“There isn’t enough time for sleep”. I hear this. It’s a very real modern day barrier to getting enough sleep. It’s the number one barrier for exercise also.
There is so much to do. We are a busy species. Thankfully, research has examined this topic and can unwind you from this misconception. Sleep is worth our time.
In his book, Why We Sleep, Matthew Walker, PhD highlights research that has demonstrated significant increases in productivity, after adequate sleep, even when doing the dishes. Most people know that when tired - the tasks they do take longer and seem to drag on.
Walker reports research that shows people do easier work when tired, like checking email or looking at social media instead of problem solving and being productive.
It makes sense to default to the easier way when exhausted. You cannot operate at full speed, like a car with the wrong gasoline. It takes energy to engage with life completely. One place that energy comes from is (enough) sleep.
Since I started sleeping nine hours every single night, I do feel like I have more time during the day. It's a phenomenon that's tricky to explain, but I am sure you could experience it too.
When I sleep nine hours a night, I glide through tasks that would otherwise drag me through the mud. Like laundry, cleaning, cooking, writing.
I giggle when my 21 month old son wants to buckle his own seatbelt for five minutes when I am ready to get in the car and go instead of forcing him to let me do it faster. I pick up shoes off the floor and put them away instead of kicking them across the room and cursing at my children under my breath.
Maybe it’s more time. Maybe it’s more energy. Either way, you can have both sleep and time.
Ask yourself:
What if I could have enough time to sleep properly?
What if I could sleep more at night and as a result have more time during the day?
What if I could operate at my full potential and be more efficient at everything I do naturally?
What would all of this feel like? What would be different in my life?
Start getting enough sleep and you will have enough time.
