Most of us are told to sleep around eight hours a night. Is this the same for everyone? How important is enough sleep?
The question how much sleep do we really need? There is no simple answer.There are many factors that influence the length of sleep, including genetics, lifestyle choices and gender. Though general guidelines may be helpful, sleep is unique to each individual.Expert recommendations are just one piece of a larger and more complex puzzle.
Notice: Although the content of Sleepopolis is intended to be informative, it should not replace professional medical advice. If you feel you may be suffering from any sleep disorder or medical condition, please see your healthcare provider immediately.
Why Is Sleep Important?
Without sleep, no living organism is capable of survival. Chronic sleep loss can have a detrimental impact on physical and cognitive health, while total sleep deprivation causes death. Research on rats showed that complete sleep deprivation can cause death in as little as two weeks. Research on healthy human subjects concluded that just 24 hours of sleep deprivation could induce hallucinations and other schizophrenia-like symptoms.
Sleep has three main functions: to process information, save energy, and help cells recover.Important data processing takes place during the foursleep stage. The brain collects a substantial amount of information during the day. Once asleep, the body solidifies and combines these memories, moving the information from short-term to long-term memory. This process is called consolidation.
Memory consolidation typically happens in the N3 stage of sleep, which usually begins forty minutes after first falling asleep. Also known as slow-wave sleep, N3 is the deepest and most restorative of all the sleep stages. Studies show that after a good nights rest, people tend to retain more information and perform better on memory tasks.
Sleep also serves another function: it conserves energy and replenishes energy stores.
The waking brain requires significant power to maintain body temperature and other important bodily functions. Sleeping is more energy-intensive than normal because the core temperature of the body drops between 1 and 17 C. Non-REM sleep is when the brain produces less energy, and dream are more rare.
Sleep also encourages muscle repair and strengthens the immune system. The sleeping brain triggers the release of hormones that encourage tissue growth and help muscles recover from exercise. To fight bacteria and viruses, white blood cells are released into bloodstream.One study found that people who slept for at least eight hours per night were three times more likely to catch a cold than those who slept seven or less.
Additional research connects adequate sleep with various health benefits.These benefits include:
- Improved brain function, such as concentration and memory
- Healthy and clear skin
- Lowered risk for cardiometabolic disease
- Healthy weight maintenance or loss
- Improved immune function
- Maximum athletic performance
Non-REM sleep
A type of sleep that consists of three sleep stages – N1, N2, and N3 – where the sleepers breathing and heart rate are slow, blood pressure low, and body relatively still.
How Sleep Quantity Is Determined
There is no one-size-fits-all strategy to determine how much rest every person should get.A large number of factors influence sleep quantity, such as:
- AgeThe amount of sleep that a person requires is dependent on their age. Sleep patterns change as people age and go through developmental changes. The average person spends less time sleeping over their lifetime. The elderly require the least sleep while newborns have the most.
- GeneticsTwo regions of DNA are linked to the amount of sleep people get, suggesting that genetic factors can influence how much time they spend sleeping. Some healthy adults sleep as much as 9.5 hours each night, while others function well with as few as four. The average adult population needs 7.5 hours of sleep. A newly discovered gene mutation called DEC2 allows people to sleep as little as four to six hours per night and still be functional.
- Chronotype The internal biological clock, also called the chronotype, regulates numerous bodily functions including the sleep/wake cycle. This clock can vary slightly from person to person and helps distinguish early birds from night owls.
The clock of a morning person runs slightly faster than 24 hours, while the clock of a night owl runs more slowly. An understanding of ones individual chronotype can help determine the right sleep and wake times, as well as the ideal amount of rest
FAQ
How many hours does the average person sleep?
Americans get 6.8 hours sleep per night on average, a drop of more than one hour since 1942.
General Sleep Recommendations
The National Sleep Foundation Sleep Range Recommendations
Newborns (0-3 months):14-17 hoursInfants (4-11 months): 12-15 hours
Toddlers (1-2 Years): 11-14 hours
Preschoolers (3-5 years old):10-13 hours
Children aged 6-13 years:9-11 hours
Teenagers (14-17 years old): 8-10 hours
For younger adults (age 18-25):7-9 hours
Adults (26-64)7-9 hours
Senior citizens (65+) 7-8 hours
Similar research shows that healthy adults should get at least seven hours sleep every night to maintain optimal health.Healthy sleepers spend about 90 percent of the time in bed asleep, meaning eight hours in bed amounts to 7.2 hours of sleep.
Factors That Affect Sleep Duration
Your personal health and lifestyle choices can impact your sleep quality.These tips will help you to calculate the ideal sleep/wake times.:
- Pay attention to your body. Pay attention to productivity and energy levels throughout the day. Does the body feel well rested or tired? The best way to find out how long your sleep lasts is by listening to your body. Many adults feel that seven hours of sleep is sufficient to feel energetic, but others are more productive with nine hours.
- Check for sleep problems. Sleep disorders may be indicated by symptoms such as insomnia, excessive sleepiness during the day, and disturbed sleep. Consultation with a sleep professional may help rule out such medical conditions as sleep apnea or narcolepsy
- Consider your caffeine intake.Caffeine, a stimulant, can be used to increase adrenaline and block sleep-inducing chemicals. Up to 400 milligrams of caffeine – or about four cups of coffee- appears to be safe for most healthy adults. A single cup of coffee or tea may trigger sleep difficulties in those who are sensitive to caffeine
- Understand Activity level Exercise can have a significant effect on sleep requirements. A professional or amateur athlete might require an additional hour of sleep to replenish energy and allow muscles to heal.
- Other medical conditions and mood disorders can be treated.
Chronic diseases, pregnancy, depression, and certain medical conditions can have a considerable impact on sleep quantity. A medical professional may help determine proper treatment and prescribe the optimal amount of sleep for each condition
Insomnia
Insomnia refers to a sleep disorder that causes difficulty falling asleep and/or staying asleep.
Too Little Sleep Can Pose Health Risks
According to the American Sleep Association,35.3 percent of adults report sleeping less than seven hours each night.A daily sleep schedule of less than seven hours could result in excessive tiredness, which can lead to long-term and short-term health problems.
Insufficient sleep may affect your judgment and mood and increase your risk of serious injuries and accidents. People who are sleep deprived might experience daytime drowsiness or episodes of microsleep.
Microsleep refers to a brief, unplanned period of light sleep that occurs suddenly without any intention. It can be dangerous if it occurs while driving, working in unsafe environments, or watching children who require constant attention.
Long-term scientific studies show that a lack sleep is associated with adverse health outcomes. Insufficient sleep prevents the body from strengthening the immune system and producing cytokines, proteins secreted by specific cells to fight infection. Sleep deprivation may delay healing and recovery from illness, and increase the risk of chronic health conditions.
Sleep deprivation could also generate other long-term health problems, such as:
- Obesity and weight gain
- Diabetes
- Hypertension
- Depression
- Impaired immune function
A lack of sleep can increase your risk of developing cardiovascular disease. This includes stroke and atherosclerosis.
FAQ
What are the main causes for sleep deprivation
Sleep loss can be caused by insomnia, stress, depression, circadian rhythm disorders, such as jetlag, and certain medications.
Are You Too Tired To Sleep?
Exercising too much or insufficient sleep can have a negative impact on your health.Oversleeping has been linked to heart disease, diabetes, and an increased risk of death.Oversleeping is strongly linked to depression and low socioeconomic status. For example, someone with a lower socioeconomic status may have an undiagnosed illness due to a lack of health care, which may be the cause of excessive sleep.
Hypersomnia, a type of sleep disorder that causes excessive sleeping, may also lead to oversleeping. Sufferers may experience extreme sleepiness during the day, excessive sleeping at night, anxiety and depression, and memory problems.
There are other possible causes for oversleeping:
- Alcohol consumption
- Prescription medication use
- A sudden increase in physical activity
- Depression
- Neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinsons disease
Quality Of Sleep Vs. Quantity Quantity: Both Quality And Quantity Are Important
Quality of sleep is just as important as quantity. Experts believe that 6.5 hours of quality sleep is better than 8 hours of sleepless nights.
Adult indicators of quality sleep include falling asleep within 30 minutes or less, falling asleep soundly throughout the night, and waking with relative ease.Trouble falling asleep and staying asleep, trouble waking up, and trouble getting to sleep are all signs of poor quality sleep.
You can improve your sleep quality by:
- Sticking to a consistent bed and wake time
- Avoid caffeine in the afternoon
- Keep the bedroom dark
- Avoid large meals or alcohol before going to bed
- Use a white noise machine or another sound machine
Sleep latency
The amount of time it takes to fall asleep after the lights have been turned off.
Last Word From Sleepopolis
It can be confusing to choose which numbers to trust, given the amount of conflicting information on sleep duration. Scientists have helped define a sleep range to strive for, and this is a helpful start.
Our bodies can tell us how much sleep we need. Energy levels, physical health, and overall mood can help determine when to sleep and wake, and how much sleep the body requires. Both duration and quality of rest are important keys to daily wellness and, in turn, a healthier life.
