Eight hours of sleep a night is ideal. We’ve heard of people who need just a few hours of sleep (Bill Clinton is said to get five or six a night; Martha Stewart is four), and others who required a lot (Albert Einstein thrived on 11hours). Most people need seven to nine hours of sleep at night, but it can range from six to ten hours. To find out how much sleep you really required, take a vacation and sleep in. When you don’t feel the urge to nap on a slow and quite afternoon, that’s when you know you’ve gotten the rest you need. You can also head to bed 15min earlier each night for two weeks. If you still can’t keep your eyed open during a staff meeting or find yourself craving sweets or carbs in the morning – both are signs of sleep-deprived, try adding on 15min more until you’re well rested.
You can’t catch up on lost sleep. Good news! It may take a few days or weeks, but you can in fact catch up on sleep. If you’ve had a busy week or two, try tracking on 15min a night until you feel well rested. After you’ve catch up, try to establish a consistent sleep routine by going to bed at the same time every night and waking up at the same time hour every morning. This causes your level of melatonin, a hormone that governs your wake/sleep cycle, to soar at the same time every night – which helps you fall asleep.
Counting sheep can help you fall asleep. This will only stimulate your brain and make you more alert. If you don’t nod off within 15 to 20min of hitting the sack, get out of bed and listen to classical music or read a book. The return to bed once you feel sleepy.
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Thanks, you’ve solved my sleep problem. Apparently I need to have better sleep routines.