Houston, we have a problem.
There was a day when I - and many women I know - slept soundly, dreamt sweetly, and awoke triumphantly. Sleep was pure pleasure back then - as well as something I was good at - and each morning I took myself away from something luxurious, soft, and intoxicating.
Somehow, though, for untold adult women this whole sleep experience is badly fractured.
After all, when was the last time you heard a female compatriot tell you, 'Dang, I feel so great! I slept so well last night!'? For that matter, if you're a woman, when was the last time you heard yourself say or think anything of the kind? Chances are if you're over the age of 14, it hasn't happened for years, even decades.
Not because women don't want to be well-rested. Of course we do. There are just too many channels on the station and not enough time to watch all the shows. Crammed in between all the work and play and interactions of the day American women have chosen to lop off sleep time to gain more scurry time.
Not an effective strategy.
Sleep, as you know, is the true canopy under any hot sun. If you're a champion sleeper, bees buzzing around your window make you giddy. If you are a chronic lousy sleeper, even parking a lusted-over red convertible inside your garage seems like a Viking effort. Similar to health, if you have it, you don't think about it. If you don't, it's all you can think about. Yep, it's also something money cannot buy.
What to do? Fear not, there is much today to help women (and men; well-rested men benefit society, too) regain good sleep habits and join the ranks of well-rested womanhood, and not all are as complicated as the drug companies who shill their pills want all to believe. Much like food and eating, if the innate sleep equation is screwed up yes, some effort, conscious thought and habit change are in the offing, but, friends, think of the dividends when you pay off that sleep debt.
Did you see that word in there: 'habits.' Similar to noshing, few people want to accept it's often their poor sleep habits that keep them staring at the ceiling, wondering what other sad soul might be awake at 3 AM. If you're a lamenter who blames those extra 15 lbs on everything but your eating and exercise habits, regaining good sleep will probably be a stress crucible, too.
However, if you can see how guzzling lattes, ingesting sugar and pounding on your computer until two minutes prior to lights out (or any of 10,000 variations on this theme) negatively affects your slumber and are willing to alter that equation, you're on the road to well-rested womanhood once again.
And aside from all the traditional sleep therapy techniques - such as sleep restriction and proper sleep hygiene - alternative sleep therapies can help smooth out your slumber hours. Learn to attune to your circadian rhythms, uncover chronic sleep positions, make friends with your nightmares and even feng shui yourself to sleep.
Amazing thing, sleep. If you've lost it, it's yours to recover, and when you recover it, it's yours to keep.
For more information on sleep and sleep counseling visit Janet's website: www.wellrestedwoman.com or purchase her book, "The Well-Rested Woman: 60 Soothing Suggestions for Getting a Good Night's Sleep."
Follow Janet Kinosian on Twitter: www.twitter.com/STWBYF4
First, I do not believe this is gender specific. Most men I know sleep as poorly as most women I know. I think it is a chronic condition of our "have it all and do it all" society. I also have a theory about the effect sleep deprivation has on our society as a whole.
Having worked in public service for years, I am aware how hostile, depressed and on edge so many people are. Incivility is rampant. I have also pondered the decline in the level of service on offer. So many times things get screwed up and the customer has to make repeat phone calls and do much of the legwork themselves. I have seen an increase in sloppiness and inefficiency across the board.
I believe it is sleep deprivation. I am NOT advocating a return to women being metaphorically chained to the stove. However, I believe a division of labor helps men and women get more sleep. Women who work all day, for instance, and then stay up late into the night cooking and cleaning and doing child care are sleep deprived, as are their spouses (if they are helpful at home). We are trying to pack twice as much into the same 24 hour time period and there has to be some fallout from that.
Although we have to budget tightly and go without frills, my family gets enough sleep. I think it is only because I am at home right now. Once I am back at work, I know this will change and I do lot look forward going without enough sleep.
The "real reason" so many people in the entertainment industry look *good* ( read: youthful) for their age is that unlike people in other industries they have some meaningful down time and know as well the absolute value in sleep. I think that this would be a great gift for every woman to give herself ---enough sleep. Regardless of what might need to be sliced from her schedule.
rant over.
Is this just an attempt to write a sleep deprivation service piece, under the guise of a "women's article"?
I'm a pre-menopausal woman. I get that I need to sleep. Would that I could. Won't someone tell me how???
We could learn from Benjamin Franklin: Early to Bed early to rise makes a (wo)man healthy wealthy and wise. A few years ago I turned off the TV and started going to bed early and sleeping 8-9 hours a night and have never looked back. Too bad I'm in the minority.