Have you ever been to a seminar or in a class where someone asks, “How much sleep do you get each night?”.  I am always surprised by those that say 4-5 hours is all they need and stick their chests out thinking this is something to be proud of.  As a normal practice I get at least 8 hours of sleep each night and I am proud of that.  This was not always the case but over the years I have become a firm believer that getting enough sleep is vital to having a good day.  According to sleep experts, if you want to be fully alert, in a good mood, mentally sharp, creative, and energetic all day long, you might need to spend at least one third of your life sleeping.  Over an average lifetime that’s a commitment of nearly 24 years in bed!  For some this seems like a complete waste of time, but the process of sleep, if given adequate time and the proper environment, provides tremendous power.  The third of your life that you should spend sleeping has profound effects on the other two thirds of your life, in terms of alertness, energy, mood, body weight, perception, memory, thinking, reaction time, productivity, performance, communication skills, creativity, safety and good health.  Don’t be embarrassed if you sleep at least 8 hours every night and have Sweet Dreams Tonight!