Q: “How come some people can function fine with so little sleep,
when others can get a solid eight hours a night and still be
tired?” ~ Danielle, Calgary, AB. Here is the answer from Dr.
Robyn Stremler, RN, BSc(Hons), MSc(A), PhD, a Nursing Research
Associate at the Centre for Nursing at The Hospital for Sick
Children. A: “Most adults need seven-and-a-half to eight hours
of sleep per night, but there are many people who need more or
less than that amount to feel well-rested. There is probably a
genetic component to how much sleep each person needs. The
24-hour a day demands of society, including work, school, time
with family and friends, texting, Twitter and Facebook, has a
big influence on how late we stay up and how much sleep we
actually get! The best way to know you are getting enough sleep
is how you feel the next day. The amount of sleep that allows
you to wake up (maybe even a few minutes before your alarm clock
goes off) with energy for the whole day is the right amount for
you. Although there is var