Did you know that between the time we buy our mattresses to the time we throw them out, they double in weight? Why? (you ask hesitantly) Dust mites. They move in the same day you do. To avoid even an inkling of this unappealing image, an O.C.D. (obsessive compulsive dozer) opts for the tempur pedic matress made out of viscoelastic memory foam (that mites don’t care for) and a tempur-pedic pillow. Comforters or duvets on the other hand tend to be a bit tricky. Down duvets keep you cozy and warm, but they are not necessarily OCD’s first choice for they too are dust magnets and are a pain to clean. OCD is more comfortable with layered wool blankets and cotton quilts. I am not berating this approach to competitive sleeping since I have an appreciation for quality. I just prefer a more bohemian, open-minded approach for myself.

Snore-free pillow, your new best friend

2007-01-17T10:30:00.000-08:00

I have heard of snore reducing throat sprays, mouth pieces and other snore-free devices… but this is my first encounter with a pillow that does the trick just as well, if not better. It’s a water pillow that is adjustable to your desirable water level and comfort. A mini waterbed mattress, if you will. This will make it easier for the noisy sleepers to respect the silence during group sessions. Finally here’s a product that’s not obstructive, awkward or bad tasting… This is by far the most discreet anti-snoring device on the market today. The trick is in the smaller bar (see photo) that keeps the jaw supported by the curve which corrects your posture. It also encourages sleeping on your side, the position you snore least in. Who would have known that proper posture can put an end to snoring.

Snowed in the Car

2007-01-15T18:01:00.000-08:00

With the sleeper cross on indefinite hold for me my agent sent me on a fact finding mission to the origins of the dan river bedding factory in Danville Virginia.

I packed a pair of man pajamas and it was a good thing. The east coast got pounded by a snow storm and I was stranded in the car. Wouldn't you know it, I had to sleep overnight in the car. Not a problem for an international pro-dozer. Here's a couple tips that can make a cold night in the car a lot dreamier.

1. Make sure you always travel with an extra set of silk thermal underwear tucked away in your trunk.
2. If you have a hatch-back or SUV always flatten the back seat and sleep in the cargo hold. You will have almost enough room to extend your entire body. This is better for the spine. DO NOT SLEEP ON THE BACK SEAT. Bad for the spine. If you're driving a regular sedan then opt to entirely recline (or until comfortable) the driver's seat and sleep there. This will be safer in case the car comes into motion during the night as you are immediately in position to take control.

Electric Blanket for Long Winters Sleep? Ouch!

2007-01-09T21:51:00.000-08:00

My buddy just called me as I'm about to tuck myself in for a long Winters nap. The long underwear is "too hot," he says. Frankly, I'm not getting paid for this. If he's got some psychosis about sleeping then maybe he should seek mental support not support from a pro-dozer.

He said, "what about the sunbeam electric blanket," he'd found in his mother's closet. I winced. I mean talk about sleeping dry. An electric blanket will suck the moisture out of your flesh so efficiently that your limbs might just burst into dust when you move in the morning. It's getting late. The sandman is coming to me so I acquiesce. Yes go for the electric. At this point anything to keep him occupied. Just look at safety concerns associated with an electric blanket!

Long Underwear for Long Sleep in Winter

2007-01-09T21:39:00.000-08:00

This week I'm spending a few nights doing some bedroom consulting. I have a few friends who are having trouble find the right temperature when they're sleeping. If the heater blows, it's too hot and dry. You wake up with a leather tongue. Without the heater the room is too cold. In LA it may not get that cold but because of the lack of insulation and single pane windows it's tougher than you think to get warm. My friend complains of his arms being cold while he's sleeping.

For starters I bought him a long sleeve set of flannel pajamas. This should take care of the arm issue in short order. He tried these out last night and it wasn't enough. Okay, I'm pulling out the regulation long underwear. No poop shoot here. This is a two piece - the kind you'd wear cross-country skiing. If he's not warm sleeping this then I'll be convince he's just got a cold heart. We'll see how it goes tonight.

BW

Sleepwear for Dogs?

2007-01-07T18:59:00.000-08:00

Last night we had high winds and low some of the lowest temperatures we've had in Los Angeles this year. My dog is generally a champion sleeper (trained by the best - wink wink)who sleeps straight through the night. But last night she jumped on the bed and woke me when she drove her nose into my ear. She was shivering.

Inviting her into the bed wasn't an option. You can ask me any day of the week and I will say that dog sleep accessories beyond a bed only serve to help the owner sleep better. But tonight I actually thought that maybe it was time to consider dog pajamas. I mean if not for her then for me and if not for me then for her and if not... Well maybe there's nothing wrong with dog accessories. After-all I was dreaming of... well you get it.

A Good Nights Sleep - Raising Sleep Awareness

2007-01-07T18:38:00.000-08:00

My disqualification from the Global Sleeper Cross has brought me to consider the larger mission bestowed upon me by my career as a Pro-Dozer. I'm going to use the same time that I would have spent competing in the Sleeper Cross to raise Sleep Awareness for the multitudes of casual sleepers that are just trying to get by on a good nights sleep.

This is a sampling of basic sleep topics that I will cover in coming month in the hopes of promoting better rest world wide.

- Summer Sleeping indoors without an air-conditioner
- Summer Sleeping indoors with an air-conditioner
- How many hours should I sleep each night?
- Winter Sleeping indoors
- Raw Sleep (in the nude) versus outer-wear sleep
- What time is bed time for kids?
- Sleeping with a sun-burn
- Sleeping in the car
- How to sleep if caught in the snow
- Sleeping while stranded at sea on a raft
- Sleeping with pets
- Designer sleepwear versus discount sleepwear
- artifice Bed Decor
- Down pillows vs. synthetic
- Sex before sleep or after?
- Napping - When is it too much
- Lingerie vs. Traditional Sleepwear

Stayed tuned for updates so you can get the best nights sleep. See you in your dreams.
BW

Dreaming of the Eagles Soaring

2007-01-07T17:44:00.000-08:00

The fact that the Philadephia Eagles logged a wild card victory over the Giants tonight reminds me that I haven't talked about the sports that inspire me. Well that's not completely true. You know how I feel about Vince Lombardi.

In light of the Eagles' victory, I'm about to go in and change my sheets. What will I sleep on tonight? What fabric and print will accompnay this pro-dozer's slumber. Official Philadelphia Eagles Nfl bedding. You might call it a guilty pleasure but I would tell you that if you're going to be a winner you've got to sleep with winners.

Good night.

Highest Thread Count Sheets

2007-01-07T17:16:00.000-08:00

As I tour the country I'm constantly reminded that a large portion of the population is under the impression that higher thread count sheets will deliver a deeper richer sleep in the same way that naming your daughter "Tiffany" demonstrates that you have an elevated sense of taste.

Truth be told, anything over 500 thread count does nothing more your sleep than chrome rims do for cornering in a Range Rover. Honestly, you can approach me at the Pro-Dozer Awards in a Versace dress and tell me you sleep on a 1000 thread sheet set on Fridays and a silk 600 thread count sheet in your second country home and I'm not going to invite you to the after party. I can log richer sleep on my grandmother's ratty aphgan than you can on a 1000 mg of Royhpnol on a 1000 thread count sheet with diamond beaded fringe! Hey, sorry for the exclamation point, but I'm not only a pro - I'm a dozer purist.

I have to train so I don't have time for futher details but check out http://www.yvesdelorme.com/english/threadcount/threadcount.html for more details. "As a practical issue, just how many threads can fit into one square inch of fabric...?" And remember. Rich sleep has nothing to do with your bank account. If you're rich in heart you've got a good shot at being rich in deep sleep.

Sleeping on the Banks of the Ganges

2007-01-07T15:59:00.000-08:00

The leader of a local church group grabbed me yesterday at the Victoria's Secret Roadshow. She was concerned about keeping the members of her group dry while the slept on the banks of Ganges during an upcoming pigrimage to India.

She was actually thinking of having each church member tote a single sleeper memory foam mattresses because she was so happy with her tempur pedic mattress topper at home. Hi-tech or not - the thing we all have remember about space aged bedding is that moisture retention is still a major factor. The key to sleeping on the banks of the Ganges is moisture elimination. I've slept on the Ganges, both on raft and on the banks and there's no easy answer here. But the single most important recommendation I could make was "wear a wool hat." Regardless of whether it's warm or cold out, the hat will retain your body so that even if you're sleeping wet, you're sleeping warm.

Sleeping with Izabel Goulart of Victoria's Secret

2007-01-07T15:10:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I modeled a set of proto-type men's dozer gear at a Victoria Secret Sleepwear roadshow in Clearwater Florida. The rookie V Secret models were all giggles at the opportunity to share the run way with me. I had a long talk with Izabel Goulart about the pro and cons of sleeping in the nude year round. Not a conversation I wanted to have but her broken english was sweeter than a sugar plum dream. She said something like, but "I don't like pajamas womens." You mean women's pajamas. I almost didn't want to correct her. We quarralled over the issue for an hour or two. Finally, we both agreed to sleep it off in 15 minute head-to-head power nap. I was all set to school her but I waited for her to sink deep into the dozer zone before I did. While I watched her drift off into a soft Victoria's slumber I thought better of it and let her win.

Fredericks of Hollywood Promotional Appearance

2007-01-02T15:42:00.000-08:00

Just finished a Q & A and autograph session at Fredericks of Hollywood in the Mall of America. Same questions as every tour. "Is an 800 thread count sheet actually any better than 350 thread count sheets?" The answer is no. When you cram that many threads per square inch your fabric actually balls off so your sheets shed. Would I recommend women's fleece sleepwear over natural fibers for a trip to Peru? Absolutley. Fleece handles variable temperatures and sweat like a dream. It's tough being in front of a crowd day in and day out when all you can think about is competing. I'm always the diplomat. I mean dozing is my life. The last thing I want to do is lose my cool and give a fan or casual sleeper a bad experience and give them insomnia. What kind of a Pro-Dozer spreads insomnia?

Even as I'm disqualified from the Global-Sleeper-Cross I still hold that it is the responsibility of the Pro-Dozer to promote good rest and that means keeping your cool when a PR woman from Canyon Crest Bedding shows up at a live broadcast Q & A session and tries to lead me into plugging her brand. Sleep is pure but not as pure as it was. When I closed out the session I could help but ask myself if we're jeopardizing the gift of sleep as we let commerce intersect with our dreams. Where should an athlete draw the line between pure competition and a job?

BW

While Pro-Dozers Sleep Around the World

2007-01-02T14:37:00.000-08:00

I know I have a knack for always showing my fans a Roy Rogers attitude no matter how bad the odds but I want to let all of you know (against the my press agent's wishes) that I am P.0.ED I mean really PISSED OFF about being barred from the Global Sleeper Cross. What competitor wouldn't be? So I'm not gonna sugar coat just so sponsors like Wheaties won't cancel my contract. They can eat their Wheaties with Zidane.

Rather than receiving journal posts from inside the Global Sleeper Cross (GSC), I will keep you all apprised of a few of the highlights from my speaking tour at various sponsor stores across the country. A contractual engagement that I put off when I was in training for GSC.

BW

Disqualified from Global Sleeper-Cross

2007-01-02T14:23:00.000-08:00

The Federation has decided to revoke my eligibility for the Global Sleeper-Cross. I really don't have much to say here as this truly an infuriating and unjust decision and I'm beginning to suspect that we may looking a conspiracy deep in the seats of the pro-dozer federation. I'm trying to share a positive attitude on this experience. I mean if you're going to be a pro-athlete you're going to have to learn how to deal with disappointment. And hey - you can't be disqualified if you're not a pro. And to all you kids out there. I'd like you to keep this in mind.

They can take away your human rights but they can't take away your talent.

BB

Williams’ Sleeper-Cross Eligibility under Review

2006-12-29T14:17:00.000-08:00

The international sleeper-cross has been rescheduled to start on Jan 15 because of a dozer doping scandal. I wanted to let my fans know up front - so that everything is out in the open. The federation is considering revoking my pro-dozer status and disqualifying me from competition in the Sleeper-Cross. I wanted to be the first to make a statement before accusations spin out of control in the press.

As the federation was evaluating each dozer’s application for the sleeper-cross they performed (as they should) an exhaustive current and historical dozer doping evaluation. Four years ago I had a prescription for Ambien filled under my name for my ex-wife. As a result my eligibility is under review. I would like to emphasize that I have never taken Ambien in my life. Not during a competition. Not during a holiday. Never.

I know that that the federation is just running protocol in this case and I do appreciate the fact that the start date for entire event has been pushed back until January 1st 2007 in effort to give the federation enough to deliberate on my status. I’ve had some brief conversations with hall of famer dozers who are now on the federation to get an inside track on the situation and I can assure my fans and competitors out there that we’re really not looking at a threat of my being removed from the competition. For one, this competition needs Barret Williams to christen this event with the status it deserves and two; it’s not uncommon for a star – think of Barry Bonds and Lance Armstrong to be used as a patsy to in order to serve the greater good. The great good being a dope free pro-dozer circuit. See you on the sleep-cross!

Barrett Williams Returns from Global Sleeper Retreat

2006-11-28T21:21:00.001-08:00

The man that slept around the world in 180 days

Groggy apologies to all you dozers and dozer fans who must have felt so abandoned for last 9+ months that spanned my dozer training expedition. I had to put myself under the radar, off the map and into the global dreamscape. As many of you already know, the first Global Sleeper Cross will drift into gear on December 21 2006, or the night of this year’s Winter solstice.

But the guilt I feel at having left my legions of supporters without warning is only tempered by my success over the last months. Where was I? TRAINING. Yes. The best dozers sleep the hardest because they train. But before I go any further I have to thank my sponsors, The North Face, Dakine, Coleman, Volkl, and CamelPak for supporting what is sure to become a ritual and rite of passage for all competitive dozers world wide. My seminal Global Sleeper Retreat takes the street level approach and the “anywhere-anytime” attitude of New School dozing to a global, geographical, geological and absolutely sociological level that anticipates the future inter-planetary dozing. Trust me – I might be in my final sleep by the time the federation permits inter-planetary dozing. But mark my words. We all dream in space and will all dream in space. See where I’m coming from? Now I know I’m ranting like a world class surfer but then I remember that it was Vince Lombardi that said that “every dream is a wave and every wave a dream.” Ahhh. Vince. See. It takes a legend like Vince Lombardi to convince the world that dozers and surfers inhabit the same zones.

We’ve talked about training before so I don’t need to stress the importance of sleeping on site. Testing beds. Surfaces. Understanding the air flow of your sleep zone. I will cover all these things and more as I detail a few of the custom training sessions that I created specifically for the Global Sleeper Cross.

Night
BW

Wide Awake Sleep Fast - 2006

2006-01-14T22:45:00.000-08:00

Friday’s ‘Wide Awake Sleep Fast’ session was the best ever! Vince Lombardi was definitely watching from the sidelines above. Lombo would be proud. Dozers drop his famous quote all over the circuit: “Great sleepers don't succeed on sleep alone. Great sleepers shape their slumber with the events of their waking lives. Having the full knowledge that every waking moment will contribute to or be reflected in his sleep, a great sleeper embraces each waking moment with a measured gusto; for it is our consiousness that defines our unconsciousness." V. Lombardi. But on Friday night WE LIVED IT!

I’d like to thank the core group of Dozers who put the pedal to the metal. Parents know how much I enjoy the Jr. Dozer Sleep-Away Camp but in terms of Federation Certified training, ‘Wide Awake’ is at the top of my list. I have to admit that I was so excited about this year’s event that it took me 8.5 minutes to slip into the zone on the night prior. So many Hall-of-Famers skip this event each year. But I’m not going to police attendance on this one. They’ll be here next year and we’ll have the edge. Dozers love what they do. Sleep that is. Any fan who knows me knows that I'm not single, I'm married to sleep. This relationship is a life-long commitment. Divorce is not an option for me. Strong as my love may be, I had a fantastic time staying up for not 24 but 32 hours during this session. My sincere thanks goes out to this year’s set of’ Wide Awake’ Dozers for making sleep starvation such a darn good time.

I can’t record the kind of breakthroughs the group achieves when we run waking drills for 24 hours straight through. Frankly, it just doesn't translate after the fact. Last night's attendees were the smartest, hard working group of Dozers I've met since the mid-nineties sessions at New York’s West 27th St. Hall.

In the past its taken me up to 4 hours to explain the driving force behind the this event. It’s really quite simple. If you want to sleep better, harder and faster you have to understand and study your conscious state. You have to map out your breathing, track your temperature cycles, eye dilation patterning, and of course be able to clearly identify when you feel tired. What time does it happen to you? Where are your serotonin levels when you feel tired, and where do they drop to when you push through it during a 'Wide Awake' session?

Event Stats and Highlights:
Star Time: 6pm Friday, January 13th

Crowd:
The crowd was diverse, black, white, Philippino, Latino, gay, straight, married, you name it. I even heard that there were a couple of “straight queens” at the session. I’m not quite sure what that means but it might make a winning match if the single gay dozers and these “straight queen” dozers pair up and sleep together at the Hampton’s Doubles matches in this spring.

New Dozer:
I had the honor of meeting the other half of a 'Figure Dozing' team that had since appeared solo. I had worked with Laura at a few other events and could see her potential but I couldn't get a handle on her competitive force without meeting her partner. I knew we had a couple of pros in-house when Stewart her husband and 'Figure Dozing' partner arrived with a set of rainbow colored pajamas.

Safety Naps:
Dozers, Sagi, Eileen, James, Laura and Zak all dropped into coma naps as a safety precaution when their dopamine meters went into the red. After a 72 minute coma each of then seamlessly jumped back into the session, renewed and vigorous. Hats off!

Aerobics:
The level 4 aerobics portion of the session was far more rigorous than last y ear. It’s not every day that you get to see athletes who are famous for sleeping working out a full-body sweat. No doubt this outstanding group intuitively understood that exercise is the balance of your sleeping and waking state and that every bead of sweat only serves to season our eminent slumber.

I admire where the New Schoolers are taking the sport but I have to let them know the Wide Awake Dozers, met directly with the Sand Man himself on Saturday morning and we’re coming into 2006 with a brand new bag!

Event End Time: 3pm Saturday, January 14th

Sleep well sleep hard! You earned it. Good luck on the circuit in 2006

Barrett’s ‘Wide Awake’ Sleep Stats
Nightly Session #12308
PREP: shower, fluid jettison x 2
Bed Time: 11:39pm Sleep Notes: Temperatue was perfect. The air, my comforter and my body were running at a match temp. Sleep movement was minimal. Wake Up Time: 11:40am Session Rating: 9.8. Dreamless but peaceful

Dozer in Training: How do I Pick the Best Sleeper Suit?

2006-01-14T21:45:00.000-08:00

Sara "Get Sleep or Die Tryin" Summers said...
"Barrett,What type of Sleeper Suit do you recommend? I would really appreciate your expertise on such a highly critical matter. After scrimping & saving (and losing valuable sleep time worrying about it!), I've finally pulled together enough money to partake in the exclusive Dirty Dozen Boot Camp next month. I want to make sure that I'm as well prepared as possible to up my chances of making the team. It's been my dream as long as I can remember. Just in case it makes a difference, I'm an "Ambien mickey downed with a warm milk/chamomile tea cocktail while I hone in on my sleeping goals/possible setbacks/ aspirations for that night" kind of girl. I appreciate the feedback, and kudos for raising the competitive sleeping bar a little higher with each & every one of your mind-blowing sessions. Very impressive. "
5:55 PM
Barrett Williams said...
Sleeper Suits are for Sleeping – Pick the right Suit for You and Sleep DeepThe Dirty Dozen Boot Camp? Really? I remember when that was an after-school dozer program developed to keep the Boyz in the hood out the hood and in the bed. It sure has come along way since then. Last I heard, they were integrating Clown Dancing with Figure Sleeping and dreaming it out head to head on the street. I haven’t been down there in awhile so I know that myself (and the community in general) would appreciate any posts you can submit from the Dirty Dozen front.

While Sleeper Suits have come in and out of style among the pros, anyone over 25 on the circuit will agree that Sleeper Suits are to Competitive Sleeping what the Womb is to birth. As with slippers and general dozerwear, the perfect sleeper suit can be defined only by the sleeper. I say set all trends aside. Just because Maya Shape is wearing it to the Falklands Nationals doesn’t mean it’s right for you.

Simply consider the following: 1. Sleep environment – Outdoors? Indoors? Winter? Summer? 2. Internal body temperature – are you a hot sleeper or a cool sleeper? 3. Versatility – are you looking for a suit that will let you sleep during any occasion during any season?

If I’m going Coma I almost always pull out a Sleeper Suit. And for me that always means a 1 piece. Don’t let dozer outfitters in Miami try to sell you a 2-piece Sleeper Suit. 2 pieces = pajamas! In the summer my suit might be a light pressed Egyptian cotton and in Winter I’ll turn to the old-school practicality of a waffle-weave. I find that flannel is too hot for my internal temperature no matter what time of year.Zippers vs. Buttons:As flashy as dozerware became in the 80’s, stay away from zippers. Dozers lose all the time because a hot, cold or jagged zipper shocks them awake. Buttons. Buttons all the way.Booties:All natural of course.

Don’t be drawn in by hi-tech fabrics like Polypropylene. Outdoor hiking fabrics and gear etc… should never be confused with dozerwear. Outdoor enthusiasts will always say the same thing. “Don’t use cotton as your first layer. It holds sweat in.” Ignore them. We’re not hiking we’re sleeping, and if we’re sweating then something’s wet in dreamland. Remember soaking in those plastic booties when you were a kid? Exactly. Make sure the bootie is the same natural fabric as the suit so that you have an even in, and out, heat flow from head to toe. Keep in mind that I consider the booties a warm-up tool. As you may know, I’m an open footed sleeper unless the conditions are adverse so I always make sure that my sleeper suit has half-detachable or fully detatchable booties so that I can generate flow-through from my head to my ankle cuffs. I hope that helps.Let us know about the Dirty Dozen Camp. We’ll be happy to open up a page where you can detail your experiences, training and heck even jot a dream or two.

Hey, and I love that you came right out about the Ambien and the Chamomile. So many young dozers start out lying to themselves and to their fans.

Introduction to Competitive Dozer Events

2005-12-28T18:23:00.000-08:00

Event: Endurance Sleeping (ES)
Competitor Type: Long Distance Dozers

ES is exactly what it sounds like. Just because a challenger may log the most uninterrupted sleep doesn’t mean that he or she is the winner. Think you can take gold as as a Distance Dozer (DD) just by turning in a long Winter's nap? Think again, any Pro DD will tell you it's all about "going coma."

Winning:
A victory is earned based on a combination of the following scoring factors:

1. Duration of uninterrupted sleep. Slip into consciousness for even a heart-beat and you lose.
2. Form – Known as the Egyptian ‘tombing’ position, the most honorable, elegant, and powerful form for entering, displaying and maintaining restful sleep is on the back. The earliest artist renderings presented dozers on their backs. Eyes staring up at the heavens. This holds true today. Sleep through the entire event on your back and earn the most form points possible.
3. Zone Entrance: The first Dozer to lose consciousness (Zone Leader) earns 3 points to be used in his or her favor in the event of a tie.

Setting:
Traditional. Two Federation measured ‘body beds’ (beds that are just slightly wider than the human frame.) 100% cotton single layer Interesting Info:
On average, Pro Endurance Dozers will enter the Zone within 5 to 13 seconds and go coma within in 5 minutes. When a DD goes coma they enter a rarified sleep zone. Not surprisingly, a CAT scan of a DD and a comatose victim show the same electrical patterns in the brain. The current Endurance record is held by yours truly at 127 hours.

Event: Figure Sleeping

%0

Federation Approved Slippers?

2005-12-17T22:27:00.000-08:00

I wouldn’t generally take issue with recommending slippers. The best sleep foot wear is always no footwear. The breathable foot is to a competitive sleeper, what a calve skinned boot is to a soccer player. Recently, my father, (who has always been a staunch ‘no-slippers’ man) asked me about federation approved slippers. Now I’m not sure if he’s developing a genuine interest in slippers or if Isotoner may have been touting federation recommended slippers as holiday gifts. Either way a raw, warm foot leads to a dreaming foot and dreaming mind. But there is much to be said for pre-sleep and post-sleep behavior and comfort. So in answer to my father’s question, I look for pure cozy pre-sleep comfort in chenille booties. Not every friend will knit them for you, but a passionate trainer or a custom endorsement program will certainly have you gliding across oak floors and into a feather bed faster than you can say Dr. Seuss!

Ever been to a Pro-Dozer Event?

2005-12-11T14:06:00.000-08:00

It’s barely been two weeks since I launched this blog and hundreds of people keep emailing me to ask “How does it work?” “How do you compete?” “I’ve never seen a pro event. At least I don’t think I have” “What are the rules?” “Is it really a game? And if so how do you play it? How do you win? “Do you compete on the same bed as your opponent? What are a few standard sleep strategies? “Are there different types of events?” “Where can I download pod casts of the events?” “What network are you guys on?” When does the season start? Is there even a season?

I have to apologize because having slept on the circuit since my childhood, dozing has always been a part of my everyday life. I took it for granted if you will, and assumed that everyone knew as much about it as I did. This is just one of the psychological risks associated with going pro while you’re still an infant. They say Michael Jackson missed out on his child-hood. Well I find that hard to believe. I mean really, what’s more child-like? Singing and dancing and shouting and playing music on stage with your brothers or having to sleep in the spot-light in front of an audience, night after night while holding perfect sculpture form? So not only was I a child who was competing/performing but I was sleeping through it all. Talk about missing something. But I’m verging on the sensitive issue of Baby Dozers. How young is too young? Mike Wallace is developing a piece on this with me so I’ll save the discussion for 60 Minutes in the Spring.

Back to the topic. Your questions. All of them. I was wrong to assume that everyone understood the intricacies of comp dozing in the way that most people know that a quarterback is the guy who throws the ball. This week I will address all the questions listed above and more so that everyone can talk dozing like Cubans talk baseball. Sports bind countries together. Why is baseball America’s sport? I mean shouldn’t the sport that defines a culture be the sport that every single citizen plays every single day? I look forward to detailing the sport for all of you but I really must say, I’ve never been to a Monster Truck Event. I have no idea what goes on. I just figured, hey I guess the best truck wins. Does it matter how they get to the podium?

Sleep better in Style

2005-12-01T16:23:00.000-08:00

If you're serious about sleep fashion then you know that natural fabric liners are the ticket to dreaming in style.

This was the first year that the fashion industry fully embraced the practical comfort and the universal appeal of Competitive Dozerwear. I never thought I'd lay down with the likes of Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell but there we were today together on the runway, dreaming it out across Washington Square Park in front the world's fashion elite. Competitive sleepwear looks simple but it's actually more complex than any high falootin "cuteore" fashion out there. Are you really gonna fall asleep in Gautier's pajamas? Anyone who's brave enough to
wear his pajamas is gonna hurt themselves. I mean not only does CDW have to look sporty but it has to be incredibly comfortable. I've been working with the same designer that knitted my first sleeper suit. Why have I stuck with her for so long? It's simple. I tried on that sleeper suit and it was so damn comfortable that I fell asleep as soon my mom zipped it up. Now that's comfort. And as Bill Blass once put it, "if you're not comfortable you're not fashionable."

good night
BW

Wave Goodbye to the Bed - The Future of Dozing

2005-11-28T19:39:00.000-08:00

The Jr. Dozers banquet really got me thinking about where the sport has been and where it's going. It’s absolutely rewarding to watch the younger generation in action. New talent born out of different generational environments are changing sleep in ways that I never could have imagined. I’m seeing a raw or even street approach to sleeping whereas the founding fathers and mothers of sleep were all about making the bed as comfortable as can be. The perfect thread count, natural fibers, overstuffed pillows to support the neck, socks to protect the feet in the event that a foot rolls out into cold open air. In those days the strategy was nesting. The strategy was to bring the comfort to the setting.

The new school is doing quite the opposite. They bring the comfort to the sleep setting via an absolute comfort in one’s environment. I’m seeing some of the best sleep sessions taking place at skate parks. Two new schoolers were sleeping hard in the curves of cement half-pipe. I’m talking cement. No pillows. And these guys are sawing logs like they were on the clock at a mill for 7 hours. In daylight. There’s an entire crew now who sleeps exclusively in their SUVs. These guys are pulling out championship sleeps in their cars. That level of sleep. They’re falling into a refined elegant sleep. The kind of slumber you would only see coming out of master bedrooms. It really tells us something about environment. Our comfort zones. I’m starting to view the bed as an archaic sleep setting. A link in the chain of sleep development. I guarantee you that in 5 years we’ll have moved sleeping off of the bed and into the world. I shouldn’t be surprised. It’s evolution.

Jr. Dozers Awards Banquet

2005-11-28T19:11:00.000-08:00

I was the guest speaker at the Jr. Dozer Awards Banquet this afternoon. It was a surprise and an honor to voted Dozer Role Model of the Year again. But accolades aside I wanted this crowd to understand that I'm not the teacher here. When the does the teacher become the student you ask? Well I have always been the student and regardless of my competitive record and my years on the circuit, I can say... Well actually let me give you a direct quote from my speech today.

"I'm honored that this audience, these Dozers, the future of sleeping, the future of dreaming as it were, would look on me at their role model. Me? I mean I sleep for a living (crowd will laugh lightly). But as I stand up here on this podium I step aside. (step to left) I step aside to all the little sleepers out in this audience who put their dreams to the test every night when they click their own snooze button. I have to say that I think it's ironic that I'm the 'role model' of the year, because truth be told, I can learn more from taking a one hour training nap with new school dozers like yourselves than I could teach you in life-time. "

It was just after Thankgiving and they served Turkey loaf. I wasn't surprised that most of the parents hinged their conversations on the Tryptophan doping scandal that plagued the league. That was almost two years ago. I tested negative. Enough. On top of that my physicians have documented the fact that I'm violently allergic to turkey...

Send In Your Sleep Stats - Earn A Place on the Sleepers Wall of Fame

2005-11-27T10:48:00.000-08:00

Email us the following sleep stats (Z Stats) and if Competitive Sleeper finds that sleepers can learn something from your Z stats then they’ll be posted permantly on under the Z Stats category. Sleep hard and sleep deep. BW

When submitting Z stats please include the following:

Name or Sleep Handle

Date of Sleep Event

Location (what country, state or part of the word)
Approximate Outside Temperature

Sleep Setting (i.e. bed, couch, tent etc…)

Quick Summary of what you did before you went to bed (i.e. ate dinner, watched TV, walked the dog)

List Your Bed Preparedness Rituals for that night (i.e. brushed teeth, took shower, made bed etc...)

Time You Went to Bed

Brief summary of your sleep that night? Was it comfortable? Did you dream? Did you wake up repeatedly? Did someone or something interrupt you? Was it too humid? Or Too Dry?
Time That You Woke Up

Session Ending Tools (i.e. alarm clock, dog or natural wake up)

Quick Summary of your first 5 waking minutes

Sleep Rating: Rate the quality of your sleep on a scale of 1 to 10. A 1 rating would indicate that the sleeper had such and uncomfortable sleep that he or she may have barely slept at all. If you rate a 10 then you’ve had an A list sleep session. You probably slept straight through, the temperature was probably perfect if not self regulating and you probably dreamed and can still remember your dreams. Often you can identify a 10 sleep just by examining the sheets and blankets. Because you are so comfortable during a 10 sleep you rarely move or toss and turn. As a result, you may notice that your sheets and blankets are barely disturbed after rising from a 10 sleep.

If You Sleep, Competitive Sleeper wants to hear about it

2005-11-27T10:46:00.000-08:00

Whether you’re pulling down top slumber night after night or even if you’re struggling to lock down a placid 6 hour session Competitive Sleeper wants to hear from you. We want to hear about deep winter sleep filled with fairytale dreams and we want to hear about the sleep you missed. People who aren’t committed to sleeping will argue that “sleep is sleep it’s all the same.” Why would they want to read the seemingly banal details of your nightly efforts in bed? The goal of the sleep stats board is to help all sleepers become better sleepers through knowledge sharing. 1 out of 2 people (even pros) have bad sleep habits. As we develop an archive of the events leading up a sleep, the sleep itself, the dreams and the events that mark your rise to consciousness we can compare the individual details our sleep processes. An old friend of mine went for 10 years without being able to sleep through an entire night. He had to get up and pee 2, 3 sometimes 4 times/night. That’s no way to sleep. So as a favor I slept over at his place to get a sense of his process. It only took 5 minutes to find 2 glaring items that were contributing to his interrupted sleep.

His blankets were light synthetics. Synthetic blankets don’t hold heat so your ability to store the heat your body generates is significantly undermined. As a result you’re often sleeping about 2 to 5 degrees cooler than your body’s own natural target sleeping temperature.
He would drink a full beverage after dinner and then he’d interrupt his sleep session to sip off of a water bottle on his nightstand.

Both items can equally undermine a quality sleep. Put both of those issues together and you create a disruptive if not dangerous synergy that will chip away at your sleep. Make a note of this. The lower the body temperature the more sensitive the bladder. It’s simple. You don’t need to put a quart of water in a guy who’s not using insulated bedding to make him feel like he needs to pee. When you sleep cold a single drop of urine will ring your sensitive bladder like a school bell. Without getting to scientific I finally just recommended that he buy a down comforter and to stop drinking the water before and during bed. Beds are for sleeping. Not drinking. He followed my advice and 6 months later he was able to qualify for an endurance sleeping event that was sponsored by the Riverside Roller Rink.

So You Wanna Sleep Competitively?

2005-11-27T09:39:00.000-08:00

When people see Dave Chapelle on the street they say “I’m rich bieecth!” And according to Dave, this even happens when he’s walking with his children. My fans don’t use foul language in front of my kids. I haven’t even got any kids, but still my success comes with a similar burden.

Invariably when children or adults meet me they get a glimmer in their eyes as if they’ve got their eyes on the stars. On a prize. On dreams themselves. Immediately following the glimmer moment comes “how can I get into sleeping competitively? Can you get me in? I have natural talent. I feel like I was born to sleep. If you would have seen the sleep that I turned out last Tuesday.” This question always amazes me because breaking into competitive sleeping isn’t like breaking to the movies in Hollywood. This is a craft (for some a sport) that we all have access to. You don’t need to invest thousands of dollars in equipment. You don’t have to travel to Madagascar to find the best dreaming conditions.

What distinguishes the pros and the recreational sleeper is dedicated focus. Plain and simple. Any one of us can drift off to sleep for 10,000 nights, but it’s the pros that enter each slumber with a mental encyclopedia of the elements of human comfort. For me, 10,000 nights are a reflection of the 10,000 days that lead me to each sleep. So you want to sleep competitively? I encourage it. Have at it.

Serious Sleepers Unite

2005-11-26T18:57:00.000-08:00

A community for serious sleepers is born.

Follow real life behind-the-scenes drama leading up to a much anticipated bed time. I'll be getting ready for bed night after night with the dedication of an Olympic athelete. Night after night, season after season, year after year, I will get ready to sleep.

Great sleeping sessions are a result of rigorous training, focus and a willingness to sleep deeper, cozier and dreamier than the night before. When I wake from a great night's sleep I immediately think "how can I beat that? what can I do today to set the bed and my head so to speak to sleep even better than that?"

Whether you're a world class sleeper or an insomniac you no doubt value and work towards your own ideal sleep goals. Let's break out the terminology. A Competitive Sleeper is someone who takes their sleeping seriously. A Competitive Sleeper may be a master at grabbing a few winks at a stop light, or someone who can log 12 hours + of worry free sleep every night without a bathroom break. A great night sleeper may not be the best team member to compete in afternoon nap events. The last thing I want to do is create outsiders in the magical and serious world of sleep. I understand that everyone has their own process and their own scale on which they measure sleep success. There are no outsiders at Competitive Sleeper. If you have ever gone to bed then Competitive Sleeper welcomes you and the details prior to, during and after your sleep. Yes. Competitive Sleeper embraces insomniacs. Often I find that the insomniacs have such a deep appreciation for a qaulity sleep session that their appreciation for the act itself actually serves to underscore sleep value for those of us that do sleep and that sleep well. Ever find yourself losing your competitive edge? Maybe you go to bed with out fluffing the pillows or tucking in the sheets? You take what the night dishes out rather than really sleeping for the gold? A few nights of insominia always serves to push fading sleep stars back into the limelight.

Be aware that being the "best" or let's say the Lance Armstrong of Competitive Sleeping isn't about lazing or dreaming your way through the day. The "best" sleepers don't necessarily log the most hours. In fact, I've seen some of the most renowned endurance sleepers have their medals challenged on the basis that depression was fueling their sleep marathons. This is a topic that will be explored in a dedicated post. In short, great sleepers get the sleep they need when they need it. They lay down, they close their eyes, and they work at it through the entire session. It's that simple.

Think sleeping is easy? Think again. Sleeping requires a rarified set of ingredients that must blend at just the right time. Think of it as science. Room temperature, body temperature, light levels, seratonin levels, and bedding are just a few components required to set the stage for a top notch sleep. Even if you're master enough to align all of the above night after night then you still need to achieve a level of exhaustion that will lead your body to sleep. A day without just the right amount of exercise can lead to a sleepless night. Then it's back to sleeping in the minor leagues with hyper-active rookies and past-prime vets so desperate to achieve their life-long dreams that no one can catch a wink in the club-house.

Talk to some of the greats. They'll tell you that what you do with your waking hours is as important to your sleep session as the efforts you put forth when the lights go out. It's natural for recreational sleepers to assume that competitive sleepers compete because they're lazy much in the same way that non-basketball players assume that basketball players compete because they're tall. Not so. No matter what the sport, it's for the love of the game and as a note, studies have shown that the legends of sleeping (and you know who I'm talking about), have the most active and productive waking lives, next to seasonal fisherman. I'll close this out by quoting the first rule of sleeping as outlined by none other than Vince Lombardi. Most remember him based on his waking successes as the Green Bay Packers football coach. Winner of the 1st and 2nd Superbowls. But Vince Lombardi lead a second secret life. A night life. Filled with sleep. Great sleep. The quality of his slumbers only equalled by the quality of each victory on the field. In the past we had assumed that he retired each night like every Tom, Dick and Harry but his personal journals detail a strategic sleeper who turned in with a game plan every single night.

" Great sleepers don't succeed on sleep alone. Great sleepers shape their slumber with the events of their waking lives. Having the full knowledge that every waking moment will contribute to or be reflected in his sleep, a great sleeper embraces each waking moment with a measured gusto; for it is our consiousness that defines our unconsciousness." V. Lombardi

Upcoming - Recreational Sleepers vs. Competitive Sleepers