So why is it called counting sheep?

Question

why'd it have to be counting sheep or cow jumping over the moon what made whomever choose these animals for these sayings make it a sheep and cow? Is there any logic to it?

Answer 1

Origin

Insomnia has probably always been with us. We have evidence of this particular technique, of counting sheep as they are imagined to jump over a fence, being used from 1854. That's from Seba Smith's Way down east; or portraitures of Yankee life:

"He shut his eyes with all his might, and tried to think of sheep jumping over a wall."

Answer 2

Just a hunch, but somewhere a shepherd probably fell asleep trying to count all of his sheep and ever since it has been called this.  If you think about counting the same thing over and over a hundred times would make your brain tired, at least psychologically.

That's my two cents worth!

Answer 3

mabye counting sheep is called counting sheep are white and fluffy like clouds

Answer 4

Not that I know of. The idea is just to count a repetitive object until your brain unwinds enough to drift off to sleep. Possibly they chose cows and sheep because they're familiar cuddly barn animals to appeal to children.