You sleep for a third of your life.

How much sleep do we actually need?

Assuming that we are adults.

So, most people/doctors/sleep experts/etc say that the average adult needs 7-9 hours of sleep per night. So, that’s 11-7, or 12-7, or 11-8. Depending on our age, stage, and life circumstance, that’s either doable or beyond out of reach.

But this is not the point I am trying to bring out.

If we sleep for an average of 8 hours a night, that is one third of each 24 hour day… if we do this every day - that means that the average person is sleeping (or should be sleeping) for ONE THIRD of their LIFE. 33%.

We spend so much time sleeping. Going to sleep, waking up, transitioning in and out of sleep. Is there anything else that we spend so much time doing? Google says we work 13% of our life. Not even close.

And we barely even think about sleeping! (For those of us that do, there’s sleep coaching. See below.)

The first thing that I want to say is - don’t get worried that this is a waste of time. This is good. This is the way Hashem created us. Perfectly. (And we don’t have to know the reason why, but we are lucky enough to know some of the amazing benefits of sleep. Another article, iyH.)

The second thing that I want to say is - anything that takes up one third of our entire lives is something worth paying attention to and enjoying and allowing it to enhance our lives.

For some of us, this is making our bedroom a beautiful, clean, inviting place to be. For others, this is a bedside fan to keep the cool air flowing.

If there’s something you can do or buy to enhance the quality of your sleep, do it! 

Some suggestions:

• Set a timer to give yourself 10 minutes of intentional me-time before you rush into bed

• Jotting down your thoughts before bed to come back to in the morning. Clear head = better sleep.

• A weighted blanket (my personal favorite!)

• Blackout shades. Or sunlight shades for easier wakeups!

Esti Terris, Integrative Sleep Coach