I’ve developed sleep envy. These days I have well-medicated and pretty well-managed insomnia, but I am still painfully jealous of those who drift into a peaceful slumber with nothing more than a contented sigh.

My 87-year-old father is staying with me at the moment. He sleeps 15 hours a day. Now, I realise he’s old and the elderly sleep a lot, but still – that is a lot of rest. And the reality is, he’s always slept well. He lays his head upon a pillow and slips into sleep. He falls asleep on trains, planes, and automobiles. He once fell asleep while teaching a student how to play the flute. He is good at sleeping.

My 58-year-old husband nods off at the drop of a hat. He lays down, strapped to his sleep apnoea mask, and falls asleep. Just like that. He can come home from work and sit in his comfy armchair, close his eyes, and have a nap. He can be woken by the cat crawling into his lap then fall asleep again in under a minute. How is this possible?

I am so jealous.

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