What then can we conclude from all this? First that, all other things being equal, sleeping on your side seems to have several advantages, but your precise posture can have an effect on neck and back pain – and the side you sleep on can increase or reduce acid reflux. Snoring increases if you sleep on your back, but we all vary so it could still be the way you sleep best.

I wrote this in my personal book of aphorisms on 2021-08-20:

There is nothing virtuous about sleep deprivation. It makes people stupid, sloppy, error-prone, unwise, and unthinkingly obedient. This is why schools and armies so encourage it. We’d all be better off if early-rising “policy makers” got a good night’s sleep or, better still, never woke up.

Recent studies have however shown that this might not be the case, with some adults needing as little as four hours sleep to wake up feeling refreshed.

Research from experts in Washington, US, found that having too much sleep could actually interfere with your cognitive function.

The experts found that people who slept less than 4.5 hours a night, and those who slept more than 6.5 hours each night had a greater risk of cognitive decline over time.

It’s key to note that all of these participants also struggled with poor quality sleep. //

the findings of the Washington study are surprising, as most health bodies, including the NHS in the UK and the Centre for Disease Control (CDC) in the US, all state that people should be having more than six hours each night.

“The study showed that sleeping longer than 6.5 hours was associated with cognitive decline over time – this is low when we consider that older adults are recommended to get between seven and eight hours of sleep every night.

“It could be the case that it isn’t necessarily the length of the sleep that matters, but the quality of that sleep when it comes to risk of developing dementia”, he said.

He did however state that it’s key to remember that the 100 participants in the study who slept for longer may have been suffering with issues that were not picked up on the tests.

When it's time for me to get ready for bed, I find a quiet place for a quick "oil check," as I like to call it. I do some deep breathing to start, just to calm my heartbeat (inhale four seconds, exhale four seconds). Then, I note three things I accomplished that day and how they positively impacted others. Close with more breathing, then I get ready for bed.

You've probably heard this before, but it's true -- cut the screen time if you want to clear your head and have a good night's rest. So, I put my phone on its charger, climb into bed, and lie on my back. Before tucking in, I note three things I'd like to accomplish the next day -- not pie-in-the-sky ambitions, but things I can reasonably do in the next 24 hours.

Lastly, I call on a happy memory, typically of something I did I was very proud of. It's not always recent, either -- I remember smiling to myself over a standing ovation at a high school play. With this image in my head, I close my eyes and gradually fall asleep.

The trick is known as the "4-7-8 Method," and while its origins lay in ancient traditions of yoga, Weil says it's thoroughly scientifically vetted. The simple breathing technique works to calm stress by activating your parasympathetic nervous system, also known as "rest and digest mode." Here's all you have to do, according to Vogue:

Breathe in through your nose for a count of four seconds.

Hold your breath for seven seconds.

Exhale for eight seconds, making a "whoosh" sound through pursed lips.

Repeat up to four times.

The 4-7-8 method can be used to kill stress and calm your body any time of the day, not just at bedtime. And the more consistently you use the technique, the better it works. So give it a try and see if this might be the answer to your sleep challenges.

Five or six hours of sleep a few nights in a row can affect your judgment even if you don't feel sleepy.

You probably already know how important sleep is to your health and general well-being. You may even know that you need deep sleep every night to clear out the toxins that lead to Alzheimer's. But if you're running a company or managing a business, or just have a lot of work to do, it may seem to you that there's a tradeoff between getting as much sleep as you know you need and doing all the work that you need to get done. At least, I often feel that way.

It turns out that's the wrong way to look at it because scientific research shows exactly how much we suck at our jobs when we don't get plenty of sleep--at least seven hours a night and ideally eight-and-a-half hours. So it really isn't a tradeoff between getting enough sleep and getting the important stuff done. //

1. You can't focus.

2. Your judgment may be off.

3. You can't solve tough problems.