Who came up with the concept of counting sheep to fall asleep? And why SHEEP???

Answer 1

it all has to do with the accounting of sheep.

Say you lived in a pastuer-esque community where sheep was the measure of your wealth. You would hire people to take care of the sheep as you knew not how to maintain them, just how to make a profit. So if one sheep became lost or missing or stolen, that was money out of your pocket...clean and simple.

So the shepards who were hired by you were scared to death to loose the sheep that belong to you left in their care, fearing what wrath you might impose upon them so every opportunity of moving from grazing pasture or taking over the shift or changing shift or after an animal attack or robbery, or......you get the point, I hope.

If you fell asleep your sheep would wonder, as being a shepard meant not keeping them confined. They were actually sheparding flocks in the wild within no fenced in yards. They would count the sheep to verify how many were there, abd how many were not...ie how many coin they would owe when the night was over. And thusly, counting sheep to stay awake became a tradition.

"Hey, hey, boy. pay attention to your flock, they're wondering.....hey, wake up and count those things."

Answer 2

I don't know who came up with this concept but I do know why SHEEP. Their is a story related to them that when one sheep jumped over the fence the other sheep followed it and also jumped over the fence and like that all the sheep jumped over the fence just following the other.
So this is a concept about sheep the if one sheep jumps over the fence , all sheep will jump following one another.
So when people try to sleep they count sheep jumping over the fence.

Answer 3

This is a guess but it sounds good....
in the old days sheepherder watching the sheep would probably fall asleep while they were counting the sheep....so the saying could have came from that.
I could see it watching sheep has to be boring.

Answer 4

Now this is what I call a good question!

I have no idea about the answer, but the sheep-herderer thing seems like a pretty good guess.

Answer 5

Have you ever heard of the saying?

Montana: Where Men are men and the sheep are nervous!!!!
(could use any state where Sheep ranching started....)

Answer 6

well know one really knows. My guess is that sheep are peaceful. also have you heard of count to ten when you mad that will calm you down. If you put these together you will finally be calm enough to sleep.

Answer 7

probly a guy counted sheep in his farm and fell asleeep

Answer 8

cause sheep are wooly & comfy & they make good pillows.

Answer 9

Serta... just kidding