If I told you that your life would be better and that you would be healthier and happier if you did something very specific for one hour each day, would you be curious to hear what that one thing is?
It’s free and relatively easy to obtain…
SLEEP.
Getting just one more hour each night can dramatically change your health and attitude.
Just ONE more hour.
“Research suggests that getting just one extra hour of sleep each night could dramatically affect your health. In fact, researchers from the University of Chicago found that those who bumped up their hours of sleep, from 6 to 7 hours had a 33 percent decreased chance of having clogged arteries.”
(Source: ABC News)
I have always been a fan of a solid night of sleep. Of course, ever since Lucy came along, my definition of a “solid night” has changed dramatically.
“People who say they sleep like a baby usually don’t have one.”
– Leo J. Burke
So, it’s time to be honest. On an average weeknight, how many hours of shut-eye do you get? Now, don’t fudge your answer because you know what you “should” say. If you are over 18 and you’re getting less than seven hours a night, it’s time to enforce an earlier bedtime. Lately, six solid hours is a good night for me. (I’m pointing the finger at myself here, too!)
I know, I know, bedtimes are a real bummer (says every kid in the world). Late night TV, reading, or tinkering around the house -– these are all things that we enjoy and don’t mind missing some sleep for.
BUT it’s time to be honest about your alternatives. If you’re not getting enough sleep you will be:
Slow to react, easy to distract, sick more often, lacking energy, forgetful, lacking the ability to think innovatively, tired (duh, right?), irritable, inpatient, unable to make sound decisions, inflexible, unmotivated, quick to fly off the handle, anxious, sad for no reason. In summary…You will have full-blown Adultitis.
According to the Cure Adultitis Foundation, there is a direct correlation between heart disease and Adultitis. Simply put, the higher your level of Adultitis, the greater chance your ticker will go out prematurely — also known as a Cardiac Event –- not the type of event you would like to attend.
If you don’t know what stage of Adultitis you have, please be sure to GET TESTED NOW!
As counterintuitive as it sounds, in order to stress less and have more fun, sometimes you have to resurrect some of the junky things from childhood –- like enforced bedtimes (and eating veggies) — in order to be the stress-free, healthy, and fun adult you’d like to be.
You’re not alone in your journey towards that one additional hour of Z’s. Heck, there’s even a Facebook group for people who agree with the statement, “I want to sleep one more hour.”
So, start taking action on this right away. It’s the simplest answer that will be ignored by far too many Adultitis-ridden people. In an effort to live a longer, healthier, more fulfilling and joyful life, buckle down and get to bed an hour earlier TONIGHT.
Sorry Leno and Letterman, sleep is king of late-night in our house.
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I was always a morning person, meaning that once I woke up, I couldn’t go back to sleep, no matter how late I had gone to bed the night before. Then something miraculous happened — I changed. Last year I started being able to sleep in… every day. I found that, if I woke up at 5:30 because our kitty wanted breakfast, I could go back to sleep and sleep for a good three hours more.
I really don’t know what happened, but whatever it is, I’m grateful. I’m now averaging about nine hours a night, with the occasional disruption by kitty, and on the weekends I can sometimes sleep ten hours! Sometimes I lie awake, and I’m still not a sound sleeper, but I’m almost always able to catch the rest of my zzzzz’s. I’ve never felt so rested and so happy.
Wish I could tell you my secret to sleeping, because it’s like GOLD.