On Sunday nights, I strip the bed. After plumping up the king-sized featherbed, I stretch my freshly laundered, natural-weave, Egyptian cotton, 800-thread-count fitted sheet over my Sealy mattress, pulling the smooth fabric taut. A flat sheet follows, topped by a lightweight chenille blanket. A goose-down comforter rests at my feat, ready to cover me if the night turns cool, and four fat feather pillows lie at the head of the bed, a body pillow resting perpendicular to them. I slip into bed, sighing with pleasure as my body hits the cool, soft cotton.

It’s bedding porn, really, but considering that the average person spends at least eight hours a night in bed, why shouldn’t we have lascivious thoughts about linens?

According to The National Center on Sleep Disorders Research (NCSDR), when healthy adults are allowed to snooze unrestricted, they’re down for an average of 8 to 8.5 hours a night. However, the amount of sleep you need varies widely from person to person. Some people need ten hours to function normally, while others can sail through their day on a mere three hours. I need eleven.

So, what’s the best amount of sleep for you? Ask yourself:

• Do you consistently wake up feeling groggy or irritable?
  
• Do you have difficulty remembering things? Is your response time slow?
  
• Do you have difficulty paying attention or concentrating?
  
• Are you often told by others that you look sleepy?
  
• Do you have difficulty controlling your emotions?
  
• Do you struggle to stay awake when you watch television or read a book?
  
• Do you sometimes fall asleep while driving?
  
• Do you have to take naps on most days?