The best bridge between despair and hope is a good night's sleep.

Cossman’s aphorism frames sleep as a practical, bodily intervention in emotional crisis. Rather than proposing a philosophical argument or a grand solution, it suggests that despair and hope can be separated by something as ordinary as rest. The “bridge” metaphor implies transition: sleep does not erase problems, but it can restore perspective, reduce stress reactivity, and replenish the mental resources needed to imagine alternatives. The line also carries a gentle admonition against making irreversible judgments when exhausted—implying that what feels hopeless at night may look manageable after recovery. Its enduring appeal lies in its commonsense psychology and its humane, non-moralizing tone.