Melissa Dahl shares a new concept from Matthew Walker known as the sleep opportunity. This is the number of hours in which you give yourself the best chance of sleep, meaning that you’re in bed, your eyes are closed, and your phone is, preferably, turned off and stowed far away. You will not necessarily sleep this entire time, but at least you’ll be giving yourself the chance.
Source: The Cut, November 28, 2017.
Walker writes that most people give themselves a sleep opportunity of only five to six-and-a-half hours, which translates to about four to six hours of actual sleep. Walker gives himself a “non-negotiable” eight-hour sleep opportunity each night to ensure a good chance of landing somewhere within the recommended seven- to nine-hour window.