Sleeping Beauty

I want to talk about sleep. I was thinking about it this morning and thought, "Do I really feel this passionate about sleep? Enough to blog about it?" The answer is yes. Always yes, when it comes to sleep.

I was talking with my husband last night about how excited I was to go to sleep. I had had a great day. I felt energized, happy and content for the majority of the day, but by 8:30, I was completely and unquestionably POOPED. 

I thought to myself, I should not be this tired. It's only 8:30.  If I go to bed now, I'll get almost 10 hours of sleep. Isn't that a lot? I should stay up until at least 9:30...that's acceptable right? Some people don't go to bed until midnight every night. How do they do that? I can hardly keep my eyes open over here! I was literally trying to convince myself to stay awake because I was under the impression that no one goes to bed this early on an average weeknight. Stay up, you can do it!

 My whole life when I've slept in later than others, whether it be when I was living with my parents, having a sleepover with friends, or spending the weekend at the cabin, I would finally wake up and get the old, "Well good morning, sleepy head!" or "Wow, you must've been really tired."

These comments leave me feeling guilty. Why is everyone else wide awake and here I am, my eyes fighting not to roll back into my head. If I lay on the couch, I'll be out for sure. I feel like I should've been up by now, getting ready and getting my day started. Think about all of the time you're wasting in bed. You could be running errands, getting groceries, starting laundry or cleaning the house!

At night it's no different. On the weekends we'll be out with friends or watching a movie and I'm ready to hit the hay around 9:30. Come on, Meghan. You have to make it to at least 11:00. It's the weekend! Have another drink! 

So I have another glass of wine, which causes me to pass out on the couch at 9:45. I just can't win!

The fact of the matter is... women need more sleep than men. I was overjoyed the day I learned this. I knew I slept more than my husband but I always wondered why? How is it that he can hop out of bed with tons of energy on a Saturday morning and I stay in bed and fall right back asleep for another solid 2 hours? 

According to this website, “The more of your brain you use during the day, the more of it that needs to recover and, consequently, the more sleep you need. Women tend to multi-task — they do lots at once and are flexible — and so they use more of their actual brain than men do. Because of that, their sleep need is greater. A man who has a complex job that involves a lot of decision-making and lateral thinking may also need more sleep than the average male — though probably still not as much as a woman.”

Hallelujah!  I knew I wasn't crazy. 

I'm no stranger to my own brain. It races, runs, jumps and jogs all over the place throughout the day, especially within the past year or so. I'm in my mid-twenties, attempting to figure out life and my career path.  My brain is working tons of overtime and the way I choose to pay it - is with sleep.

When I get 8, 9, or even 10 hours of sleep, I DO wake up completely energized and ready to start my day. I'm in a fabulous mood, I feel inspired and ready to take on anything that comes my way. I'm much more productive and more likely to ask others if they need help with anything going on in their lives. So basically, when I get more sleep, everyone wins!

 A few other interesting statements from the article on the website listed above:

• “We found that for women, poor sleep is strongly associated with high levels of psychological distress and greater feelings of hostility, depression, and anger. In contrast, these feelings were not associated with the same degree of sleep disruption in men.” (Duke Magazine)
  
• "...not only do women need more sleep, but they also tend to suffer more when they do not get the sleep they require."
  
• How to Improve Sleep Quality
• There are many different ways to improve sleep quality. Everyone is different; these tips will work for some but not for others.
• Set a Routine — If one sets a sleep routine, it will be easier for the brain to recognize when to slow down and relax. This could improve sleep quality.
• Avoid Stimulating Foods — There are some stimulants in our foods that should be avoided before bed like caffeine (coffee), theobromine (cacao or chocolate) and sugar. Such stimulants can make falling asleep more difficult.
• Meditation — Many women have a hard time falling asleep because their brains will not stop. Practicing simple meditation will help the brain settle and prepare for relaxation.
• Yoga — Practicing some simple yoga poses meant to ready the body and mind for sleep may also prove helpful. Here are 6 Relaxing Yoga Poses to Help You Sleep.
• Melatonin — Take 1-3 mg of melatonin an hour before bedtime.

  
So here's the takeaway...when you're tired, go to bed. If it's in the middle of the day, take a half hour power nap. Sleep is so important. You're not wasting time away and you're not being lazy. You're powering your brain up so that when you're awake, you can be the best, most productive YOU. If you need 4 hours of sleep per night to be that person, fine. If you need 11 hours, awesome. Whatever YOU need, just get it and then get out there and tackle your day!

Your friend,

Meg