The Late Show with Stephen Colbert's Joe Saylor Falls Asleep in Less Than 11 Minutes
Welcome to Sleep Diaries, a new Prevention.com series where interesting people share a week’s worth of late-night habits. They’ll tell you, the reader, how they wrap up their day, how they get to sleep, stay asleep or fall back asleep, and how they feel when they wake up in the morning. Why? Because sleep is America’s Most Wanted thing. We chase after it like an elusive elixir that'll make us look younger and feel less stressed. (Maybe because it will.) We thought by getting people to share what works for them-and doesn’t-it might help you find better ZZZs. Or at least give you something entertaining to read. First, we have Joe Saylor, who can be seen every night at 11:35 p.m. on CBS's The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. He’s the drummer wearing the cowboy hat. A Julliard graduate, he’s now the percussionist in Jon Batiste’s wildly successful jazz band, Stay Human. Joe has really good taste in jazz music and pillows.
Sunday, March 31
I went to the evening service at my church in Times Square. It fits my late-night routine better than the morning services. My pastor continued our Lenten series by preaching on Jesus’ final words at the cross. Afterward, about 20 friends and I went to an Indian restaurant called Dhaba. I took an Uber home and changed into a very light pair of sweatpants that I wear bed. They are a gift from a friend who bought them for me during a vacation in Thailand. On top I wear one of those white undershirt tank tops.
I have a queen-size bed that I bought on Craigslist about 10 years ago (I need a new bed!). It’s still comfortable, though. My sheets are fresh because my cleaning lady Irene brings me new sheets all the time. She is so sweet. I have a cotton comforter that’s made by UGG. It’s very warm and cozy. My main pillow is a My Pillow and I have two decorative pillows as well.
Monday, April 1
I felt well-rested from the weekend and finished taping the Late Show a little after 7 p.m. Tony award-winning actor Nathan Lane was on the show. We got our makeup done together and I asked him what he wanted us to play for his walk-on. He said his favorite song is George and Ira Gershwin’s “Our Love Is Here To Stay.” It’s one of my favorites as well, so we played that for him.
I went to my dressing room, got changed, and went down to the West Village to meet my girlfriend at an AIDS recovery center, where she plays cards with residents every other Monday. She was just wrapping up as I arrived. We walked over to Smalls Jazz Club, one of my favorite places to hang out in the city. We heard the drumming genius Ari Hoenig and his band.
I don’t usually have trouble falling asleep, but tonight I played episode of a podcast called Brilliant Perspectives by this guy Graham Cooke. It's titled "A Prayer of Thankfulness" and it's only 11 minutes long but I’ve never made it through the whole thing.
Tuesday, April 2
We had an extra long taping of the Late Show; Emilia Clarke of Game of Thrones was our guest and H.E.R. performed. I finished up around 7:30 p.m. and went to a healing prayer room in Hell's Kitchen. It involves lots of inner healing, emotionally, spiritually, and even physically. On this night, one woman said she had a lot of discomfort in her neck and couldn't do a plank, for example, without severe pain. After the prayer exercise, she was able to do a plank and those leg lifts that make it harder and said she felt nothing.
Later, I went out to dinner with my girlfriend, our friend Mike, and the bass player of the Late Show band, Louis Cato. Louis is a sushi connoisseur, so we enjoyed some great sushi at Sushi Yasaka. I sleep until about 8 a.m the next morning, walked to my local bodega and got a fresh celery juice. I've been doing that every morning for a couple months now.
Wednesday, April 3
After work, I went to meet Eddie, the original saxophone player in Stay Human, and his fiancée Kat at a wine bar. (I don't drink, so I got a water.) Then I went to the gym. I took the subway home and walked through the door just in time to grab my cymbals and head to Smoke Jazz & Supper Club. I lead the 'Round Midnight session at the club. This time, legendary Johnny O’Neal came and sang with us.
Wednesday is usually the night I get very little sleep because my gig at Smoke goes late and I often don’t get to bed until around 3 or 4 a.m. This night was no exception.
Thursday, April 4
I was very sick after the show. I went to my girlfriend’s apartment and she took care of me. She's the best.
Friday, April 5
My band, Stay Human, played a very cool gig. It was the opening night of a series called Soundtrack to America, celebrating the influence of African-American culture. It was held at The Shed, a new music venue at the brand new Hudson Yards. Jon Batiste put together a marching band of more than 100 musicians to commemorate the return of the Harlem Hellfighters Band, of the 369th Infantry, from World War 1. The night was produced by Steve McQueen and Quincy Jones.
Saturday, April 6
I still wake up at 8 a.m., grab my celery juice, and prepare for friends visiting from out of town. It was beautiful so we took a walk through Prospect Park, went record shopping, and then went to dinner at St. Mazie in Williamsburg. I took an Uber home and listened to a few of the records I bought that day. I started with Michael Jackson's Thriller on vinyl and thought, Nope, too much for me right now and switched to Ray Charles to wind down.
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