How many of us are currently sat at home, fighting back the yawns and wondering what became of our once unwavering staying *up* power?
Quite a few, it is probably fair to suggest!
As for what’s brought on this new-found fatigue, well... it’s not simply a case of advancing age, or a hard week at work, as we might often assume.
Another contributing factor, it seems, is boredom.
So much so, in fact, that a new term - 'bired' (tired and bored) - has crept into our everyday vocabulary, with far-reaching consequences for our future social life.
According to the theory of ‘biredom’... if you're ‘cognitively disengaged’ (as most of us are, to varying degrees) then it can affect the pleasure centre of the brain to such an extent that sleepiness will ensue... even if you’re regularly hitting a good solid seven hours a night!
This form of consciousness is known as a 'hypnagogic trance', and for want of a better analogy, you could liken it to the ‘sleep mode’ your computer reverts to during periods of inactivity.
With this in mind, it‘s no wonder that the only thing we’re going wild for right now, are comfy PJs, Horlicks and early nights! Living the dream, or to dreaming to live? #youdecide