Sleep

I'm pretty tired but nevertheless I must write something before I go to bed.  Sure you can say it's already the 11th but I don't believe that it's a new day until the sun rises.  Anyway, I've recently read a lot of differing opinions on the amount of sleep one should get on a nightly basis, and it's made me somewhat confused.  It used to be that everyone is supposed to get 8 hours, but now experts say that while some people can do fine off of 6-7 hours, others may need as much as 9 hours of sleep.  Studies have shown that too little sleep can decrease muscle mass, while sleeping a little bit extra can boost your metabolism and can burn more fat.  Other studies have shown that sleeping more than 9 hours a night can make one more susceptible to heart disease and other ailments. 

All of these different figures have slightly confused me and are somewhat contradictory of themselves.  My solution is simple, everybody is different and some people probably need more sleep than others.  Find out how much you need by trying out different times using an alarm clock.  Set your alarm clock to wake you up after 6, 7, 8, and even 9 hours of sleep.  Try sleeping the same number of hours for a few consecutive days and see how you feel.  If you feel well rested and alert throughout the day stick with that number.  If you feel exhausted try sleeping more, and if you feel sluggish after a longer sleep, like 8-9 hours you're probably sleeping too much.  I think that it's really important that we know our own personal requirements for sleep so that we are energized for the following day.  A good friend of mine once told me that routines are important when you are facing challenges, and consistency can allow for some stability in life during tough times.  If you're feeling sluggish or exhausted try to figure out your amount of required sleeping time and once you figure it out get yourself into a routine.  Sure routines can be boring for you spontaneous folks, but just think that if you're sleeping enough you'll have more energy to be spontaneous in other facets of your life.  The research findings seem to be varied on how much sleep one needs, and the possible side effects from too much or too little sleep, but I believe that an individual knows his/her body best, and should come up with a personalized sleep requirement after experimenting with different durations.