The 9-Hour Sleep Myth: How Shannon is Learning to Rest Without Chasing Numbers

Shannon swears she needs nine hours of sleep to function. Not eight and a half. Not seven. Nine. Like Goldilocks but with a clipboard, a color-coded calendar, and a hint of panic. The only problem? She hasn’t actually slept nine hours since she was sixteen.

We’ve met seven times — in person, right here in my Montreal office. In-house sessions are always more intimate than Zoom. You see the tension in someone’s shoulders, the little habits that betray anxious inner monologues — the stuff screens just can’t show. Shannon? She’s brilliant, highly controlling, and once she locks onto an idea, good luck trying to shift it.

Right from the start, Shannon insisted: “I need nine hours. Anything less and I’ll never feel rested.” I explained, repeated, and explained again that most adults do fine with seven to nine hours. Her eyes glazed over each time. Her mind had a dial stuck firmly on nine.

And then came the million-dollar question: “When was the last time you actually slept nine hours?” She paused, smiled faintly, and said, “When I was sixteen.”

Sixteen. A whole lifetime ago. A teenager with messy hair, friends, and — according to Shannon — an almost unfair level of confidence. That’s when she slept nine hours. That’s when her world, for all its teenage drama, still felt manageable. And suddenly it clicked — her nine-hour rule wasn’t really about sleep at all.

When Life Gets Hard, Control Creeps Into Sleep

Shannon’s life now is tougher. She’s faced disappointments most of us would call “soul-deep”: career letdowns, relationship drama, the kind of stuff that makes you want to hide under your duvet for a week. She’s highly controlling and thrives on order — yet some things in life refuse to be controlled. Cue the nine-hour sleep obsession.

Her belief isn’t unusual. Our minds love rules — especially ones that give the illusion of certainty. “If I sleep nine hours, I’ll be okay.” But what Shannon was really craving wasn’t the hours themselves. It was safety, ease, and confidence, a feeling she’d had as a teen. And let’s be honest, who hasn’t wanted a little teenage magic back?

Can Hypnosis Help You Sleep Better? Here’s What Happened with Shannon

During one of our in-house Montreal sessions, we explored the feelings Shannon experienced at sixteen when she actually slept nine hours. She remembered ease, confidence, and contentment — the way life felt lighter, even with its challenges.

The goal wasn’t to relive her teenage years. It was to understand what made that time feel so good. Then, we looked at what she wants now — the feelings she’d like to carry forward into her adult life and how she can recreate that sense of rest, peace, and confidence without obsessing over a number.

This kind of work is profound. It’s not a one-session miracle. Some clients need multiple recordings and sessions to integrate these insights. But Shannon is well on her way, slowly learning that rest isn’t about chasing nine hours — it’s about reconnecting with herself and her own sense of safety.

The Emotional Breakthrough That Changed Everything

Here’s where it gets amazing: Shannon didn’t magically start sleeping nine hours. What happened was even better. She wasn’t hung up on the number anymore.

For the first time, she realized she could get real rest with six hours, seven hours, or even five. The number simply didn’t matter. The pressure lifted, the guilt vanished, and for the first time in years, she was truly resting.

By the end of the session, Shannon’s shoulders had softened. She wasn’t counting, stressing, or judging herself. She was noticing how she felt during the day and trusting her body to do what it needed. That freedom — the absence of obsession — was the real transformation.

The 9-Hour Sleep Myth — and Why So Many Adults Fall for It

This isn’t just Shannon’s story. Many of us create invisible “sleep rules” because our minds crave predictability. Some people need more sleep, some less. Obsessively chasing a number can backfire, creating anxiety and a sense of failure when reality doesn’t match expectation.

Shannon’s “nine-hour rule” was her mind’s way of trying to reclaim control in a life that sometimes feels unpredictable. Once she connected with the feelings she wanted to carry forward, the pressure around sleep softened.

So, How Much Sleep Do You Really Need?

Shannon’s journey reminds us that sleep isn’t about chasing a perfect number — it’s about connecting with what our bodies and minds actually need. Many adults struggle with sleep because they’re holding onto rigid rules or unrealistic expectations, thinking that if they don’t get the “magic” number, they’ve failed. Sleep struggles often reflect deeper life stress, a need for safety, or simply wanting peace and ease in our lives. By exploring the feelings behind her old nine-hour rule, Shannon began to trust her body, letting go of the guilt and pressure that had been keeping her awake. She realized that adults don’t always need nine hours — sometimes six, seven, or even five is enough — and what matters most is the quality of rest and the freedom to relax without judgment.

A Soft Invitation

If you’ve been holding onto a “magic number” or waiting for your nights to look “perfect,” maybe it’s time for a new approach. My Montreal in-house sessions are intimate, deep, and practical — you can experience the shift Shannon did firsthand.

Feel free to reach out and book a complimentary call here: https://calendly.com/chevymermelstein/30min

And if you missed my previous blog, “Struggling with insomnia? Discover why spending too much time in bed may be making it worse — and what to notice in your evenings instead,” you can check it out here.

Sometimes, what we’re really craving isn’t more sleep — it’s more peace. Once Shannon started trusting her body instead of obsessing over a number, her rest transformed. And honestly? That’s a lesson we could all take to heart.