A Surprising Revelation
People often react with surprise when I tell them how much I sleep.
They wonder how I find time for everything in my life while still sleeping as much as I do.
And they also know that I can often be found awake at any hour of the day or night.
So how much do I sleep? The “surprising” answer: an average of 7-8 hours a day.
Matching Your Life’s Rhythms
Modern life often requires us to stay up late, whether because of major deadlines or because of major partying.
And forcing yourself to go to bed at the same time every night requires a level of regimentation that few of us are prepared to put up with.
That kind of strictness also fails to take into account the varying energy expenditures of each day. Some days we push ourselves harder, and so we need more rest. Other days we take it easy, and so we need less rest.
Trying to go to bed when you’re not ready to do so will only result in you lying awake for an hour or more, unable to get to sleep. And forcing yourself to stay awake after your mind and body have had enough will compromise the quality of your mental and physical performance.
Neither of these situations is ideal.
Instead, we need to become more aware and respectful of the unique rhythms of our individual lives, and then match our sleep patterns to those rhythms.
