Sleep is for wimps. Really?

Between the demands and the excitements of our 24/7 society, it may seem that sleep is nothing but a perfect waste of time. The truth is, however, that this macho attitude of less sleep is better is denying our bodies’ biological needs. In order to rest, restore and fully function, an adult needs on average 8 hours of sleep per day (the exact number of hours varies between 7 and 9, and only you can tell how much you need. The test is to wake up without an alarm clock …). 

People that don’t get enough sleep are not only jeopardizing their own health (higher risks of getting infections, and gaining weight; reduced ability to process and memorize new learning; and even higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease), they are also endangering the safety and well-being of those around them (think sleepy driver).

So how can you get sufficient and quality sleep on a regular basis:

• Get your blue rays during the day (sunlight!), and exercise regularly;
• Keep a consistent bed and wake time;
• Establish a bedtime routine (read something non-demanding, have a cup of tea, a warm bath or shower, meditate, or use aromatherapy (lavender or chamomile are very soothing));
• Power down an hour before bed-time (no more TV or electronics);
• Keep your bedroom dark, cool (65 degrees), and quiet;
• If you wake up, get out of bed and go to a different room, where you can do something mundane in dimmed light; when you feel tired, go back to bed;
• Have a light dinner, not too late, go easy on the wine (alcohol will wake up in the middle of the night).

A return on investment is guaranteed – you will feel better, more energetic, and that will result in more creativity, better social skills, and higher productivity. To conclude, sleep is definitely not an area where the principle of ’less is more’ applies …