How much sleep do women need each night? I would say what we need and what we actually get are two severely different numbers. According to my doctor? I need 8-10 hours of sleep per night. Excuse me while I giggle.
Apparently, my doctor doesn’t have children and doesn’t understand that I am lucky if I get 5 solid hours of straight sleep. I never get 8-10 hours of sleep, ever. Well, there was that summer when I was 15 and all I wanted to do was sleep because I was a teenager and had no responsibilities. If I did ever sleep for 8-10 hours now, my family would just assume that I was dead and bury me. The end.
I really do try to get 6-8 hours of sleep per night. I think that is an average that most moms try for, but I don’t know that any of us actually get that in a solid block. Maybe mothers of children who are older than 10-years-old and not yet old enough to be out in cars with other teen drivers possibly drinking or having sex or who knows what. Maybe they get 6-8 hours of sleep for a few years.
I’ve always just accepted unsound sleep as part of my life as a mother of small children. I’ve resigned myself to the fact that I will get sound, uninterrupted sleep when my children are married. However, I may have to exercise some tough love and really try to get more sleep now if I want to make it to when they are married.
A recent study found that women need between 6 and 8 hours of sleep per night to be healthy. The study found that those who slept for fewer than six hours per night were more likely to suffer a stroke or heart attack.
That’s me every night of the week. I have the worst insomnia and as soon as I fall asleep, one of my little people is waking me up to put them back in bed. I really do not want to suffer either a stroke or heart attack. Neither really sounds too appealing with my busy schedule.
Those who got more than eight hours of sleep were also more likely to have heart problems. Damned if you do and damned if you don’t. Well, since there is no danger of me ever getting more than eight hours of continuous sleep, I guess I won’t worry about getting too much sleep. You?
Too little sleep is associated with higher levels of stress hormones, while too much sleep may be indicative of an underlying condition like depression. I can understand that. I am completely stressed that I might have a heart attack or stroke just talking about not getting enough sleep. Now, when I only get 5 hours of sleep, I will know that I need to try and sneak in a nap to make up the difference. I wonder if that works?
How many hours of uninterrupted sleep do you get a night?
Photo Source: Relaxing Music
