Sleep is under the microscope again this week. It is arguably the most important period of the day … 🛌
But …
It’s rarely treated with the respect it deserves.
Unless you’ve experienced the effects of sleep disturbance, you may sound like this.
1️⃣ How important is sleep … really?
2️⃣ Don’t we just need to get 5 or 6 hours at any point during the day … or night?
3️⃣ I’ll sleep when I’m dead. 👻
Let’s take them in order.
I. Sleep is the period of time when the body is designed to shut down all non-critical systems so that it can take care of repairs and maintenance. It doesn’t take long for the deferred maintenance to accumulate. 😴
II. Truthfully, you really do need about 6 hours of sound sleep. The reason why that extends to 8 or 9 hours for “grown-ups” is because we don’t sleep soundly. So, it takes several extra hours and we still don’t feel truly rested.
And … as far as flexibility with the hours is concerned, our body is “hardwired” to sleep between 11PM and 5AM. If you force you body to function regularly during those hours, the ill effects will eventually rise to the surface.
Headaches, anxiety, fatigue, irritability. Then more severe health issues appear … but they aren’t properly diagnosed because they don’t SEEM like they’re related to sleep disturbance.
III. And, the last one is prophetic. If sleep disturbance doesn’t actually kill you it will make your advanced years quite unpleasant. Poor sleep will have you aging REALLY fast. 👵
So, let’s treat sleep with the respect it deserves.
For example, we’re going to Europe this summer. It will require a 6-hour time adjustment.
I’m already putting a plan together to support my body as it makes a really stressful adjustment … on both ends of the trip.
For example, we get in early in the morning. We’ll stay active and awake until at least 8PM (after sunset) so that our bodies are sleeping at the proper time in the time zone they’re experiencing. The rising and setting sun are the main regulators for our circadian rhythms.
Giving into the temptation of a nap only extends the misery … potentially for days!
Do you prioritize sleeping between 11PM and 5AM? What obstacles do you encounter? Issues like these are what we work on as Wellness Warriors.
Most of us experience some level of sleep disturbance as we age. But putting sleep first can having you sleeping like a baby most nights.
