Have you thought about what makes you happy lately? It’s sort of an odd question, I know, but I think it’s an important one. I had this conversation with a colleague of mine today, and we both noted that we could rattle off about 20 things that we do for “self-care,” or “me time.” However, when I really thought about it, I realized that there are so many other components to being happy. It isn’t just about doing something you enjoy like exercising, reading, etc. It’s also about how you maintain that happiness- what are those little things that truly happy people do differently? For the next four weeks, we will be doing a series on those things that help us maintain overall happiness and satisfaction, and that are simple and free!

This week I chose to focus on one of the most (I believe) underrated elements to happiness-sleep! I don’t know about you, but I am not pleasant by any stretch of the imagination when I don’t get enough sleep. Not only am I cranky, but I’m slower, less aware, and just generally foggy. A study from Harvard Medical School showed that sleep deprivation can result in irritability and impatience, and it can make us too tired to do the things we enjoy doing. Plus, sleep is critical to overall health and our body’s ability to fight off disease, and THAT makes me happy! Personally, getting the right amount of sleep keeps me energized, healthy, and in tune with myself and others. Even though it can be so hard to get the right amount of sleep with all the expectations we place on ourselves, setting a reasonable hour to get to bed can set a mental deadline for our brains, and helps us begin to wind down our minds a little earlier. So hit the sack!