Sleep

I love to sleep. Always have. I was the ideal kid to babysit since I would volunteer to go to bed. I still need my 8 hours to function properly, although this may just all be in my head. I have successfully made it through a work day even with as little as 4 hours of sleep. “Successfully” in my opinion, the world around me may not agree to this.

I also love to nap. Maybe this is part of my personal fountain of youth. Naps are beneficial when taken before 3 PM and only for 10 to 20 minutes. I know this is the issue for most. I try to limit mine to 30 to 40 minutes max. The average effect is achieved when I sleep longer than that. Naps will not help you “catch up” on sleep somehow. A quick pick me up tip: have a cup of coffee before your 10 minute nap…the caffeine will kick in when you wake up. Shower, put your face on, and you will be able to dance all night!

The term “cat nap” cracks me up. According to the dictionary this is an obvious reference to the quick naps cats take….I beg to differ! Cats are knocked the F out. There is no napping involved, they sleep! I guess it as much an oxymoron as “I slept like a baby”. We all know a baby is the least likely to sleep through the night.

Obviously I have no children nor a current snoring partner, therefore all of the above-mentioned are easy for me to state. The recommended amount of sleep needed for the age range of 26-64 (I love falling in that category with the twenty-somethings) is 7 to 9 hours according to the sleep foundation. Less than 6 hours or more than 10 is not recommended. I am guilty of the latter at times…

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Having trouble getting to sleep? My entire family swears by warm milk. Previous studies claiming that tryptophan in milk will knock you out have proven to be false. It’s the psychological association with milk that will relax you…it’s basically all in your head. I am sorry I ruined that for you. A good sleepy time tea or chamomile tea will do the trick. Although for me they tend to be counter productive because I will be up peeing all night.

The main thing is to put your phone away about a half hour before you go to bed. The light from your phone simulates sunlight which will make your brain think it is time to wake up. I also never watch television in my bed before bedtime, that translates into a guaranteed restless night for me.

Side note; during this shelter in place time: try to keep a normal daily routine going. Even if it is not too nice out, try to get out and walk for at least a half hour. Exercise at home if you can….and try not to nap for over 30 minutes after 3 PM!