Over or Under?

Are you getting over seven hours of sleep a night? Or under that? While many of us are saving precious sleeping time by avoiding a commute to the office, our bodies have become more overstimulated and under-rested over the last two years — with zoom calls, emails, and pings that require an immediate response all hours of the day.

I’ve said it before: “no blue lights in bed.” Is that working out for you? (It does for me about 80% of the time.) But for the majority of us, it doesn’t. The average adult requires seven hours of sleep per night. However, only 1 in 3 adults are getting the recommended amount — and screen time is playing a large factor in sleep loss.

• Why don’t you sleep on it? Which famous napper touted, “You get two days in one — well, at least one and a half”? (answer below)

Not only is the blue light a culprit for missing zzz’s, but so is the information you see scrolling through your phone, tablet, tv, or even laptop.

If you’re sleeping less than you were during the office days, you’re not alone. The swell of pandemic-related information kept people up at night — 73% of us. Information overload leads to a cycle of overwhelm, less sleep, and more overwhelm. With less sleep, your filter for weeding out the best information goes down and your worries may go up.

What’s my current remedy? Still no blue lights in bed. But after that…counting cows. But more on that next time.

• What’s the (sleep)-cret to success? NBA all-star Lebron James attributed his high energy and performance to his sleep pattern. How many hours per night does he average? (answer below)

Who’s to blame for less sleep? Not to point fingers, but over three-quarters of those polled reported being on their phones between the hours of 8pm and midnight…I think that number speaks for itself. “Does Information Overload affect Sleep Quality?” / Source: The Sleep Judge

WHAT I’M READING

Can you believe our sleep patterns are getting worse? Over one-third of American adults suffer from poor sleep. Not only does this leave us foggy and groggy throughout the day, but this vital part of our long-term health has worsened since the onset of the pandemic. Thanks, COVID. — The New York Times — December 6, 2021 -The Health Toll of Poor Sleep

Ready, break! Picture this: you’re five minutes into your 30-minute lunch break and your laptop pings. Resist the temptation to check in with work, and actually take a breather. These seven different breaks will leave you recharged and more productive when you return…