Contrary to popular belief, not everyone needs 8 hours of sleep.
A good night’s sleep is without a doubt, one of the best things you can do for your overall health. That being said, we are told that 8 hours is the target for everyone in the world, and that simply isn’t true.
Most people need between 7-9 hours of sleep per night depending on many factors, like age, overall health, and caffeine intake, of course.
Genetics play a large role in how much sleep we need per night, but outside factors like seasonal changes, hormonal changes (like menstruation), and health issues that rely on your immune system can cause you to need more sleep during certain times of your life.
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So how do you find out how many hours you personally need each night?
The first step is to experiment. Set your alarm for different times in the morning, and note when you wake up feeling refreshed and energized, as opposed to sluggish. Make sure you add a thirty minute buffer before falling asleep.
The goal here is to create a new habit, so once you discover the perfect amount of sleep for you, set your alarm for that same time every day, including weekends.
I’m not saying that you should never sleep in, however. Some days you will need more sleep than others, and late nights pretty much always equal late mornings.
However, knowing the baseline of how much sleep you need at a minimum will give you the freedom to increase or decrease your sleep as needed.