One easy key to happiness: get more sleep. That means turning off the light!

Last night, I practically fell asleep in the Big Girl’s bed as I was tucking her in. A little later, the Big Man proposed watching a TiVO’d episode of The Shield.

I wavered. I love The Shield; I wanted to hang out with the Big Man; 9:30 p.m. seemed a ridiculously early hour to go to bed; and I knew from experience that if I started watching, I’d wake up.

On the other hand, I felt very sleepy.

Why does it often seem more tiring to go to bed than to stay up? Inertia, I guess. Plus the exhausting pre-bed work of taking out my contact lenses, brushing my teeth, and washing my face.

I decided to head to bed. Because I went to sleep at 9:30, I woke up at 5:00 a.m. I spent ninety peaceful minutes working while my family was still asleep, and had a lovely, productive start to my day.

Too often, though, I choose to stay up, and then pay for it the next morning.

According to one study, a bad night’s sleep was one of the top two factors that upset people’s daily moods (along with tight work deadlines). Another study suggested that getting one extra hour of sleep each night would do more for your daily happiness than getting a $60,000 raise.

I have a lot of tricks I use to help myself get to sleep. But sometimes the most important trick is to remember to get into bed and TURN OFF the light.

At the same time, I did violate my happiness-project rule that, if possible, the Big Man and I should get into bed at the same time. But I knew there was no chance he was going to bed at 9:30.

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The great blog LifeTwo dedicated this week to the pursuit of happiness. There’s a treasure trove of information there – all about how to be happier. Be careful; once you start reading, it can be hard to stop. Topics include "From Happy to Happier," "Hedonists and Rat Racers," "Pleasure and Meaning," and, one of my very favorite subjects, "The Importance of Goals."

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Comments

[Molly, NYC]

Most TV remotes have sleep timers, which allow you to program the tube to turn itself off in a half-hour or so.

This is what Martha calls a "good thing," because, if you're ever wondering whether to watch some program or pack it in (and, like me, have utterly unwarranted faith in your ability to stay awake while comfortable and drowsy), your next conscious thought doesn't involve some guy selling steak knives at 3am after several hours of really crummy sleep.

[Gretchen Rubin]

I love it! Even if you're not actually asleep, the sleep timer can REMIND you that it's time to go to sleep. And make it easy, by turning off the TV. Brilliant.

[Mrs. Micah]

My mom, who is 60, sometimes get so involved in the computer that she'll completely forget to go to bed. So my dad has it set up with reminders at 10pm, 10:30pm, and 11pm. I find it hilarious, because she used to be one of those 10pm and in bed people. But then, she doesn't work outside the house and has no kids at home, so she can sleep as long as she needs to.

[mel]

Now if only there was some kind of built-in sleep timer for books....

[TypePad Support]

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[Karly Pitman]

Wise advice, which I should heed more often. I have four children, and work in two businesses, so my alone time doesn't appear until after 9 p.m. But, as you point out, staying up late only hurts me, in the end: especially when I have low energy the next morning as the day swings into motion.

It takes discipline for me to go to bed earlier, but I know, just like going for a run when I don't feel like it, once I get past the intial discomfort, I benefit tremendously from the habit. The key is moving my alone time to the morning, before the children wake, so that I start my day on a full tank, instead of playing catch up at the end of the day.

Resisting the lure of my bookshelf will be a huge temptation, though...

[Marci Alboher]

Excellent advice, G. And just what I needed to hear this morning after an evening of not heading into bed when I was tired and ready. All for the same reason you suggest, which is that I like heading to bed at the same time as my partner though I often wilt an hour before he does. Last night were visiting my mom, all of us staying up for the next "late show," and continuing the catching up, while I repeatedly nodded off.
Our solution: contrary to what works for most couples, we put a tv in the bedroom. Now, when I'm tired, we both go to bed, so at least when I nod off I'm in the right place.

[chicklet]

I find it so interesting that you prefer to go to bed at the same time as your husband. For me, one of the times I look forward to most in my day is the 20-30 minutes I spend reading in bed while the Mr. is geeking out online. It's a big part of my bedtime routine, and a great way for me to get a time for myself. After about half an hour, the Mr. comes in and turns out the light. It's also easier for me to fall asleep alone, and I almost never awaken when he comes to bed.

I'm loving this blog - it's one of the last things I read when wrapping up my day, and I also use it for a break when real life is less than happy. Thank you for creating it.

[Megan]

I love the timeliness of this post! I nearly wrote a similar entry yesterday about how important getting enough sleep is to happiness. Fantastic! Thanks for beating me to the punch.

[Pippa]

Gretchen, you are soooo right. It helps to know I am not the only one struggling with switching off the light. We're just little kids wanting more, aren't we?

I am exploring sleep as part of my own Happiness Project this week! There is a lot more about it than I thought. Thanks for giving food for thought.

Love,
Pippa