The only time I consider myself a “morning person” is when I have jet lag. But I’ve learned that if I’m in bed by 10:30 PM, I can be relatively cordial and not hit the snooze button the next morning.
Based on my own sleep patterns, it didn't surprise me to read in a recent Time article that the time we go to bed affects the structure and quality of our sleep. As described in the piece, there's a shift that occurs from non-REM, deep sleep, to the lighter dream-inspired REM sleep, and it happens during the night regardless of what time we go to bed. But going to bed late will deprive us of some of the deep non-REM sleep that replenishes the brain and body. Writer Markham Heid spoke with several sleep experts and reports:
When it comes to bedtime, [Matt Walker, PhD, head of the Sleep and Neuroimaging Lab at the University of California, Berkeley], says there’s a window of a several hours - roughly between 8 PM and 12 AM - during which your brain and body have the opportunity to get all the non-REM and REM shuteye they need to function optimally. And, believe it or not, your genetic makeup dictates whether you’re more comfortable going to bed earlier or later within that rough 8-to-midnight window, says Dr. Allison Siebern, associate director of the Insomnia & Behavioral Sleep Medicine Program at Stanford University.
“For people who are night owls, going to bed very early goes against their physiology,” Siebern explains. The same is true for “morning larks” who try to stay up late. For either type of person- as well as for the vast majority of sleepers who fall somewhere in between - the best bedtime is the hour of the evening when they feel most sleepy.
Siebern goes on to suggest trying out different bedtimes, plus making sure to wake up at roughly the same time every morning. These two factors can help maximize our natural sleep cycles and help prevent us from hitting the snooze button.
Previously: Stanford docs discuss all things sleep, "Sleep drunkenness" more prevalent than previously thought and Mindfulness training may ease depression and improve sleep for both caregivers and patients
Photo By: FloodG
