Are you sleeping enough? Test!

The twenty-first century is a busy time. We are all guilty of being busy. We strive to balance home and personal life with busy professional lives, and we never seem to give ourselves a break. This can result us burning the candle at both ends (early mornings in the gym, late nights at work, then dinner and out with friends) and there’s a ridiculous temptation to short change the amount of sleep we allow ourselves. This cannot be healthy. Sleep is vital for health and emotional wellbeing. How can you tell whether you’re getting enough sleep? Take our test and find out!

Take the test here

Simply answer yes, no or sometimes to these questions, and then tot up your results at the end.

Do you go to bed when you like rather than have an allotted bedtime (a time when you regularly go to bed)?
During the past two weeks have you put off going to bed at your allotted bedtime more than twice?
During the past two weeks have you gone back to sleep after the alarm has gone off in the morning?
During the past two weeks, have you fallen asleep during the day without meaning to?
Have you fallen asleep in a public place within the past two weeks?
Do you wake up feeling as though you have not had enough sleep?
Have friends, family, or co-workers told you that you look sleepy in the past two weeks?
Do you struggle to stay asleep at night?
When you wake up in the night do you think about things that are bothering you?
Does it take you a long time to get to sleep?
Are you getting less than 7 hours sleep per night?
Do you find it difficult to turn your alarm off and jump out of bed ready to take on the world?
When you wake up, does the face staring back at you in the mirror look tired and strained?
Do you rely on caffeine to wake yourself up in the morning?
Do you rely on caffeine to keep you going through the day?
Do you feel like you need a nap in mid-afternoon?
Are you regularly cranky or moody?
Do you get irritable with little provocation?
Is your bed uncomfortable?
When you drive in the morning are your reactions sluggish?
Do you tend to sleep a great deal at weekends?
Do you have any sort of sleeping ailment that keeps you awake?
Do you suffer with anxiety or depression?
Do you have stress?
Are you a pessimistic person?
Do you think you sleep poorly?
Do you take sleeping pills?

How did you score?

If you have proportionally more ‘yes’ answers, combined with some ‘sometimes’ answers, then the chances are that you do have a sleeping problem. Sleep is hugely important if you want to be able to tackle your daily routine with energy and resilience. Not getting enough sleep can be a factor in many illnesses, and can result in premature death. You should consider ways to improve your sleep patterns, do some research, and take steps to ensure a great night’s sleep.