Nap!

October 3rd, 2020| Topic: RaMbLeS | 0

Yup, ye olde Beetle Bailey had it right all along!

Mort Walker’s creation (created in 1950), Private Carl James “Beetle” Bailey, was an indolent soldier who loved to nap most of the time, thus incurring the wrath of his superior officer Sergeant 1st Class Orville P. Snorkel. In fact, Bailey appeared to be perpetually in dreamland, even when awake, for he was always portrayed with his cap or helmet over his eyes! For the most part (in his seven decade existence, still continuing), the good Private never seems to have a care in the world.

But, despite Snorkel’s raging fury and Bailey’s slumbers, last week the U.S. Army released new guidelines that seem to affirm the latter’s somnolent inclinations: strategic and aggressive napping!

Or so saith the Army’s FM7–22 Holistic Health and Fitness field manual. Finally entering the twenty-first century, this document is no longer focused exclusively on grueling physical challenges like long ruck marches and pull-ups. Oh, no. No more. Now we have chapters on setting goals, visualizing success, “spiritual readiness” (including meditation, journaling, acts of service, and realizing the “interconnectedness of all things and people”), and … the art of the nap.

FM7–22:

Soldiers can use short, infrequent naps to restore wakefulness and promote performance. When routinely available sleep time is difficult to predict, soldiers might take the longest nap possible as frequently as time is available. All this is in aid of building hysical lethality and mental toughness to win quickly and return home healthy.”

That is a conversation Private Bailey never had with Sarge.

Soldiers are counseled to avoid video games, texting, and other on-screen activities (and alcohol) before bed, and are advised to wind down before bed by “listening to soothing music, reading, or taking a warm shower or bath” instead.

Chronic sleep deprivation can be dangerous in situations where decision-making is critical. Apparently the Navy is in on this, too, recently overhauling sleep schedules at sea after determining that fatigue was a factor in two fatal warship collisions.

Commented Lt. Gen. David Barno, who commanded forces in Afghanistan:

The Army has always had an internal dynamic that real men don’t need sleep and can just push on, and it’s incredibly stupid. Combat is a thinking man’s business and your brain doesn’t function without sleep. I worked hard to protect eight hours of sleep a night while deployed and found that it gave me a clearheaded advantage to accomplish my mission. Putting that practice in official doctrine will help put old beliefs that sleep is a luxury to rest.”

Agreed Phillip Carter, former soldier, now teaching at Georgetown University:

The truth is, we know sleep is critical to better decision-making.”

But Christians knew about the importance of sleep all along!

It is vain for you to rise up early, To retire late,
To eat the bread of painful labors;
For He gives to His beloved even in his sleep.
Psalm 127:2

And about good sleep!

When you lie down, you will not be afraid;
When you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.
Proverbs 3:24

And they knew why they could nap soundly!

In peace I will both lie down and sleep,
For You alone, O LORD, make me to dwell in safety.
Psalm 4:8

And be safe when they do so!

The fear of the LORD leads to life,
So that one may sleep satisfied, untouched by evil.
Proverbs 19:23

That same God will sustain us, too.

I lay down and slept;
And I awoke, for the LORD sustains me.
Psalm 3:5

Time for a nap!

SOURCE:
The New York Times