6/18/2023 Chicago – A new study has revealed that a high rate of men are “sleep” cooking on Father’s Day due to work responsibilities late the evening before. This phenomenon is similar to sleep walking but with the added activities of cooking while asleep. The study, conducted by the Sleep Research Institute, found sleep cooking especially prevalent in the IT industry, where companies prefer to avoid implementations over major holidays such as Christmas, Thanksgiving, and New Years, thus impacting Father’s Day.

The study surveyed 1,000 men who work in IT and found that 25% of them reported sleep cooking at least once a month, and 10% of them reported sleep cooking on Father’s Day. The most common dishes they made were grilled hamburgers, hot dogs, and steaks as well as breakfast dishes. Sleep activities included using appliances like microwaves, ovens, and grills.

The study interviewed several fathers who have experienced sleep cooking and their families. One of them, John Hanover, a software engineer at TechCorp, said he was shocked when he woke up on Father’s Day and found himself holding a spatula and flipping burgers on the grill. “I don’t remember anything. I was working late on Saturday night to finish a project for Monday. The next thing I know, I’m standing in the backyard with a chef’s hat and an apron that says ‘World’s Best Dad’. My wife and kids were sitting at the table, waiting for me to join them.”

Hanover’s wife, Jane, said she was amused by her husband’s sleep cooking. “He looked so peaceful and happy. He was humming a tune and smiling. He even made some jokes about how he was going to make us a feast fit for a king. The food was actually pretty good. It was the best Father’s Day ever.”

Another participant, Kevin Zehring, shared his story of sleep cooking on Father’s Day. “I woke up to the smell of bacon and pancakes and thought my wife had made me breakfast. But when I went downstairs, I saw that I had cooked everything myself. I had no recollection of doing it. I was so confused and embarrassed. My wife and kids were laughing at me and said it was the best breakfast they ever had.”

A third father, Mike Jones, a network administrator at NetCom, said he was startled when he woke up on Father’s Day and found himself eating a hot dog with his family. “I was working until 3 a.m. on Sunday morning to fix a server issue. I guess I must have fallen asleep on the couch. The next thing I know, I’m sitting at the picnic table with a hot dog in my hand and mustard on my face. My wife and kids were laughing at me.”

Jones’ wife, Lisa, said she was impressed by her husband’s sleep cooking. “He managed to light the grill, cook the hot dogs and burgers, and set the table without waking up. He even put ketchup and mustard on his own hot dog. He was so cute. He looked like a little kid. The food was great!”

The study also analyzed social media posts related to sleep cooking on Father’s Day specifically. It found that many people shared photos and videos of their fathers sleep cooking or eating with their families. Some of the most popular posts included:

• #SleepGrillDad: A video of a father snoring while holding a pair of tongs and turning chicken wings on the grill.
• #BestDadEver: A photo of a father sleeping on a lawn chair with a plate of ribs on his lap and a beer in his hand.
• #DadGoals: A photo of a father smiling in his sleep while holding a fork and knife and cutting into a steak.
• #WakeUpDad: A video of a family singing “Happy Father’s Day” to their father who is sleeping on a picnic table with a burger in his mouth.
• “My dad sleep cooked a whole turkey last night. He thought it was Thanksgiving. #sleepcooking #fail”
• “I caught my husband sleep cooking macaroni and cheese at 3 am. He said he was hungry. #sleepcooking #cheesy”
• “Sleep cooking is real, people. My brother made a pizza with pineapple and anchovies. He hates both. #sleepcooking #gross”

The study concluded that sleep cooking on Father’s Day is a serious issue that affects many fathers and their families. It recommended that fathers should get enough sleep before Father’s Day and avoid working late or doing stressful tasks the night before. It also suggested that families should be supportive and understanding of their fathers’ sleep cooking habits should that occur. It is more dangerous to wake someone while sleep cooking than to just let them finish their activity. Simply enjoy the food they make as the quality should not suffer. Lastly, where possible lock kitchen doors or set alarms to prevent fathers from sleep cooking in the first place. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure they say.

The study also noted that sleep cooking is not limited to Father’s Day and can happen anytime during the year. Sleep cooking is not only a health hazard but also a social embarrassment. If you or someone you know suffers from sleep cooking, please seek professional help if they experience frequent or severe episodes of sleep cooking or other forms of parasomnia.

BY BS

The Journalist BS