6 Smart Lessons Your Cat Can Teach You About Sleep

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One restless night, when sleep seemed to elude me with every stroke of the clock, I found myself staring at my cat Parker. I felt a slight pang of jealousy at how easily sleep came to him.

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A house cat can average over 16 hours of sleep a day. There’s a reason why we call them “cat naps” and not “dog naps.”

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Here are some things Parker, my personal sleep guru, has taught me over the years.

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1. Sleep Is Priceless

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My cat, on the other hand, will cuddle up into a nap whenever and wherever he sees fit, even if he blocks my view of the TV. Making sleep a high priority means arranging your day around it.

2. Live in the Moment

[{"selector":"#anim-61bba8ba-744c-403a-af1b-207e04ef9dd9","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e2392917-31a8-4751-aae9-42ca9b80275c","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Spiritual teacher Eckhart Tolle once said, “I have lived with many Zen masters, all of them cats.” Cats always seem to be in a perpetual state of meditation. Learn more

Whether they’re peacefully perched on a windowsill or stalking an unsuspecting bird, every part of them is buzzing with the present moment. I can guarantee they’re not thinking about a clumsy move.

3. Make Time for Play

[{"selector":"#anim-ebfe23b7-50b5-4cda-a292-7c923577a669","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-13556dea-dabc-458d-9393-e09b5dc82c23","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] It’s all too easy to get bogged down by to-do lists and the chaos of everyday life. Our pets remind us to give ourselves permission to press pause. Learn more

Doing things purely for the sake of fun not only helps us unwind, but it also helps us get out of our head and release stagnant energy. Playtime sets us up for better sleep and a better life.

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