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Your Sleep Is Just As Important As Your Children's
 The Axiom Of Responsibility Many of our lifelong habits begin while we are young. For this reason, as directors of their homes, parents bear the responsibility of making sure that everyone in their families gets enough sleep each night . . . and we mean everyone! It is so easy, with all of the responsibilities included in parenting, to be tempted to put the kids to bed and then stay up until the wee hours of the morning trying to get caught up on all the other areas of life. There are bills to pay, laundry that is piling up, friends to e-mail, and the kitchen to clean, all of which is admittedly easier to do when the kids are not around. So, while we may ensure that our teen goes to bed at a reasonable hour and our toddler gets a bath, story, and to bed by 8:00 p.m., we think we can do without. Unfortunately, this is not true. For adults, 7.5 to 8 hours is the ideal amount of sleep experts believe is necessary to maintain our health, and as many of these hours as possible should be before midnight. (Watch: "Sleep Your Way to a Healthier Heart") Further, researchers are finding that sleep is so essential to our health that those who get enough sleep have a reduced risk of developing cancer and other diseases. Interestingly, according to a study presented Tuesday at the annual American Academy of Sleep Medicine meeting, "nearly one in five Americans suffers from chronic 'excessive sleepiness,'" a common result of sleep deprivation. ("One in Five Americans 'Excessively Sleepy,' Study Finds") Obviously, sleep deprivation affects our performance at work and how we deal with the pressures of having a family. To be sure, it is impossible to be attentive, well-organized, compassionate parents when we are struggling just to stay awake! As the director of your home, please make sure that you get eight hours of sleep nearly every night so that you can meet the challenges of each day. And don't for one second think that you getting your sleep is not as important as the dishes in the kitchen sink; it's more important. There will always be an endless list of things to do, but we will have a much easier time handling everything if we are well rested and ready to go! Anna and Ellie Sherise
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