1 00:00:03,480 --> 00:00:09,800 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of iHeartRadio. Good Morning. 2 00:00:11,080 --> 00:00:16,760 Speaker 1: This is Laura, Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. Today's 3 00:00:16,760 --> 00:00:20,280 Speaker 1: tip is that it is possible to get eight hours 4 00:00:20,280 --> 00:00:24,440 Speaker 1: of sleep a night, but doing so requires prioritizing it, 5 00:00:25,280 --> 00:00:30,920 Speaker 1: which means getting into bed on time. About a year ago, 6 00:00:31,000 --> 00:00:34,960 Speaker 1: I published a book called Tranquility by Tuesday, which was 7 00:00:35,000 --> 00:00:38,840 Speaker 1: about nine rules for calming the chaos and making time 8 00:00:39,200 --> 00:00:43,040 Speaker 1: for what matters. I think these rules can help anyone 9 00:00:43,479 --> 00:00:48,200 Speaker 1: live a more productive and tranquil life. The very first 10 00:00:48,280 --> 00:00:52,559 Speaker 1: rule Tranquility by Tuesday, rule number one it was to 11 00:00:52,640 --> 00:00:56,520 Speaker 1: give yourself a bedtime. I have noticed over the years 12 00:00:56,520 --> 00:00:59,520 Speaker 1: that many people get enough sleep averaged over the course 13 00:00:59,560 --> 00:01:01,880 Speaker 1: of a week, but there are a lot of short 14 00:01:01,960 --> 00:01:06,520 Speaker 1: nights followed by crashing nights. It is better to sleep 15 00:01:06,640 --> 00:01:10,319 Speaker 1: seven point five hours each day than six hours some 16 00:01:10,480 --> 00:01:15,880 Speaker 1: days and nine hours other days. In any case, most 17 00:01:15,920 --> 00:01:18,720 Speaker 1: adults need to wake up at set times for work 18 00:01:18,840 --> 00:01:22,600 Speaker 1: or family responsibilities. That's why you have an alarm clock 19 00:01:23,120 --> 00:01:26,200 Speaker 1: and have probably said it most mornings since you were twelve. 20 00:01:27,440 --> 00:01:31,720 Speaker 1: Fewer of us have bedtime alarms. But it's not a 21 00:01:31,720 --> 00:01:35,840 Speaker 1: bad idea, and that is because unfortunately we are about 22 00:01:35,840 --> 00:01:38,560 Speaker 1: as trustworthy on that side of sleep as we would 23 00:01:38,640 --> 00:01:42,319 Speaker 1: be in the morning without an alarm clock. I saw 24 00:01:42,319 --> 00:01:45,440 Speaker 1: a meme a while ago that had someone asserting dramatically 25 00:01:45,920 --> 00:01:49,160 Speaker 1: that she would do absolutely anything to get eight hours 26 00:01:49,200 --> 00:01:53,680 Speaker 1: of sleep except go to bed eight hours before she 27 00:01:53,800 --> 00:01:57,000 Speaker 1: needed to wake up. And isn't that true for most 28 00:01:57,040 --> 00:02:00,120 Speaker 1: of us. Some people have babies who wake up in 29 00:02:00,120 --> 00:02:03,000 Speaker 1: the middle of the night, and some people do shift work. 30 00:02:03,800 --> 00:02:06,200 Speaker 1: But for those of us who have the ability to 31 00:02:06,320 --> 00:02:09,240 Speaker 1: choose when we go to sleep and know that we 32 00:02:09,280 --> 00:02:11,880 Speaker 1: will probably be able to stay in bed until we 33 00:02:11,919 --> 00:02:15,000 Speaker 1: need to get up in the morning, getting enough sleep 34 00:02:15,240 --> 00:02:19,800 Speaker 1: requires this. You decide that the day is over and 35 00:02:19,960 --> 00:02:24,320 Speaker 1: act accordingly. You go to bed enough time before you 36 00:02:24,360 --> 00:02:26,640 Speaker 1: need to wake up so that you can get the 37 00:02:26,680 --> 00:02:31,079 Speaker 1: amount of sleep you truly need. During the school year, 38 00:02:31,160 --> 00:02:34,240 Speaker 1: I generally have to wake up at six thirty am. 39 00:02:34,520 --> 00:02:36,880 Speaker 1: I need seven and a half hours of sleep more 40 00:02:37,000 --> 00:02:40,400 Speaker 1: or less, so I go to bed at eleven pm. 41 00:02:41,240 --> 00:02:45,639 Speaker 1: This is not rocket science. It is simple math. If 42 00:02:45,680 --> 00:02:48,919 Speaker 1: I needed eight hours of sleep, my bedtime would need 43 00:02:48,960 --> 00:02:53,240 Speaker 1: to be ten thirty. If you want eight hours of sleep, 44 00:02:53,760 --> 00:02:57,440 Speaker 1: you just have to do the same thing. Figure out 45 00:02:57,440 --> 00:02:59,840 Speaker 1: what time you need to set your alarm and be 46 00:03:00,040 --> 00:03:03,040 Speaker 1: reasonable here. Don't say you're going to wake up at 47 00:03:03,040 --> 00:03:06,200 Speaker 1: five am to exercise and then hit snooze eight times. 48 00:03:07,520 --> 00:03:11,560 Speaker 1: Just decide when the day should rationally start and then 49 00:03:11,639 --> 00:03:15,200 Speaker 1: count back eight hours. Commit to turning off the light 50 00:03:15,840 --> 00:03:19,840 Speaker 1: by this time. Of course, most of us don't dive 51 00:03:19,919 --> 00:03:23,280 Speaker 1: straight from life and to sleep, so you probably need 52 00:03:23,320 --> 00:03:27,080 Speaker 1: a little wine down time. It is worth constructing your 53 00:03:27,120 --> 00:03:30,560 Speaker 1: evenings with this in mind. Can you create some sort 54 00:03:30,600 --> 00:03:36,360 Speaker 1: of indulgent bedtime routine so going to bed feels fun. 55 00:03:36,640 --> 00:03:39,280 Speaker 1: Maybe you spend a little time reading or doing a hobby, 56 00:03:39,760 --> 00:03:43,520 Speaker 1: taking a relaxing shower, joining some couple time. I don't know, 57 00:03:44,400 --> 00:03:48,400 Speaker 1: but build this slowing down into your life and then 58 00:03:49,400 --> 00:03:52,520 Speaker 1: just get in bed eight hours before you need to 59 00:03:52,520 --> 00:03:55,720 Speaker 1: wake up. If you do need eight hours of sleep, 60 00:03:55,760 --> 00:03:59,760 Speaker 1: you will find this practice life changing. You will have 61 00:03:59,800 --> 00:04:03,400 Speaker 1: more orderly days and be able to enjoy your weekends 62 00:04:03,800 --> 00:04:08,400 Speaker 1: when you are not constantly crashing. As one person in 63 00:04:08,440 --> 00:04:11,720 Speaker 1: the Tranquility by Tuesday book told me, this first rule 64 00:04:11,880 --> 00:04:16,799 Speaker 1: was the least sexy but the most impactful thing they tried. 65 00:04:18,240 --> 00:04:21,400 Speaker 1: Build in eight hours of sleep, and you are more 66 00:04:21,520 --> 00:04:24,880 Speaker 1: likely to get eight hours of sleep. Then if you 67 00:04:24,960 --> 00:04:28,440 Speaker 1: figure hey, time is magic and you'll sleep enough despite 68 00:04:28,480 --> 00:04:32,600 Speaker 1: being in bed for six hours, it just doesn't work. 69 00:04:33,720 --> 00:04:38,279 Speaker 1: Math and reality are tough that way, but accept the 70 00:04:38,279 --> 00:04:41,960 Speaker 1: limitations of time and work with them, and you will 71 00:04:42,040 --> 00:04:48,800 Speaker 1: ultimately be happier in the meantime. This is Laura. Thanks 72 00:04:48,800 --> 00:04:53,240 Speaker 1: for listening, and here's to making the most of our time. 73 00:05:00,040 --> 00:05:04,400 Speaker 1: Thanks for listening to Before Breakfast. If you've got questions, ideas, 74 00:05:04,520 --> 00:05:07,960 Speaker 1: or feedback, you can reach me at Laura at Laura 75 00:05:08,040 --> 00:05:17,360 Speaker 1: vandercam dot com. Before Breakfast is a production of iHeartMedia. 76 00:05:18,000 --> 00:05:22,000 Speaker 1: For more podcasts from iHeartMedia, please visit the iHeartRadio app, 77 00:05:22,279 --> 00:05:25,520 Speaker 1: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.