Just Wanting to be a Regular Person

Strive to be regular in all things.

Sleep longevity (7-9 hours every night) has been difficult to achieve for many people, including your humble blogger. But there could be another path to good health: sleep regularity.

A recent study looking at sleep and longevity found that sleep “regularity”—going to bed and waking up at consistent times with few mid-slumber interruptions—matters more than how long you sleep. Sleeping six hours every night on a consistent schedule was associated with a lower risk of early death than sleeping eight hours with very irregular habits.

This finding comports with my personal experience. I frequently wake at 2 a.m. and putter around for a couple of hours. After I return to bed, the total time asleep, according to the Apple Watch, may be close to seven hours. But I feel better rested when I sleep for six hours straight.

Late in life I'm finding how crucial regularity is to good health in more than one bodily system.