Most people, including yourself, are not getting the 8 hours of sleep that they need each night.

So, the question is, “Can you really catch up on sleep?”  The answer is yes and no. If you've been depriving yourself of sleep for three years, you can't add back the hours you missed to support the continuing need you face each day.  

If you've gyped yourself to sleep for a prolonged period, devoting the next month to giving yourself all the sleep you can get will put you in fine shape. The body is forgiving. Ex-cigarette smokers know this. Even after years of abusing their lungs, once they've stopped, smokers' lungs begin to cleanse themselves.  Ten years of abuse can be greatly diminished in one year. Your body reacts similarly with chronic under-sleeping.

Habit-Forming

Getting enough sleep, like engaging in any other healthy practices, is a habit. Sleep deprivation is a bad habit that you've developed. I know all the excuses and rationalizations. You have a lot to do -- but you'll get it done more effectively and efficiently with sufficient sleep.

Here are several suggestions to develop or perhaps redevelop the habit of getting sufficient sleep:

    * Let others know about your new-found quest -- family members who might otherwise impede your progress. 
    * One weekend day per month, linger longer in the morning before getting up.
    * Get sleep when you are on the road. You can't afford to be wheeling the TV dial at 11 or 12 at night.  
    * Schedule extra sleep anytime you're on vacation. An extra thirty to forty-five minutes can make all the difference. 

At first you might have to force yourself to get into bed--especially if it's 9:00 or 9:30 on a weekday evening and you'd rather be up and around--the opportunity to get precious sleep is just too great.