Harvard-trained doctor shares 10 hidden signs you’re not getting enough sleep: ‘Each person is different’

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends that adults get more than seven hours of sleep each night, but that’s not always in the cards for everyone — and it’s easy to feel guilty about it.

But as a Harvard-trained medical doctor, I often remind people that we all have busy lives, so it’s not worth stressing if you can’t get a full seven hours every night.

Plus, each person is different. My advice is to let your body tell you how much sleep you need.

If you answer yes to three or more of these statements, then you likely aren’t getting enough sleep or good-quality sleep:

1. It takes you 30 minutes or more to fall asleep at bedtime.
2. You rarely remember your dreams.
3. You wake up in the morning still feeling tired and not very rested.
4. You feel hungry more often, especially for junk food.
5. You wake up earlier in the morning than you would like to.
6. You sometimes feel sleepy and tired throughout the day.
7. You frequently wake up one or more times during the night.
8. You often lie awake at night, and your mind races with worry and other thoughts.
9. Your eyes are puffy or red, or you have dark circles or bags under them in the morning.
10. Your emotions are all over the map — anger, impulsivity, anxiety, sadness, and so forth.

Ideally, aim for at least two good nights of sleep when life gets busy. This gives your body time to complete one full sleep cycle. Not only that, but you won’t be so groggy when you wake up.

Here’s what the most well-rested people do to enjoy a healthy sleep hygiene:

1. They go bed and wake up at the same time every day, including weekends.

Although the exact times may vary, I am generally in bed between 9 p.m. and 10 p.m., and wake up between 5:30 a.m. and 7 a.m.

Even on weekends, I naturally wake up at the same time. If you synchronize your sleeping and waking schedules like this, you will, too.

For those fun nights out, I’ll still wake up at my usual time, then fit in a quick 20-minute nap…