Catch some Z’s. Get some shut-eye. Cash in your chips. Retire for the night. Have your beauty sleep. We have plenty of expressions for sleeping, which is ironic because many of us seem to have trouble doing it.
Sleep is how our bodies recharge. Without enough of it, we can experience irritability, impaired thinking, hallucinations, paranoia and even psychosis. According to Healthline, the longest recorded period without sleep is about 264 hours, or 11 consecutive days. On the other extreme, some of us have trouble making it through a three-hour meeting without losing consciousness.
Meanwhile, most of us admit we could use more sleep. But how much do we actually need? We have been told for years that eight hours a night is the magic number. As a teenager, I could sleep eight hours without even trying. At 58, I considered it a major accomplishment if I could stay asleep long enough to finish a dream.
Apparently, sleep researchers have some questions, too. A 2023 Guardian article examining common health beliefs noted that people have different sleep needs. Former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher reportedly got by on about four hours a night. Of course, she also ran a country, so perhaps exhaustion was simply part of the job description.
New parents might appreciate the strategy. When a baby is running the household, four uninterrupted hours can feel like a luxury resort.
Still, before we declare sleep overrated, consider a 2017 study cited by The Guardian. Participants who reported sleeping seven to eight hours performed better on cognitive tests than those who slept more or less, regardless of age.
So, apparently, I should sleep more. Message received. The difficult part is figuring out how.
The American Cancer Society recommends going to bed at the same time every night, including weekends. Clearly, these people have never discovered a Netflix series that ends every episode with a reason to watch one more.
They also recommend avoiding naps after 3 p.m. and limiting them to 20 minutes. That sounds reasonable until Sunday afternoon, when the couch, a blanket and a Vikings game combine to create a gravitational force no scientist has adequately explained.
Another suggestion is to keep the bedroom dark, quiet and comfortable. Finally, advice I can support without consulting a committee. I like my bedroom cool enough to make the blankets feel necessary. My wife may have a different opinion, but marriage is about compromise — and occasionally, extra blankets.
The experts also recommend turning off televisions, phones and other screens at least an hour before bedtime. Instead, read a book or listen to music. I am working on that one. So far, I have mastered turning off the television, picking up my phone and reading about why I should turn off my phone.
If you have tricks for catching 40 winks, counting sheep or convincing your brain that 2 a.m. is not the ideal time to review every questionable decision you have made since 1987, send them my way. Until then, I will keep chasing eight hours of sleep.
Have a terriffic Tuesday and thanks for reading.
Shane Goodman
Editor and Publisher
Times Vedette digital newsletter
shane@gctimesnews.com
641-332-2707