The importance of sleep
Sleep and the energy gained from it are one of those things I really struggle with. One of the main issues of CFS / ME is the inability for your body to replenish the energy you use up each day, as you sleep at night, which to me has really shown me the importance of getting a good night’s sleep.
I remember in my teens I could quite easily pull an all nighter and in fact I would very rarely go to bed before the early hours and still be up nice and chipper before the clock stuck noon, oh how I miss those days where I took energy for granted.
Of course my struggles with producing enough energy to see me through the day are just an exacerbated form of that for everyone else. Each day we are given an amount to work with and getting a good night’s sleep can help most people replenish that energy used with ease.
Time4Sleep recently got in touch with me and challenged me to see how a good night’s sleep would affect my day to day routine, I have to admit for me it’s hard, if my body decides not to produce much energy I could sleep for a good 10 – 12 hours and still wake up fatigued.
However I do need to make sure I always get a good night’s sleep, as if I don’t, well even the small amount of energy my body may produce that night would be for nothing.
The energy produced from a good night’s rest, can not only help us through the day doing our normal activities but can really affect our mood and the way we interact with those around us. So when you head to bed tonight, don’t just think of it as something we do because we have to, but think of all the good it does, how it allows us to be sociable and enjoy the little things so much more.
Do you often manage to get a good night’s sleep?
Woman jumping image from shutterstock
I received a bundle of goodies in return for this post.
I really struggle with sleep I am afraid to sleep if that doesn’t sound silly
my sleep seems to be all over the place at the moment, something to do with DH leaving incredibly early in the morning for work methinks zzzzzz
I love my sleep – could so easily do 10 hours if I could! Wish I could, but everyone else in the house are early risers!
After years of trial and error I have found that even too much sleep for me can be detrimental it’s really annoying.. I don’t have that problem though unless I have something else going on like a bad virus .. usually it’s a couple of hours here and there before pain wakes me up lol oh the joys, eh? *gentle hugs*
I very rarely get a good night’s sleep, I need around 9-10 hours I think and I’m lucky to get 6 most nights! xx
I read just about everything I see about sleep since mine has always been erratic or absent. Sleeping properly for at least 6 or 7 hours is such a blessing and life always seems better the next day.
I generally sleep quite well (now I no longer have a stressful office job). I like to unwind a bit before bed time.
I always feel so much better when I’ve had a good night’s sleep. And that’s only 7 hours! It’s rare though, need POD to go to sleep when she’s supposed to and not wake in the night!
I know that I don’t get enough sleep. Never ever 10-12 hours thats for sure! Probably 7 on a good night which isn’t enough. Did you manage to sleep for longer?
I need 8-10 hours or I am really cranky, I get around 7 on average though x
Sleep is definitely essential! It’s difficult to perform at my best and have the best attitude possible when I am fatigued!
~Samantha
I haven’t had a decent nights sleep for so long that my body is used to it now. There is no way I can stay in bed past 7am and I am often awake much earlier. I try to go to bed early to make up for this but even if I fall asleep straight away you can guarantee that something (pain) or someone (kids, other half, neighbours) will wake me up. Saying that though, six hours is generally enough to get me through the day without my grumbling 🙂
I’ve been reading up a lot lately on Hormone Imbalance and the effects on the body. It turns out this is yet another condition that is affected by lack of sleep. It’s really quite surprising the vast array of negative affects lack of sleep can cause. I think we would all benefit from being sent to bed by our parents once in a while!
I never get enough sleep, I’m always up until the early hours blogging LOL. I long for a nice lie in though.
I have to get at least 7 hours a night or I am a total car crash! I could definitely use more though x
I feel I never get enough sleep. I think its maybe once or twice a week where I feel like I’ve had a good nights sleep.
I will be popping back to see how you are getting on.
I never realised the importance of sleep until I had little Miss, boy do I miss the days! Wouldn’t change her for a second though 🙂
Hahrrr yes it is just one problem in our house my daughter she has hydrocephalus and has problems to do with her brain one is sleep so dont get a lot of it in our house 🙁
I love sleep! But often go through periods of insomnia, with nightmares and hours of lying awake at silly times. There’s no doubt when I get a good unbroken stretch I’m a nicer and more functional person the next day.
I never get enough sleep. I have such problems getting to sleep because I have anxiety and depression, I constantly worry and my brain just will not calm down. As a consequence I’m always lethargic!
Over the past few years my sleep has been awful. I can sleep all night, yet wake up feeling like crap. I can’t remember the last time I woke up, bounding out of bed and ready to face the day… it’s tiring me out. I keep wondering if I have CFS, but I know if I go to my doctor she will just say that I’m a hypochondriac and too anxious about things 🙁 I just want to feel refreshed again x
I”m lucky in that I have no trouble sleeping and my children, although they do stay awake quite late, always sleep till I wake them the next morning x x
Not getting enough sleep is a form of torture!
Couldn’t agree more about how important a good night’s sleep is, but I am struggling a bit in the summer with the light mornings – our curtains let the light in and we really need to get new blinds or shutters for a longer night’s sleep!
I struggle with sleep. I go though opposing stages – sleeping heavily for hours and hours and waking up with a banging headache vs struggling to get to sleep and then stay asleep. Neither is ideal. I just want to have a normal sleep pattern! I’ve attempted to start a new routine today; getting up an hour later and doing chores in the evening rather than before work. Wonder if it will make any difference.
Sleep is my nemysis. I will be watching this with interest!
not getting much sleep at the minute with a 3 month old baby
i have no problem sleeping. As I have a sleep condition, where I fall asleep at anytime. It can get trouble some. I have been using the clap machine, exercising and I have been watching what I consume on a daily bases. It is not helping. Maybe it is connected with the menopause. We’ll see what the doctor Says next month.
I can totally relate to the difference a good night’s sleep makes in my mood and energy levels. I don’t have ME/CFS but I do have issues with fatigue and sleep issues. When I do get a good night’s sleep, my mood is much improved.
My body is much like yours, as you know, and sleeping is either really difficult or too hard to stop.
I very rarely have a good nights sleep and very often wake up feeling tied and grouchy – I’ve never got to the bottom of why I’m like this I just trundle on!
Sleep is for wimps – no I am only joking. Need my kids to sleep all night so I can get some proper rest