Sleep Deprivation – The Facts

How many hours do you think you are supposed to be sleeping each night? What do you think you are supposed to eat or drink before you go to bed? What about television, music, books, and other types of entertainment in the bedroom? You have likely had the stereotypical answers to all of these questions drilled into your head over the years, but the real facts about sleep deprivation may surprise you.

Let’s start with how many hours of sleep you should be getting each night. If you think you are sleep deprived because you are not getting the standard 8 hours a night, stop beating yourself up. Not everyone needs 8 hours of sleep!

What matters more than the number of hours you spend in bed is the quality of those sleeping hours. You could sleep for 10 hours and wake up feeling exhausted, or sleep 6 and wake up ready to tackle the day. Forget about the number of hours and focus on getting a higher quality sleep and you are more likely to overcome sleep deprivation.

As for what you should be eating or drinking before bed, it once again comes down to your individual body. The common advice is to never eat a heavy meal close to bedtime, but if having a full stomach gets you drowsy ignore the stereotype and do what works for you.

Finally, it is a good idea to take distractions out of the bedroom so your sleeping hours are deeper and more restoring. That said, if you are relaxed and soothed into sleep with calming music, then play it quietly. If you enjoy reading a chapter or two to unwind, go for it. Just make sure the light switch is close at hand so you don’t have to get up and walk across the room before tucking under the covers.

Sleep deprivation is a very personal matter, so do what works for you!