Sleepyhead

How tired are you right now as you read this? Are your eyes fighting to stay open? Are you trying to squelch the yawns that are building up in chest? Maybe you're reading in bed right before you go to sleep...or perhaps you've just grabbed the first cup of coffee of the day and are perusing your favorite blogs (hint, hint) at your desk before you start work?

Whatever you're doing, I bet you could feel a little more rested. Am I right?

People complain constantly about being tired, worn-out, sleepy, and drained. I rarely hear people say, "I got just enough sleep last night!" In fact, I either hear, "I got too little sleep," or "I got too much." Either instance results in feeling tired.

My entire life I have heard that adults MUST get 8 hours of sleep to be able to fully function (what does that even mean?) during the day. However, I've been doing a lot of research that says anywhere between 7-9 hours is best. I am a fan of ranges as no one person is the same. For me, I need 7.75 hours. This is exactly what works for me (and yes, I've tested it). Now, for you, it might be exactly 9 hours that keeps you feeling good. Or 7.4693 hours. Whatever it is, you need to figure it out for yourself.

How to determine what amount of sleep works:

• Set aside 3-4 days that you can test out different amounts of sleep. Preferably nights before minimally-scheduled days. 
• Try out a different increment each night.
• When the alarm goes off, stay dedicated to getting up to see how your body truly reacts (remember, it's just a few days. You can make it through, sleepyhead!)
• Pay attention to how you feel at different times the next day. Specifically: mid-morning, after lunch, 3pm, and right before you go back to bed.
• You might even want to take notes or journal about how you feel at the different times.
• Once you know your perfect "zzz" time, stick to it! Your body and mind will thank you!

Getting the right amount of sleep for YOU is one of the easiest ways to set you on a path to overall wellness. Our sleep is the longest, daily process we dedicate ourselves to for wellness (besides breathing, of course), so getting your perfect "zzz" time has the possibility of to accelerate any wellness plan you might have.

What is your perfect "zzz" time? Or are you still working to figure it out?

life coach, life coaching, wellness, change