How Much is the Right Amount?

Although the average is eight hours per night, when asked how much is the right amount of sleep, everyone’s reply can be different depending on age, lifestyle, and what kind of sleep pattern to which we are accustomed. However when asked what happens to us when we don’t get the amount of sleep that we are used to, the answer is pretty consistent. It affects our personalities; we may become irritable or less tolerant, and have less of a sense of humor about things that normally wouldn’t bother us.

Lack of sleep clearly affects our thinking and our perspective. A sleep-deprived brain is similar to a vehicle running on low fuel. We can function, just not at the same speed. Lack of sleep also affects us physically; our coordination is off, which affects our responsiveness as well. We’re much more likely to make errors or have accidents. The bottom line is that we need to fill up on ZZZs to feel replenished and ready for each day ahead.

So the question then becomes, what can we do to ensure a good night’s sleep?

One thing for sure is that you cannot bank sleep hours. There is no getting five hours tonight with plans to catch up by getting eleven hours tomorrow night – that just doesn’t work. We need to try to keep sleep and wake times consistent every day of the week. If possible, establish a bedtime routine and, although we would love to see that late night show, try not to fall asleep watching TV, opt to PVR it instead and read a book or take a hot bath. Try to relax prior to heading to bed and keep your bedroom cool and dark with lots of comfortable pillows and blankets. Don’t exercise right before bed; try to get into a routine of exercising earlier in the day. Avoid eating after 7:00 PM and drinking caffeine or alcohol at least an hour before bedtime.

Invest in a good mattress because, on average, we spend approximately 8 hours/day, 56 hours/week, 240 hours/month and 2,920 hours/year, that’s roughly 30% of our lives………………SLEEPING!!