Ask Aunt B

B

Dear Aunt B, I am having a difficult time sleeping. I used to never get enough sleep, and now I am sleeping too much. What is the perfect amount of sleep? Maybe I am worried about nothing.

Too Many ZZZZZs Dear Too Many ZZZZZs, Let me sleep on this. Oh, isn’t Aunt B being so funny today. Maybe that wasn’t as funny as it was corny. I’m not really fond of corny, so I guess I will get on with the advice.

Sleep is a very individual thing. Research shows me that 7-9 hours of sleep is ideal for most people. From everything I read, most of us are really sleep deprived. This is a big problem in today’s time.

There seems to be factors that can determine the correct answer. How is the quality of your sleep? Do you have a sleep disorder? Many people experience sleep apnea, which is very serious. Sleep apnea is when you actually stop breathing when you are asleep. If you suspect you or someone you love is experiencing sleep apnea, please check with your health care provider and get help. There are other less serious factors that can affect the quality of your sleep. Start with things you can easily do something about. Keep your room very dark. Keep electronics out of your bedroom. Stay off your electronics for a few hours before bed, or at the very least wear those blue blocking glasses. Keep your bedroom on the cool side. Try to go to sleep and get up at close to the same time every day. This is where I really fall short. Weekdays and weekends, I go to sleep at very different times.

There are many wearable devices available now that can monitor the quantity and quality of your sleep. If you are so inclined, you might want to look into one. The amount of information you can receive is actually mind blowing. I could never get used to wearing a watch to sleep so I use an Oura Ring. All of these devices are expensive, so only you can decide if they are an option for you.

If you decide to do this monitoring old school, start by keeping a log of your sleep. Keep track of the time you go to sleep and the time you wake up. Watch the difference in the time when you have to get up and have an alarm and when you just wake up naturally. Record if you get up in the middle of the night and how many times. Make small notes on how rested you feel in the morning. I use a 1-10 scale. One would be I slept horribly or maybe I didn’t sleep at all and I feel horrible. Ten would be an absolutely perfect sleep and I awoke feeling amazing. You will usually fall somewhere in the middle. Rate your sleep and you might even make some notes to further clarify. Did you drink alcohol? Did you eat spicy food? Did you eat food right before you went to sleep? Did you exercise too close to bedtime? All of these are factors that affect the quality of your sleep.

Once you gather all your data, it will help you determine any changes you might need to make.

Love, Aunt B

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