You know those nights when you stare at the ceiling, imagining to an outsider your eyes must resemble bloodshot Renny & Stimpy-style balls glowing in your skull? Yeah, those. If you have been experiencing more of them lately, do not worry. So has pretty much everyone. New research shows that the number of us struggling with our sleep rose from one in six to one in four since 2021—with anxiety named as the key culprit (hmm, wonder what could be causing that?), along with financial stress and the pressures of juggling modern life. So how can we ace something that should be so simple, but often isn’t?
How Long is a Piece of Sleep?
We all know the golden rule of eight hours a night, but actually, it turns out one size does not. “To a large degree, it’s genetically determined and anywhere between four and 11 hours would be considered normal.” He advises listening to your body when trying to figure out your personal magic number. “It’s simply the amount of sleep that allows you to wake up alert and refreshed the following day,” explains Dr Neil. If you are nodding off again by mid-afternoon, try tweaking your bedtime and tracking your body’s response in order to identify your sweet spot.
