Rule #6 - “Sleep 7 hours nightly, unless my brain replays every awkward moment at 3 a.m."

Ah, sleep—my favorite form of “doing nothing” that’s actually everything. Rule #6: Sleep 7 hours nightly. Easy, right? Just close your eyes, drift off, and wake up a new person. Except, oops! Your brain has other plans. Suddenly, it’s 3 AM, and you’re deep into a mental replay of every awkward thing you’ve ever said, wondering why you called your high school teacher "Mom" that one time. Good times.

Let’s face it, “Get 7 hours of sleep” sounds like a no-brainer until life happens. First, there’s that extra cup of coffee you thought wouldn’t hurt at 5 PM Then comes the endless cycle of TikTok, where you’re five minutes from sleep but decide to watch just one more video—and suddenly, you're wide awake, learning how to make sourdough bread at midnight. Top that off with the stress of work or the realization that you forgot to reply to an email from 2018, and sleep becomes that elusive friend who never shows up when you need them.

Oh, and let’s not forget the "I’ll just rest my eyes" lie we tell ourselves. You know the one: you collapse on the couch in front of a random TV show and wake up an hour later in a drool puddle, wondering what year it is. But when you try to fall asleep later? Nope! That’s when your brain decides it’s time to deep-dive into your life choices. Perfect.

Now, why is sleep so important that it made my six simple rules? Well, think of sleep as your body's overnight reboot. It’s like charging your phone—except you can’t get a battery replacement. Sleep does wonders for your memory, mood, metabolism, and pretty much every system in your body. Skip it, and you’re basically running on low power mode—grumpy, foggy, and craving carbs. Not exactly the formula for peace, right?

Here’s the real trick: stop trying to make sleep a performance. The more you force it, the more it runs away. Instead, focus on consistency. Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day (yes, even on weekends—sorry). Ditch the late-night Netflix binges, and for the love of REM cycles, keep your phone out of reach so you’re not tempted to scroll through random videos at 1 AM. Create a bedroom vibe that works for you: cool, dark, and quiet—a sleep sanctuary.

And when your mind doesn’t shut off, don’t panic. It happens! Just breathe, reset, and remember that sometimes, it takes time to wind down—especially if your brain thinks it’s time to solve life’s mysteries in the middle of the night.

At the end of the day (literally), it’s not about being perfect; it’s about progress. Seven hours of sleep might not always happen, but the goal is to create a routine that makes rest a priority. And hey, if you stop replaying that embarrassing moment from 2003, you might just wake up feeling refreshed, recharged, and ready to crush the day—not like you’ve been time-traveling through your own personal Twilight Zone.

Sleep well, sleep smart, and stop stressing about it—because that’s when the magic happens.

Xx

Kim