Taste of Kiwi: Blog of Author Shelley Munro

I’ve been thinking about sleep recently—mainly because I could do with more. Yes, I’m in sleep-debt. Our genes determine the amount of sleep we require. The average amount of sleep required by an adult is around eight hours, although people can fall either side of the scale. A child requires more sleep than an elderly person.

If we don’t get enough sleep we might experience all or some of the following symptoms.

• Daytime sleepiness
• Fatigue
• Difficulty concentrating
• Poor thinking
• Increased risk of accidents
• Other health complications e.g. weight gain
• Grumpiness

Source: Sleepdisorders.about.com

About eight hours seems about right for me, maybe slightly more. Anything less, and I start to get grouchy. Tonight I’m off to bed as soon as I finish watching Bones. I’m a morning person—the early to bed, early to rise thing works for me.

How much sleep do you need to function well? Are you a night owl or a morning bird?

I had trouble sleeping last night. I don’t know if it was because I read Margie Lawson’s guest post about sleeping at Petit Fours and Hot Tamales or if it was a sign of things to come. Margie’s post was very interesting and included suggestions about ways to aid sleep. It’s worth reading if you have a chance.

Normally, I sleep really well. Last night I was tired. I slept a few hours and woke. Unable to go back to sleep, I applied my brain cells to the problems I’ve been having with my current work-in-progress. Problem fixed! I know how to end my story in a way that isn’t as lame as my original idea. I must have drifted back to sleep and I woke about seven, feeling really tired. According to hubby I was grinding my teeth. I haven’t done that for a long time. It’s something I usually only do when I’m stressed.

If anyone has listened to a person grinding their teeth they’ll know what a horrible sound it is–way worse than snoring. I don’t know why hubby didn’t wake me up.

The good news is that I remembered all the plotting I’d done during the night–it didn’t fade away into dreamland. Here’s hoping I sleep better tonight, but if I don’t, I have another story I need to start plotting.

What do you do if you can’t sleep? Is anyone else tired of 2009 and ready for 2010 to begin?

I’ve had problems sleeping recently. I go to bed tired, read a little and go to sleep only to wake up in the early hours of the morning. I lie awake for ages, tossing and turning. I must have fallen asleep at some stage this morning only to have the birds wake me again. BTW – what do they have to be so chirpy about at that ungodly hour of the morning?

I’ve spent all day yawning, which isn’t exactly an attractive look.

Do you have problems sleeping? How do you make sure you get a good night’s sleep?