Wednesday, May 1, 2013

146. Second Sleep

At the end of the visit, Tim nudged Svetlana.  Go ahead, he said, ask about it. Fatigue, she said, I'm tired all day.

Okay, good question.  Experts tell us that 35% of the US population sleep less than 7 hours per night, and that falling asleep at the wheel accounts for up to 20% of all traffic accidents.

So I ask, how many hours do you sleep at night. 

"5-6"

Tim works swing shift, getting home around midnight.  She stays up for him; they have a meal, the she sleeps from about 1-6am, getting up at 6 because, basically she's a morning person.

5 to 6 hours sleep per night is not enough.  Forget about this celebrity or that who thrives on 4 hours per night. Most of us need at least 7, probably would do better with 8.

It's okay to break up sleep, I said; sleep from 10 to midnight, or nap during the day.  Find what's best for you.  Before electricity many societies pracrticed a second sleep: going to bed with dark, then waking again for a few hours around midnight before returning to sleep.




1 comment:

  1. Ooh, 'second sleep'; I like that. I get up with Chuck on the mornings that he works to make his lunch and send him off at 5:15am and most of the time I'm able to go back to bed for another hour and a half or two hours before the little boys wake up for the day. I do need to be better at going to bed earlier... tonight being a prime example :). Good night!

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