Dreaming of Sleep

I've been talking about sleep quite a bit recently, and it seems I've touched a nerve. Two sets of numbers came out that got my attention. First, the National Sleep Foundation reported that more than half of women between the ages of 18 and 64 sleep well only a few nights a week. Then, The National Association of Home Builders said that by 2015 60% of all custom homes will have his-and-hers master bedrooms. I have crazy sleep habits, but I work crazy hours. My alarm goes off at 3:30am. I usually hit snooze and then my back up alarm goes off. I keep it next to my bathroom sink - that way I have to get out of bed to turn it off. I've spent most of my adult life working mornings, in television and now radio. I don't think you ever truly adjust - the human body is not made to get up before 6am. I don't get a lot of sleep, but I usually sleep well once my head hits the pillow. As for that story about sleeping separately.. my husband and I often work opposite shifts and with small children, you never know who's going to be up and about. So, yes, we sometimes sleep apart. But I can't imagine making it a formal setup. (I like the idea of separate bathrooms, though!) I spoke recently to the Charlotte Newcomers Club. During the lunch one woman mentioned she'd heard one of my health reports on sleep drugs. The one where the FDA will put stronger warnings on sleep medicines like Ambien and Lunesta. I was at a table with 7 other women - 5 of them had tried one of the medicines and all of them had some type of sleep problem. What's going on here? Is it stress? One woman talked about how men can just turn off the worry at bedtime, but that women never stop. I think that makes some sense. The Sleep Foundation survey talked about how stay at home moms actually sleep worse than working moms. I wonder about the pressure those moms feel to make everything perfect. When you work, you sort of have to let go of that pursuit of perfection. The laundry can pile up a little, you eat mac and cheese for dinner once in a while, the mail sits around for a bit and you realize the world won't end. I think my friends who stay home feel a lot more pressure to make the beds and white-glove the dust. So what to do? I can't say I have answers. I did find this - a $50,000 mattress! No joke. The Swedish manufacturer says the "ultra luxe" Vividus mattress is worth the cost. If you have 50 thousand dollars to spend on a mattress, call me. I'm sure we can figure something out!