How We Sleep Matters at Work

How we sleep matters when it comes to our work, right? Of course it does: Get a good night's sleep. What's the big deal? Nothing really. 

But what do we mean by "a good night's sleep? Given the fact that how we slept the night before can, and typically does, affect our work that day, I think it's worth discussing. As we do, our focus will be on how a good night's sleep contributes to stability in how we work, and in our workplace. 

We begin with an entry from The Rule of St. Benedict which, in my copy, bears the title: "How The Monks Are To Sleep." It's an extended passage, but here are some highlights:

"Let them sleep each one in a separate bed. Let their beds be assigned to them in accordance with the date of their conversion...Let them sleep girt with girdles or cords...Being clothes they will thus always be ready, and rising at the signal without any delay may hasten to forestall one another to the Work of God; yet this will all gravity and self-restraint...When they rise for the Work of God, let them gently encourage one another, on account of the excuses to which the sleepy are addicted."

St. Benedict, as usual, combines the practical, the logical, with a sense of order. Stability in the monastery includes every aspect of the life of the monk. They vow to remain in the monastery for life. Throughout their monastic life, they observe the Rule and obedience to their Abbot. All proceeds in an orderly way. But that order isn't imposed capriciously. It serves the cause of stability in the monastery and salvation of the souls of each individual. And here we see that this includes how the monks sleep.

We see, also, the importance of how they rise from their sleep. They are called to the Work of God - the communal prayer of the Divine Office. The rising, like sleep, promotes stability in the community and the salvation of each individual. They rise promptly, but in an orderly manner. Notice also how, in charity, they are urged to encourage their brothers who may struggle with their rising from sleep.

And then the work of the day begins, starting with praying/chanting the Divine Office, extending to meals, the practical work necessary to keep the affairs of the monastery running smoothly. 

It doesn't take too much to apply this approach to sleep and rising to us Catholic men at work. Here's my "translation" of how monks sleep and how we need to sleep:

We should have a set time to retire and to rise. While individuals are different, I suggest earlier to bed works better. And if early to bed, then early to rise as well. 

As with monks, when and how we sleep will serve the cause stability in our workplace. Showing up for work well-rested means showing up ready, willing, and able to do your best. Things get done well and in a timely manner. Being well-rested also helps us be more helpful and cheerful towards other. The fact is, being charitable towards others can be challenging if we've not had a good night's sleep. And, of course, performing our duties diligently and on time, combined with the virtue of charity, will not only promote stability in the workplace, but also the salvation of our soul.

How we wake up each morning will double up on the benefits of getting good night's sleep. That's why St. Benedict specifically addresses rising in the morning.

First, get up on time. This could be when your alarm goes off - right away. No lingering; definitely not falling back to sleep. This practice dovetails with other mortifications we might observe throughout the day. It will help to strengthen our will power, ultimately build self-mastery. 

An early riser who gets up on time every day without fail more easily finds the time to start the day's so-called norms of piety.  We may not gather for the Divine Office in communal prayer as do monks, but any of us can engage with private prayer, meditation, study, spiritual reading, etc.

We can easily see how how we rise from sleep each morning also will not only promote stability in the workplace, but also the salvation of our soul.

No question that self-mastery, combined with the regular habit of prayer, meditation, study, spiritual reading - and whatever other pious practices you may have - will be good for our work and for our soul. 

And it all begins with how we sleep.

With just an initial cursory reading of this entry from the Rule, how monks sleep may not seem relevant to us non-monks plying our trade out here in the world. If it's not clear now, just imagine a workplace filled with folks who got a bad night's sleep!

How we sleep matters. It will contribute not only to stability in the workplace, but, as we've seen, promotes the salvation of our souls.