We come from water and in water some people are most comfortable. My grandfather is a shining example. An immigrant from Greece, he loved to swim in the ocean off Southern California more than anything else. I say swim, but I really mean is float.

As a young boy, I vividly recall our trips to the beach together. These were festive affairs with many cousins, grandparents, aunts and uncles, an abundance of food and drink, and no shortage of revelry, including Greek dancing when things got properly going. We were a loud, raucous bunch, with lively banter and frequent salutations of, “OPA!” Especially so when the wine and ouzo started flowing.

After many hours of such carousing, fatigue and exhaustion would inevitably wear us down and it was time for the traditional afternoon doze. With beach towels and blankets spread across the sand, we each sought our own path of real estate for quiet slumber. Not my grandfather, Constantine.

He would casually saunter to the waters edge, cast an eye seaward, and swim out past the breakers. Once beyond the turbulence of the waves, he’d flip onto his back, close his eyes… and drift into deep slumber.

Eventually the sun would lower and someone would summons me to got fetch my grandfather. I was never quite sure how to approach a man sleeping in the ocean, so I would gently put my hand on his shoulder and whisper, “Grandpa, it’s time to go now.” He never awoke startled, his eyes just slowly opened and a broad smile swept across his face. We’d swim back to shore together and in those unforgettable moments he seemed like the most content man on the planet.

Many years later I must confess that I’m not quite as proficient at aquatic slumber as my namesake. I’ve achieved brief instances of heightened drowsiness, but I’ve never been able to fully doze off while bobbing in a large body of water (perhaps due to the advent of network TV and Shark Week). However, that’s not to say I’ve been deprived the blissfulness of sleeping on water, thanks to Afloat waterbeds. And with my Afloat waterbed I can even control the temperature, so sleeping on water is a year round activity, and completely shark free!

If you’re ever thought about trying a waterbed, now is the ideal time. Beyond the myriad of additional benefits—spinal alignment, reduced pressure points, sag free and hypoallergenic—sleeping on water has some truly magical qualities that need to be experienced to be understood. It’s as though the stress emitted from your body is absorbed by the water and dissipated, leaving you in a state of quieted tranquility.

As one can easily detect from the tone of this story, sleeping on a waterbed has been a transformational event in my life, resulting in better rest, recovery and a greater sense of calm at night. If you’d like to try an Afloat waterbed and see for yourself, the company offers free shipping and a 100-night guarantee. Though if you’re like me, there’s no chance you’ll be sending it back.

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Constantine “Dean” is a marathoner and CEO (Chief Exercise Officer) of Afloat.