4. One glass of wine promotes deeper sleep.

While a little bit (or a lot for that matter) of vino can sure make you feel like you can sack out the minute your head hits the pillow, you won't get the same quality of sleep as you would if you were completely sober. "Any alcohol within three hours of bedtime can disrupt REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, so you never get into the deepest sleep possible, which is the critical sleep," says Maas. Do that one or more times a week and not only will your sleep deficit increase, but you'll risk the associated weight gain and memory loss issues.

Take away:  Drink early.

no more nightcaps!!!  oh no

Does this mean no whiskey either?

How about NyQuil?

Whiskey is alcohol and Nyquil has alcohol.  Same rule applies.

Darn.

So we'll just settle for warm milk and call it a night?

You cannot alter your body's sleep requirements:

3. You can condition your body to need less sleep.

You know how some people brag about being able to run on only a few hours of sleep because their body is used to it? Don't believe them. "You can become conditioned to waking up earlier but you can't alter your body's sleep requirements," says Maas. 

In fact, 'getting by' on less could mean you're doing your health a great disservice. "There are so many people that say that five hours is all you need—that's a giant mistake," says Maas. "It may be there are individual differences and genetic factors like what your parents sleep habits are and so on and you might be one of the lucky few that really only need seven hours, but if not, over time, some aspect of your health like weight or mental focus will be effected by lack of sleep."

It's okay to wake up a few times a night:

5. Sleeping straight through the night is crucial.

Between taking a few sips of water, getting up to use the bathroom, or just tossing and turning, you could end up waking up a few times a night. The good news: NBD. "It's actually unusual for someone to sleep through an entire night without interruption," says Maas.

The critical element however, is whether or not you fall back to sleep within 10 minutes of waking. It's only when you keep tossing and turning that ample sleep as well as memory consolidation gets sacrificed. "If it takes you longer than 15 minutes to go back and you're up for 90 minutes or longer, the equivalent of more than a full REM deep sleep cycle, that's when it's disrupting and [could be a] sign of insomnia."

All written by people not living with children under 6. 

I have not had a normal sleep cycle in 3 years and don't plan on one for at least another 3.   You get by. 

Children were invented to deprive us of sleep?

That explains so much...