Sleep? On It!

 

I read a great book over the break on the importance of sleep to our physical and mental health, “Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams,” by Matthew Walker. I give intellectual assent to the need to get good shuteye every night, and as I get older my body certainly tells me when I’ve cheated it in the zzz’s department. But this book, both through the science and the prose, really reinforced for me why sleep is so necessary for our optimal functioning, and therefore why prioritizing it yields such a good return on investment. 

So my New Year’s resolution for 2026 is to get more and better sleep. And, like any New Year’s resolution, the temptation lurks to fall off before the calendar even turns to February. So, for my own documentation and to trigger the accountability of putting a statement out into the universe, here’s my plan for achieving that goal: 

* Buy a new watch that tracks quantity and quality of sleep

* Get into bed earlier rather than puttering around or looking up random stuff on the Internet

* Pre-bedtime routine of stretching and breathing so I’m easing my way from being alert and awake to being sleepy and asleep

* No doomscrolling before bed or in the middle of the night if I get up to pee

Of course, best plans yada yada yada. Work, kids, noisy neighbors, and unexpected stressors constantly lurk. But no need to be defeatist. I have a goal. I have a plan. I can control those things, so I will do those things. Who’s with me? Zzz…