We all need to sleep. Are you getting enough?

Our performance depends on how well our body is operating. Are you sleep deprived?

Everyone is different. How much sleep is enough for you?

Getting Enough Sleep

A habit of getting enough sleep is prioritizing sleep so that you are getting the amount your body needs. Most of us need between 7 and 9 hours a sleep per night. In addition, experts agree that it’s important to go to bed and get up at roughly the same time each day.

Sleep is easy to ignore. It could be that your bedtime and wake up time are simply habits but you haven’t stopped to consider whether or not those habits are working for you.

You may decide to go to bed when you’ve finished the things you wanted to get done that day.
Sometimes you are just too tired to do anything more, so you relegate going to bed to the demands of life.
Maybe you get up with just enough time to get to work without considering if you actually slept long enough to be productive.
Or you sleep until you “have” to get up when you may slept more than necessary and could have gotten up earlier and gone for a walk.

Paying attention to your behaviors around sleep is the first step towards making this a habit that works the best for you.

Have you ever been in a conversation with someone who treats sleep like a competitive sport? They boast about how little sleep they get as if the person who gets the least sleep wins. Don’t listen to them! The truth is our bodies are designed for sleep and it’s an important time for our brains to rest and reset. Our effectiveness decreases if we don’t get enough sleep. Although we may be busy, we aren’t able to do things as well when sleep deprived.

Why is getting enough sleep a good habit?

Sleep is a precious resource.

A study was done on professional chess players, actors, musicians, and athletes to see how much sleep they get. The average American gets 6 hours and 51 minutes per night during the week. The professionals get 8 hours and 36 minutes. That’s an hour and 45 minutes more per night! Maybe that’s why they’ve become professionals! If they need this much sleep to function at their best, you do too!

Getting enough sleep is shown to reduce stress, increase your ability to manage your weight, improve your mood, help you get sick less often, allow you to think more clearly, and is good for your overall health. It’s just as important as diet and exercise and all you need to do it make time for it!

Eating right, moving, and sleep are equally important. Did you hear that? Equally! It may be difficult to turn down a piece of chocolate cake. It can also be challenging to get yourself to exercise. Intentionally sleeping for 7 – 9 hours a night? All it takes is some planning! No willpower or sweating involved. The benefits are just as great!

I used to be a such good sleeper. The moment my head hit the pillow I was off to lala land. Those were the days! In recent years, sleep has become a challenge. On mornings when I’ve had trouble getting to sleep, I will forgo exercise in lieu of additional sleep. Both are needed for my health. I can fit in exercise later in the day.

How can you form the habit of getting enough sleep?

Here are some hacks to get enough sleep.

Prioritize sleep in your home. Talk about bedtime routines and quiet hours. Agree on some best-practices. Respect each person’s sleep habits.
Eliminate lights in your bedroom including those little lights from speakers, a TV, sound bar, plug ins, VCR, laptop, tablet, charging station, in addition to outside lights. It is important for the room you sleep in to be dark.
Turn down the temperature. You will sleep better in a cool room.
Put your cellphone in a different room if you’re tempted to look at it during the night. Make sure notifications are turned off.
Do not work in bed. Keep this space for rest.
If you read before going to sleep, do not use an E-Reader. The light will affect your eyes and may cause you to have trouble falling asleep.
Have a regular bedtime routine.
Spend at least 30 minutes settling down before you go to sleep. Dim lights or soft music will help.
Drink a non-caffeinated beverage such as chamomile tea.
Go to bed at the same time each night and wake up at the same time each morning.