His and Hers Sleep Checklists

Women need around 20 minutes more sleep per night than men do. I read it on the internet, so it must be true. Unfortunately, we also suffer from insomnia more often than men, maybe because we have to deal with them so much.  

I’m sorry. That was uncalled for. I’m a little resentful right now because it’s 3 o’clock in the morning, and the two males in my house—my husband and my cat—are sleeping. Meanwhile, I’m awake writing about sleep, which isn’t nearly as restful.

But no more. I’ve gone to that fount of all knowledge, Google, to learn all I can about sleep. And I’ve drawn on what I found there, as well as my own experience, to create the following checklists based on my and my husband’s unique sleep challenges.

My Sleep Checklist

• Wake up (and go to bed) at the same time every day. The experts say a strict sleep schedule is essential, though I suspect the experts who say that don’t have children, pets or hot flashes.
• Get plenty of sunlight early in the day. Walk first thing in the morning if you can. But if that’s not possible, try getting dressed on your deck.
• Stop drinking caffeinated beverages four to six hours before bed. The effects of caffeine hang on like garlic on your breath.
• Have a nutritious but not heavy dinner at least two to three hours before bed. Nothing I read said this, but I think your husband should cook it. He’s probably better rested.
• Get the guest room ready in case you have to make a quick escape tonight due to your spouse’s snoring. If you don’t have a guest room, you’ll want to build one. Convert the dining room if you have to.
• Avoid electronics before bed. TVs, tablets and cellphones emit a blue light that can interfere with sleep. They emit a lot of other things that interfere with sleep too.
• Cut back on liquids 90 minutes before bedtime. While the experts say regular exercise improves sleep, jogging to the bathroom all night isn’t what they have in mind.  
• If you’re hungry before bed, eat a light snack. Kiwis, bananas, almonds, walnuts, cottage cheese and fatty fish are all thought to aid sleep. But don’t eat them all now.
• Tell your family goodnight, and not just to be polite. This is your warning that if anyone wakes you for any reason except the house being on fire, they’ll get a tongue lashing they’ll never forget. Nobody sleeps well after those.
• Turn down the thermostat. Some experts say the best sleeping temperature is 60 to 67 degrees. If you’re a woman of a certain age, it may be closer to 50 so encourage your spouse to wear to his winter coat to bed.
• Use a fan or white noise machine to drown out the sounds of traffic, dogs barking and your spouse’s breathing.
• Follow this routine daily and you’re guaranteed to have a good night’s sleep, if for no other reason than that you’re exhausted after doing it all.

My Husband’s Sleep Checklist

• Lie down. Or sit in the recliner. That works too.