Literal Nightcap

By the way, I need to tell you about my sleeping cap. You see, my bedroom is always freezing this time of year. I have (old) windows on three sides and just a small crawlspace above separating me from the elements. I don't mind bundling up under extra blankets, in fact I enjoy it, but with my head uncovered I invariably arose with a cold-like malaise I could not shake without a hot shower and a decent breakfast. And if I went more than a couple days without a full night's sleep, I was generally sick by the weekend.

I cleaned out my closets in September and came across one of the ski caps a teammate's mother had knitted for our crew team way back when. It sat on the chair at the foot of my bed until the first real chill of December compelled me to put it on. What I like most about it is its soft yarn doesn't make my forehead itch.

I'm now a big believer in the sleeping cap and am waking up clear as a bell, but don't take my word for it. A Harvard neuroscientist estimates as much as 30% of one's body heat is lost through the head.