This week Shauna and Dan explore the time-honored tradition of Counting Sheep. Bonus: Mindfulness, Sleeping Raw, and What Makes a Musical. It's Sheepnanigans all the way down!
Copyright 2026 by The Readiness Corner, LLC - All Rights Reserved
Bunny Trails: A Word History Podcast
Episode 323: Counting Sheep
Record Date: June 21, 2026
Air Date: June 24, 2026
Intro
Shauna:
Welcome to Bunny Trails, a whimsical adventure of idioms and other turns of phrase.
I’m Shauna Harrison
Dan:
And I’m Dan Pugh
Each week we take an idiom or other turn of phrase and try to tell the story from its entry into the English language, to how it’s used today.
Opening Hook
It’s a common experience, one where you are lying in bed, desperate to get a good night's sleep. But the proverbial ‘Sandman’ is nowhere to be found.
In this situation today, we might reach for warm milk, put on some music or a podcast, or turn the AC down to make it a bit cooler. But before these remedies were available, there was one timeless practice available to anyone: Counting Sheep.
Meaning
According to the Oxford English Dictionary, counting sheep means:
Quote
as a soporific, to count imaginary sheep jumping over an obstacle one by one
End Quote
https://www.oed.com/dictionary/sheep_n?tab=meaning_and_use#23248813
Now, soporific is not a common English word, so I’ll note that it means:
Quote
Inducing or tending to induce sleep; causing a person to sleep or slumber.
End Quote
https://www.oed.com/dictionary/soporific_adj?tab=meaning_and_use#21760012
And thus, counting sheep is a way to fall asleep, by counting imaginary sheep doing simple tasks like jumping over a wall or moving through a gate. I couldn’t find much actually recorded about why history thought counting sheep would make you fall asleep. But in a 2024 article from CNN Wellness, Sandee Lamont notes:
Quote
History supposedly provides the answer: It was said to be a way for medieval shepherds, devoid of human company for weeks at a time, to fall asleep each night — they counted their sheep until drowsy. Whether that’s true or not, I don’t know.
What is clear is that the concept of counting sheep to sleep is so old it was mentioned in a 13th century compilation of short stories titled “Cento Novelle Antiche.” In one of the novellas, a storyteller in the service of Messer Azzolino was so sleepy that he told his master a tale of a farmer trying to get a flock of sheep across a swollen river in a small boat.
“So he jumped in with a single fleece, and began to row with all his might,” the storyteller said. “The river was broad, but he rowed and he rowed away. …”
The storyteller stopped talking as he fell asleep, prompting his master to prod him awake to finish the tale.
“Let him get over the remainder of the sheep, and then I will proceed; for it will take him a year at least, and in the meantime your excellency may enjoy a very comfortable slumber,” the fabulist replied before nodding off again.
The same tale was told in the earlier 12th century work “Disciplina Clericalis,” and even became part of the 17th century book “Don Quixote” — only in this version Quixote’s squire, Sancho Panza, tells him to count goats, not sheep.
End Quote
https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/24/health/counting-sheep-for-sleep-explained-wellness
We’ll hear more from the article about whether or not science thinks “Counting Sheep” works in our Behind the Scenes Video, which airs every Friday on our Patreon. That’s patreon.com/bunnytrailspod
For now, we know there are a few historical things to show the concept has been around for a long time. And counting sheep was a real activity that needed to be done, so there are tons of English references to counting sheep throughout the years, usually in the context of agrarian settings like raising sheep. But the first time I could find the specific allusion to ‘counting sheep’ in English referring to sleep instead of the literal counting of sheep was in the mid 1800s, though the phrase even to this day has so many varieties it is tough to identify every usage and I’m certain there are earlier examples of the figurative usage that just haven’t been digitized or catalogued.
1854
This example is from the 1854 work, Way Down East by Seba Smith. While this doesn’t include our exact phrase, the concept is clearly being used here.
Quote
Thus far, up to the evening before the wedding day, everything looked fair and promising. Peter retired to bed early, in the hope of getting a good night's rest; but somehow or other he never was so restless in his life. He shut his eyes with all his might, and tried to think of sheep jumping over a wall; but do all he could, sleep would n't come.
End Quote
https://archive.org/details/waydowneast00smitrich/page/n285/mode/2up?q=sheep
1896
Here’s another example, this from an 1896 book titled Preparation for Motherhood by Elizabeth Robinson Scovil. In the chapter titled “Means of Inducing Sleep”, the author notes that fatigue can help sleep come, but over-fatigue can drive away sleep. For the times of over-fatigue, excitement, anxiety, or distress, the author notes:
Quote
There are a few mental exercises that may be tried beside the time honored one of counting sheep leaping over a hedge, or running through a gap. One of these is counting steadily, always beginning with one, or rather returning to it as one, two, one two, three, one two three, four, etc. It is very monotonous and one does sometimes drop asleep under its influence.
End Quote
https://www.google.com/books/edition/Preparation_for_motherhood/mIW-gQXEMjgC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=counting+sheep&pg=PA126&printsec=frontcover
I feel like that really gets at the heart of why, in my mind, counting sheep could work for some people. It’s monotonous. It’s the same thing, over and over and over. And that, for some people, tends to put them to sleep.
1920
The phrase really took off in the 1920s, thanks largely to the Pulitzer Prize winning play Beyond the Horizon by Eugene O'Neill. The play was written in 1918, but didn’t premiere until 1920. It was a smash hit. Here’s a line from Act 3, Scene 1.
Quote
I couldn’t get to sleep to save my soul. I counted ten million sheep if I counted one.
End Quote
https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/58569/pg58569-images.html
You’ll note the concept is sound, but as with many examples it isn’t saying specifically “counting sheep”, but instead uses additional descriptors to get to the same concept - counted ten million sheep.
1921
Here’s another example from the Democratic Messenger out of Maryland, USA dated December 10, 1921. In the article titled Brings “Sandman” in a Hurry, they charge that counting sheep is no longer valid in today’s modern world of 1921.
Quote
Counting sheep used to be the great recipe for going to sleep. You simply closed your eyes, imagined a rail fence with a gap in it and white woolly sheep jumping through, one at a time. You counted them carefully as they came, and… you dropped off to slumberland.
But the amateur psychologist says counting sheep is old-fashioned and impractical now. The trouble was, he explains, the people used their imagination too much. Instead of confining themselves solely to the sheep, they would imagine a whole pasture, with trees and hills and a sky full of clouds beyond, and their attention was so diffused keeping track of the landscape that they couldn’t keep their minds concentrated on the sheep. Presently, they lost interest and then old man Insomnia camped on their trail for several hours.
End Quote
https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn84026758/1921-12-10/ed-1/?sp=9&q=counting+sheep&r=0.322,0.104,0.537,0.205,0
The amateur psychologist goes on to say he imagines the inside of a cathedral with a single ray of light falling on an endless procession of hooded monks moving slowly down the aisle instead of sheep in a field.
Personally, I’m not sure how that isn’t just as susceptible to the same problem as the field, with cathedrals famous for their intricate windows and tapestries. So it feels more like this guy is advocating moving from an agrarian image to a religious one. But who knows.
1941
Here’s another reference to the phrase, this one from the Washington Daily News out of Washington, DC, USA. It is dated July 14, 1941 - traditionally a hot time of year in the USA. This article is about how to sleep cool when it’s so hot outside. It begins:
Quote
Forget about Washington’s swelter when you’re trying to drop off to sleep after a hard day’s work. Counting sheep won’t do a bit of good. Concentrate instead on making a cool oasis of the room you sleep in.
End Quote
https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn82016181/1941-07-14/ed-1/?sp=16&q=counting+sheep&r=-0.022,-0.055,1.066,0.406,0
So this is another example of saying counting sheep won’t be effective and offering alternative concepts. In it, they have a series of photos of a woman taking all sorts of steps. They suggest a fan with a bowl of ice cubes in front of it, which makes sense as, according to the US Dept of Energy, air conditioning was a luxury item in the USA until after World War 2. https://www.energy.gov/articles/history-air-conditioning
A few other recommendations from the article include a medium temperature shower just before bed, putting your hair in an upsweep to allow air flow around your neck, adding talcum powder to your sheets, and my personal favorite, sleeping raw. Which is their way of saying sleep naked. And thank you 1941 I will now call it sleeping raw for the rest of my life.
1954
One more before the break, the one is actually what led me to research the phrase as an episode topic. I recently read a passage in the book The Irving Berlin Reader by Benjamin Sears that included an excerpt from a letter Berlin wrote to Joe Schenck for 20th Century Fox Films. The letter was dated September 5, 1952.
Quote
Dear Joe:
I’m dictating this letter to you over the telephone from the Catskills where I’ve been since I left Hollywood.
First let me tell you that I feel just great. I’ve had several nights of good sleep without too much help. Also, for the first time in a long time, the work is coming faster and better.
I’m enclosing a lyric of a song I finished here and which I am going to publish immediately. That is, after I get some good recordings. You have always said that I commercialized my emotions and many times you were wrong, but this particular song is based on what really happened. The story behind the song is in its verse, which I don’t think I will publish. As I say in the lyrics, sometime ago, after the worst kind of a sleepless night, my doctor came to see me and after a lot of self-pity, belly-aching, and complaining about my insomnia, he looked at me and said “speaking of doing something about insomnia, did you ever try counting your blessings?”
End Quote
https://archive.org/details/irvingberlinread0000unse/page/196/mode/2up?q=blessings
And that 1952 interaction became Count your Blessings (Instead of Sheep) which was released in 1954 for the wildly popular movie, White Christmas. Here are some of the lyrics:
Quote
When I'm worried and I can't sleep
I count my blessings instead of sheep
And I fall asleep counting my blessings
End Quote
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXKxazgio2s
Up next we have several modern uses to cover and we’ll get to those, right after we say thank you to our sponsors.
A Quick Thank You
Shauna:
Bunny Trails: A Word History Podcast has been brought to you by our amazing Patrons.
Dan:
We want to say a huge thank you to everyone who has supported the show over the years, including Heather, Dustin, Cheryl, Ad-sceptic, Charlie, Jill, Erica, Chris, Allan, Donna, and Ernest. Plus a very special thanks to some of our higher tiers, including Jan and Emily as well as Pat Rowe and JGP. And of course, thank you to our top spot, Mary Halsig Lopez.
Shauna:
You can find tons of content from the show’s 9 seasons on Patreon at patreon.com/bunnytrailspod
We also have links to the episodes and transcripts or show notes for each episode on our forever home, bunnytrailspod.com
Modern Uses
1968
I want to start in 1968 with the Philip K. Dick novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep. The title plays on the concept of humans counting sheep and extends the question to non-human life. Here’s the synopsis from the publisher:
Quote
By 2021, the World War has killed millions, driving entire species into extinction and sending mankind off-planet. Those who remain covet any living creature, and for people who can’t afford one, companies built incredibly realistic simulacra: horses, birds, cats, sheep. They’ve even built humans. Immigrants to Mars receive androids so sophisticated they are indistinguishable from true men or women. Fearful of the havoc these artificial humans can wreak, the government bans them from Earth. Driven into hiding, unauthorized androids live among human beings, undetected. Rick Deckard, an officially sanctioned bounty hunter, is commissioned to find rogue androids and “retire” them. But when cornered, androids fight back—with lethal force.
End Quote
https://www.google.com/books/edition/Do_Androids_Dream_of_Electric_Sheep/7fYnzQEACAAJ?hl=en
https://www.amazon.com/Androids-Dream-Electric-Sheep-inspiration-ebook/dp/B000SEGTI0
If, like me, you read this book decades ago, you’ll know the book talks about 1992, not 2021. But in the mid-2000s it was updated due to the continued success of the novel. You may not have heard of this book, but you’ve probably heard of two movie adaptations based on it; 1982’s Blade Runner and the 2017 sequel, Blade Runner 2049.
I do find it really cool when works from 50+ years ago are still actively in print for today’s audiences.
1982
Counting Sheep is a 1982 juvenile fiction book by George Mendoza. Here’s the short-and-sweet synopsis from the publisher:
Quote
An old shepherd has difficulty putting himself to sleep one night when the sheep won't jump over the fence, but instead engage in all sorts of unusual activities.
End Quote
https://www.google.com/books/edition/Counting_Sheep/-67pPAAACAAJ?hl=en
2000
Counting Sheep was a marketing campaign by the brand Serta. In it there were 13 non-sequential sheep each with their own distinct personality. Here’s a quick tongue-in-cheek note from a 2024 Serta blog post about the campaign:
Quote
Way back in 2000, an advertising executive was trying to sleep after a long day at the office. His lumpy old mattress buckled and sank beneath him, and he groaned, “Why have I put off getting a Serta?” Resigning himself to a sleepless night, he made a last-ditch effort to fall asleep and began counting sheep. As #71 made its graceful arc over the wooden fence the executive knew so well, something occurred to him. When I get my new Serta Mattress, he thought, these sheep are gonna be out of business! And just like that, the idea of the Serta Counting Sheep was born.
The next morning, the advertising executive approached Serta with his Serta Counting Sheep concept. “We’ll make ’em stars!” he said, “We just gotta find the right sheep for the job!” Serta loved the idea, and a worldwide search for the Serta Counting Sheep was launched.
End Quote
https://www.serta.com/blogs/sleep-solutions/the-history-behind-the-serta-counting-sheep
2004
Counting Sheep is a 2004 documentary directed by Frank Green. Here’s the synopsis:
Quote
A naturalist and a big-cat tracker team up to save the majestic bighorn sheep roaming California's Sierra Nevada in this documentary. Nature's delicate balance is in peril: The endangered bighorn are preyed on by the protected mountain lion, forcing the outdoorsmen to take unusual steps to save the sheep. The film won the Wild & Scenic Environmental Film Festival Peoples' Choice Award and was a finalist at two other environmental film festivals.
End Quote
https://watch.plex.tv/movie/counting-sheep
https://www.moviefone.com/movie/counting-sheep/USMnypWDrNgxUiBKWD2eE5/where-to-watch/
2015
Counting Sheep is a song by SAFIA off their 2015 EP Embracing Me. You may also be familiar with the song if you are a Five Nights at Freddy’s fan. The song was written about insomnia and it's definitely got a creepy horror vibe yet its beat is so catchy that it sucks you in - which honestly is perfect for a song about insomnia. Here is the first verse and the chorus:
Quote
I never make a sound
Fingers crossed I shut my mouth
Thoughts they're creeping through my teeth
Drip, drop, the night is loud
Silence seems to drown me out
Box my thoughts and give me some relief
I wanna let you down
Make you toss and turn around
Won't you give me what I need
I wanna let you down
And I'm always lost and never found
Won't you give me what I need
Tick, tock, make me creep
Never ending counting sheep
Never get no sleep
Tick, tock, make me creep
Never ending counting sheep
Never get no sleep
End Quote
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EICCRiwlQd0
2017
The Counting Sheep is a 2017 animated short film by Michale Warren & Katelyn Hagen. It’s less than 3 minutes long and we’ll link to it on youtube. Here’s the synopsis:
Quote
An animated short about counting sheep number 100 who never gets his chance to jump over the fence because the sleeper always falls asleep before his turn. Will he finally get his chance?
End Quote
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYefR2kW3jA
I’ll just say, it doesn’t go the way I expected it to go.
2021
Counting Sheep by Joe Cusack is a 2021 children’s story book. Here’s the synopsis from the publisher.
Quote
Counting Sheep is a colourful and funny book about a boy who can't sleep and a sheep that won't leap.Trying different ways to get him over the hedge is all they have to do - but at the end of the day, they must be tired too!
End Quote
https://www.google.com/books/edition/Counting_Sheep/7O5mzgEACAAJ?hl=en
Wrap Up
I know I tried counting sheep when I was a kid and struggled to get to sleep, normally because we had a fun thing planned the next day like going to Six Flags or it was just Saturday so I could play outside all day. But over the years I have mastered the art of falling asleep and can now fall asleep almost instantly the moment my head hits the pillow. Which feels like I’m humble-bragging. But this skill was not learned through rigorous self-enlightenment, but rather through sheer necessity working 24 hour shifts - sometimes back-to-back - during my decade on an ambulance. So I haven’t had much need to count sheep in many years. Though I’m excited to come back to it at some point if the opportunity ever arises.
Dan:
That’s about all we have for today. If you have any thoughts on the show, or pop culture references we should have included,
reach out to us on Patreon, patreon.com/bunnytrailspod or comment on our website bunnytrailspod.com
Shauna:
It’s poll time!
Recently we asked our Patrons, which decade has the best vibes?
Cheryl said
Quote
I love the era between the wars. I love the architecture, art and fashion from that era. The freedom and the first? back to the land movement (a little earlier).
End Quote
Jan added
Quote
The 80s - the fast food menu options were great! The music was top notch. Paying bills and going to work weren’t on my radar.
End Quote
I’ve always felt I was born in the wrong decade - or perhaps era. I don’t know for sure which decade had the best vibes but I know which people have and it’s the artists, especially musicians. Give me good music and I can survive quite a bit.
Dan:
Heather said
Quote
I'm a 90s kid but that also comes with both good and bad baggage. I'm cringing at the current resurgence of Y2K aesthetics. So I'm going to go full fantasy mode and pretend I could have actually been a flapper in the roaring twenties.
End Quote
Oof. Same. The Y2K aesthetics kill me. But it also makes me an old man yelling at clouds, I fear.
My answer to this question is tough, because I was a teen in the 90s and I have a lot of fond memories of that time as I found my footing as an adult. But I also have a lot of great memories of the mid to late 2000s and 2010s when my family all lived together under one roof before they grew up to be their own adults and moved away. So I'll have to remove memories and go with pure vibes (which was probably the question, anyway). And in that case, I'm going with the 1960s because I love the themes of revolution, counterculture, and of course, the Beatles.
Shauna:
Emily said
Quote
1940-50s: Give me some poodle skirts and sock hops, please!
End Quote
And JGP offers probably the most sage wisdom
Quote
I think every decade has its positives and negatives, it's just easier to remember the highlights but forget the bad things of ones that are further from today than the more recent ones.
End Quote
Thanks to everyone who took part in our silly poll. It’s always fun to hear what others think!
Outro
Shauna:
Thanks for joining us. We’ll talk to you again next week. Until then remember,
Together:
Words belong to their users.
No comments:
Post a Comment