I have been wondering the same thing lately. I have the same situation with only getting quiet time once the kids are asleep, although most of the time I have at least six (if it's five, I get really crabby on top of whatever physical toll it takes). It's like I need to unwind a couple of hours before I can sleep or want to sleep. I think it's really important mentally to be able to just curl up on the couch for a little while each night when you know the craziness is over for the day. Maybe if my days were not so chaotic I would not need it. I think quality of sleep has a big impact as well as overall time. I do find myself feeling worse on days when my sleep was interrupted more than usual or I had insomnia during the night. For now at least, knowing I have that time helps me get through the rest of the day. I usually pass out on the couch before I even make it to bed, so I am at least trying to get in bed for the entire night once I can't keep my eyes open anymore rather than doing half of it on the couch.
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