---
date: 2019-04-25
modified_at: 2019-04-25
tags: [philosophy, productivity]
description: Experimenting with sleeping in a hammock for a week and discovering six unexpected benefits including better air flow, easier cleaning, and improved sleep quality.
---
# The Hammock Experiment

My housemate was looking funny at me when I told him I slept in a hammock last
night. In the past 6 days, I've been sleeping in a hammock now. And I'm not
feeling that bad at all!

Millions of people sleep in hammocks every night. In some countries, it is very
common. In the Netherlands, I wouldn't be surprised if no-one does. This is
strange, isn't it?

In the past 6 nights, I've slept in a hammock, and I've found 6 benefits.

1) No mites, no full nose when waking up
I'm a little bit allergic to mites, the doctor once told me. A concequence is
that I have a big nasal discharge (is this the correct English word?) in the
morning, every morning, because my bed is full of mites. Yikes!

2) Rocking to sleep, sleep like a baby
I'm not kidding. I sleep like a baby. Especially when sleeping outside in a
hammock. The wind often rocks your hammock a bit, and it feels very comforting.
I didn't sleep so well for a long time.

3) Easy to read
It's easy to read in a hammock, because it's easier to create a position in a
hammock that lifts your back and gets you in a more straight position. In a bed,
you'd need a lot of cushions for that. In a hammock you don't need them.

4) Easy to keep clean
Hammocks are small and tidy. Just blow them in the wind a bit, and they're
clean. My hammock is made of nylon, a very smooth material that doesn't get
dirty quickly. Also, your sweat won't build up in your hammock. It ventilates it
out.

5) Easy to make some space
If you don't have a bed, it's very easy to make space in your bedroom. Just get
rid of the hammock (hang it on one side on the wall instead of two) and your
whole bed will be gone! It already takes less space in the first place.

6) Better air flow and ventilation
Like I said, my hammock is made of silk. Silk ventilates well, it doesn't keep a
lot of water (sweat). Therefore, air can reach your body easier. This means you
will ventilate better at night, which could be good (I don't know).

Conclusion
In the dark ages, we slept upright because we thought we'd die if we slept lying
down. It was the position of the dead. Whe science came around, this changed and
we all bought a bed. I wonder if we'll ever change again. Since time is endless
and there is a very small possibility that we will every given year, there's a
100% possibility that we will, some day. I doubt that we'll move to hammocks,
but it's certainly an interesting option! I'll try it for a bit more! What do
you think will be the future of sleeping?