Frasier hasn’t left the building

It’s impossible to believe that the neon-lit 1990s are three decades old; there’s got to be some calculating error. Just to check whether it really is true, I’ve been immersing myself in ’90s sitcoms. The absurd observational comedy of Seinfeld segues easily into the ensemble genius of Friends, and both lend themselves to endless repeat viewings. But another stellar show from that pre-cell-phone, post-liberalisation era has stayed dormant in my memory for many years. Rewatching Frasier now, I’m thrilled that it’s aged like a fine burgundy the two Crane brothers from the show might sip together while exchanging disdainful notes about the world around them.

‘Millennials: it’s time to face the dark truth about Frasier.’ So threatened a caption for a 2020 New Yorker column. I began reading it with trepidation. The headline went: ‘Six things millennials have in common with Dr. Frasier Crane’. To deepen my worries, it carried this additional warning: (No. 5 Will Drive You Into a Deep Depression). “No!” my #Metoo rattled, climate-change battered, politically oppressed heart cried out. The truth that the fifth item on the list declared was a bitter pill to swallow. “He was your age.”

Rewatching the show now (very, very legally, I assure you), it strikes me how I still see a forty-something Frasier as the quintessential adult to my bumbling adolescent. He wears suits, drinks fancy wines, is a respected public figure and is beset by fatherly worries. While one can readily identify with the stuck-inteenage characters that shows like Seinfeld and Friends feature, Frasier’s humour rests on altogether more mature themes. And if you strip the character of all the paraphernalia, you find there’s much to empathise with.

COMFORT WATCHING

Frasier may be a time capsule of the era it was made in, but it still holds its own as a ‘must-see’ for audiences

I fell for Niles right from the get-go. His nervous tics. His mockery of Frasier’s “pop psychiatry”. His constant references to his fragile, glacial wife, Maris, whom we never see on the show. His puppy-like devotion to Daphne. There’s the conventional, successful white male, and then there’s Niles, his endearing eccentricity making up for his intellectual superiority. Charmingly, a recent Guardian article about the actor ran with the headline: “I’m completely devoted to one person”, drawing a striking parallel with Niles. (He was referencing his nearly forty-yearold relationship with Brian Hargrove, a TV writer.)

Social media has given pop psychology a steroid shot. Name an affliction and I’ll show you a prettily designed digital poster that will treat it in fewer than fifteen words. But something about Frasier’s “I’m listening” voice sounds genuine despite Niles’ constant jibes about a radio shrink’s efficacy. In the world of the show, a “patient” becomes a “caller”, an unthreatening descriptor. (Traditional shrinks in offices should consider a similar euphemism for patients. Couch-hoggers, perhaps?) As the show goes on, it employs famous voices as guest callers, from Eddie Van Halen to Mel Brooks. A fun Easter egg hunt in a Christmas pudding of a show.

Exhilaratingly, I’m just on season one of 11 in this rewatching spree. Frasier’s father has just moved into his older son’s home, and there’s a whole lot of adjustment issues for the odd couple to negotiate, with the oversharing Daphne a challenge in herself. It’s good to be reminded that even opera-watching shrinks have daddy issues. We’ve come off a long period of being locked up in our homes in combinations that are perhaps not ideal. It’s such a perverse pleasure to now see the professionals deal with life’s big questions. (Spoiler alert! Jazz music, a pet who’s given to staring, and deeply emotional bonds always save the day.)

We live in an era that has brainwashed us to believe that we need to compromise on sleep to be successful in life. This is a myth. Human beings are the only species that sacrifice sleep to achieve more. Yes, all of us have pulled all-nighters at some point in our lives. But the problems begin when these allnighters become a way of life.

Science links chronic sleep deprivation to low immunity, obesity, high blood pressure, fluctuating blood sugar levels, low emotional resilience, weak memory, rapid ageing, hormonal imbalances, and even cancer.

Sleep is a powerful meditation and medication. There is no replacement or alternative to it. It rejuvenates, repairs, heals, protects, balances, and does so much more.

You have 24 hours in a day, and you should dedicate six to eight of them to sleep. Plan the rest of your day around the remaining 16-18 hours. Remember, quality rules over quantity. It is not just about how many hours you sleep, but also about how deeply you sleep. Try these seven ways to sleep deeper.

As the sun sets, our digestive capacity slows down too. This explains why late-night heavy meals make you feel sluggish and lethargic. Your body needs time to digest the food and break it down effectively. Eating your dinner by sunset or by 7 pm helps you achieve a natural 12-hour circadian fast until sunrise, eases digestion, and improves your sleep schedule.

Switch off all lights 30 minutes before bed to signal your body that it is time to fall asleep. Dark rooms help secrete melatonin (the sleep hormone), and artificial lighting suppresses it.

Whether it is a weekday or a weekend, sleep around the same time. Be consistent with your digital detox two hours before bed. Blue light emissions not only delay the onset of sleep but also suppress melatonin.

Solve crosswords.

Spend time with your family.

Dab essential oils like lavender, frankincense, or vetiver on your pillow.

Take a warm bath. Add essential oils or Epsom salt to relax your nerves and muscles.

Make love to release the feel-good hormone oxytocin which will help you sleep easily.

Try left nostril breathing (moon breathing or Chandra Bhedana). Close your mouth and right nostril completely. Only use your left nostril to inhale and exhale for a couple of rounds as you lie down to sleep. It will calm your body and mind and help you fall asleep. Practices like Yoga Nidra and Shavasana are also powerful for deep sleep.

Replay your day and reflect on what made you smile or feel good about yourself. Set your intentions for the next day.

Mix ¼ tsp nutmeg powder, five strands of saffron, and two tsp poppy seeds to a cup of warm water. Let this steep for a couple of hours. Drink this sleep potion with five soaked raisins.