Aim for 9, usually get 6-7 good hours which I know isn’t enough.
When I have trouble sleeping my solution is counter intuitive. The reason for me struggling to get to sleep is usually stress and thoughts going through my head so I fall asleep watching TV as a distraction. Not the best sleep.
When I’m carefree I darken my room to the point of covering up my alarm clock and i’m usual out like a light after a little reading, then I wake up about 5 minutes before my alarm is due to go off.
About 7 hours on weekdays and aim for at least one 10 hour sleep per week on the weekend. Like Keith, if my boy wakes up during the night it is far less than that.
I get about 7 hours give and take on weekdays. Weekends I get about 8 hours. What’s the optimal number?
I think it’s personal.
However, I like Robb Wolf’s thoughts on this (paraphrasing): “get nine hours of sleep in a totally dark room even if you have to kill someone to achieve it.”
Try for 8 most night but usually ends up being 6-7. I wake up feeling refreshed unless I’ve a hard shift at work.
Sometimes if I sleep too much (over 9 hours) I actually wake up feeling pretty drained.
I also love a good 20min power nap. They get me though uni assessment periods
I get somewhere between 5-6 hours most weeknights then I try for an 8 hour sleep on the weekend to catch up.
I used to have bad sleep habits and go to bed when the birds were chirping which put my whole body clock out so I have spent a lot of time trying to create new, good habits. For example, to help fall asleep, I would do something calming before bed time but if that’s no good, then I like to have a hot drink and a valerian tablet (great, natural alternative to pharmceutical sleep meds)...
Also, once I finally get in bed (even now) I like to breath deeply and clear my mind….then do that exercise where you progressively tense then relax each part of the body in turn, from toe to head. Usually, I never even remember getting anywhere near my head.
DO you ever find that Valerian makes you feel groggy in the morning? The few times I’ve had it to facilitate sleep I’ve woken up feeling as though I’m only running at 80%. But yes, it’s a gentler alternative to other medications. Even though it smells rank.
4:30 wake-ups are TOUGH.
To get just 8 hours I have to be asleep by 8:30pm.
I’m not sure how to work that one out.
Daylight Savings doesn’t help much (and it fades my curtains).
My advice for the 4.30am wakeup call is ear plugs and those sleeping goggle things, worked for me. Bed at 8.30pm is pretty shit but if you wear yourself out enough during the day it wont be a problem falling asleep.
4:30 wake-ups are TOUGH.
To get just 8 hours I have to be asleep by 8:30pm.
I’m not sure how to work that one out.
Daylight Savings doesn’t help much (and it fades my curtains).
They do suck. I hit the hay about 9pm to get 7.5 hours. Sometimes I get 15 mins extra on the train on the way to the gym. The pain is trying to get dinner + snack into your system 2 hours before bed every night.
DO you ever find that Valerian makes you feel groggy in the morning?
True, smells rank indeed! But no, never wake up feeling groggy - just refreshed from a solid sleep….but may have something to do with the fact I also take Gingko Biloba during the day to help me have more clarity of mind generally (plus I have bad circulation)...
