Have you been in the break room or standing in line for coffee in the morning when someone says in a sleepy but proud voice, “I only got 4 hours of sleep last night!”
Why has ‘who has slept the least’ become a badge of honor in our culture?
I’m a proud member of “the 7 plus hours of sleep a night” club. (I don’t think there is a club, but there should be!) I was an active member of the competition until my mid 30’s. I bragged about it with Facebook post of my morning coffee. I bitched about it to my friends. I complained to my husband, Bryan about it. Bryan a member of the 9 plus hours of sleep club (rock on Honey!!) always looked at me like I was a little crazy.
Then I started to feel more and more grumpy. I thought I was just getting old, I started to sleep more and it was like unicorn magic. I felt amazing. I woke up without an alarm and no snooze button. I loved the feeling of actually being awake and alive first thing in the morning.
Granted I don’t do it all the time, but I actively plan and try to get 7 plus hours of sleep. I have tons of alarms and reminders that go off at night telling me to get ready for bed, and time to sleep and slow down. The shift over the past few years has been amazing.
Finding your hours of sleep number is a personal journey and does not need to be a competition with anyone but your best sleep. I am actively adjusting the number as life changes. I encourage you to do the same. Comment below and how many hours of sleep you get and what sleeping tricks work the best for you!