Snooze Sensibilities
How sleep experiences are worded carries more weight than one might realize. The familiar phrase "I fell asleep" subtly implies control, while "I didn't wake up" suggests a loss of it. Sleep, a critical aspect of your well-being, often falls prey to neglect, with one-third of American adults experiencing sleep deprivation, a condition linked to an estimated annual loss of $411 billion in the United States.
Renowned sleep expert Matt Walker introduces a paradigm-shifting concept: sleep beliefs and identity. By dissecting three key metrics—sleep opportunity, sleep duration, and sleep efficiency—Walker encourages you to scrutinize your assumptions about sleep. He argues that controlling sleep opportunities, achieved by strategically budgeting time spent in bed, can positively impact sleep duration.
This theory resonates in California's recent move to prioritize sleep for K-12 students by starting classes at or after 8:30 a.m. Recognizing the importance of sleep opportunity, this initiative aligns with Walker's research, acknowledging the significance of adequate time in bed for optimal sleep.
However, lifestyle factors and various life stages can complicate the equation. External elements like noise and lighting, as well as life events such as caretaking responsibilities or menopause, challenge the notion of "more time in the sack" as a universal solution. Walker urges you to critically examine beliefs about sleep duration, the need for specific sleep conditions, and the unattainable pursuit of an uninterrupted night's rest.
Moreover, trauma history can significantly shape your sleep identity. Oprah Winfrey, sharing her experience in the book *What Happened To You*, reveals how a history of trauma conditioned her mind to stay in a constant state of arousal, perpetually prepared for potential threats even during sleep.
Explore your sleep beliefs and identity to better understand the nuances of your rest. It may challenge conventional notions and the mysteries of your sleep narratives.
Questions to consider your sleep beliefs and identity:
What do you have total control of in order to get enough sleep? Are there factors that are actually changeable? Cause and effect connections to understand or observe to move forward?
What are the sleep sources you go to for learning about the physiology and architecture of sleep? How or what is guiding you in your beliefs? Why might you identify as a “terrible sleeper” or …(fill in the blank)?
How might you think on a continuum about your sleep choices? Is there “all or nothing” thinking impacting your sleep practices? Is there one total control choice you can begin to regularly make?