Yawwnnn. Did you get enough sleep last night?

Sleep studies over the years have suggested optimum hours of sleep recommended for us humans at various stages of life. We all have ideas on how important sleep is to us.  And we may have misconceptions about sleep.

Most of us admit to being in one of two groups:  (1) I NEED a full night’s sleep, 8-10 hours; (2) I’m LUCKY TO GET 4-6 hours, but can operate on that. The 8-10 hours folks and the 4-6 hours folks sometimes think there’s something inherently wrong with the others’ sleep needs.  I’ve been there and done that … both of them.

When I was a tyke, I did like to slowly arise, then attack the day with vigor.  When I was a teen and young adult, I NEEDED to replenish from my heavily athletic (say Dance) schedule, so I valued sleep time.  As I advanced in adulthood, career changes, work demands, and family needs  began to re-prioritize my ‘down time,’ (say Sleep).  But I survived all those stages without really thinking about what my body and mind gained from having the right amount of sleep.

Now I am in a more contemplative stage, more focused on my own wellness.  Physical and Mental.  And I find interesting thoughts about how important  it is to commit to getting enough sleep … affecting one’s performance, mood, and health.  Estimates say we spend about a third of our lives in sleep.  The quality and amount of sleep affects our bodies and our brains.  

We live in different climates, have different life demands, are different ages.  All those factors affect our sleep and how we manage to get what we need to carry on.  Think about it.

Yawwnnn.  I think I’ll take a nap.