Research shows that most adults need around 8 hours of sleep per night, give or take a little. People who get less than 6 hours per night usually perform less well than people who sleep longer. There is a variety of research on the effects of sleep deprivation. For example, sleep deprived drivers are more impaired on driving tests than drivers who have had several alcoholic drinks.
However, it is not just about how many hours you sleep each night, but whether you sleep restfully. If you are dreaming you are back in school taking a test, or woefully behind on waiting tables, you know that you walk up almost as tired as if you had not slept as long.
Other times of rest occur when you stop pushing or change up your activity from mental to physical or vice versa. It’s not just a matter of doing nothing, but doing something different. One of my colleagues is by training and trade a college professor. But he devotes his spare time to house renovation projects, which tap an entirely different part of his brain.
In our go-go world, finding time for mental and physical rest, in addition to a good night’s sleep, is critical. It may be taking an intentional sabbath, a stay-cation where there isn’t a lot of running around, or turning off the electronic devices for a while every day.
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