This article states fairly baldly some facts which, I think, are relatively well-known. Raise your (metaphorical internet) hands: who out there didn't know that humans need sleep?
However, we tend to be pretty bad at putting it into practice. Much like that whole thing about "don't eat a whole bunch of sugar" and "make sure to get plenty of exercise", "make sure you get plenty of sleep" is one of those rules that, well... I'm sure other people need to get plenty of sleep, but I'll be just fine! Right?
I have a friend doing the experiment noted in the article; that is, he is actually getting eight hours of sleep every night and seeing how it affects him. And you know what? I think he's happier, more effective, more together, and less stressed. Of course, school isn't back in session, either, but the point remains. I have both subjective and objective evidence that this works, here.
So why can't I (and several million other people) get the sleep I (we) need at night?
Well, one answer is the one alluded to in the article, that our minds are racing with unsolved questions and problems. This is especially true if you're in the camp I am, which is the "finally come home to fall asleep" camp. (As opposed to the "come home and relax, then fall asleep" camp.)
This is largely necessity, as I work second shift, and the restaurant I work at doesn't close until two some nights. Attempting to "chillax" between coming home and going to sleep can keep me up until four in the morning; unfortunately, I have a difficult time falling asleep without chilling and/or relaxing after coming home. I can crawl into bed, sure enough, but being exhausted from the mental and physical labor of my job is insufficient for actually falling asleep: my mind is simply too active.
I suspect I'm not the only one who has this problem; in fact, I know I'm not. The solution seems to be to account for "relaxation" time when building a schedule, but the fact is that's not always possible. (Going to school and working full time, there will be nights (Tuesdays) that I get home at one thirty and have to be in class by nine the next morning. I sincerely hope my Institutional Management professor will understand about the absurd volume of coffee I'll be drinking.)
Another answer is routine. As a server, I am frequently (Friday and Saturday every week) out until two in the morning just getting home from work. Add to that the fact that going out for a drink after work is a social activity which significantly improves the work experience in restaurants (was that diplomatically-phrased enough? I also genuinely like the people I hang out with,) and there's usually one night a week when I'm awake not only until two, but until four or later. That makes it difficult to fall asleep at midnight the rest of the week, as is my goal.
However, again, I'm in a situation where the current sleep schedule is the best alternative. For one thing, although I almost never get the full eight hours of sleep unless I sleep through the alarm (not ideal), I almost always get at least six. That seems to be enough for me to function at a pseudo-normal level.
For another thing, the late hours caused by my job and the early hours caused by my schooling (and I gave up two great shifts at work to get out of taking Organic Chemistry at eight in the morning!) are the sacrifice I have to make to eventually get into the career I want: the schooling is a pre-requisite, and the restaurant job I have now is the most flexible job I have ever had. I can give up a shift the day before and be fine--and it's completely acceptable by the standards of my workplace; in fact, to an extent it's expected.
That means that if I need to study extra hard for, oh, maybe an Organic Chemistry exam, I can do that. This flexibility is a dream for a girl with 18 credits this quarter (and three labs, what was I thinking?)
Of course, maybe I wouldn't need to study so hard if I were getting enough sleep at night.
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