Longevity logo

Myths about sleep (Part 2): How much sleep do we need?

Myths about sleep debunked

By Willie WunPublished about a year ago 7 min read
Like
Myths about sleep (Part 2): How much sleep do we need?
Photo by Kate Stone Matheson on Unsplash

Although we all know that sleep is essential for good health, many questions remain unanswered. And, over millennia, a plethora of myths and half-truths have emerged and persisted.

Some myths about how much sleep the average person requires are listed below. We also talk about naps, the consequences of sleeping too little or too much, and sleep in animals.

1. Everyone requires eight hours.

Sleep, like many other aspects of human biology, does not have a one-size-fits-all solution. Overall, research suggests that 7-9 hours of sleep per night is adequate for healthy young adults and adults with normal sleep patterns.

However, our daily sleep requirements vary throughout our lives:

Newborns require 14-17 hours of sleep.

Infants require 12-15 hours of sleep.

Toddlers require 11-14 hours of sleep.

Preschoolers require 10-13 hours per day.

School-aged children require 9-11 hours of sleep per day.

Teenagers require 8-10 hours of sleep.

Adults require 7-9 hours of sleep.

So generally, 7-8 hours are required for older adults and the actual number of hours required is dependent on the different stages of our lives.

2. You can condition your body to require less sleep.

There is a widely held belief that you can train your body to require less than 7-9 hours of sleep. This, unfortunately, is a myth.

According to experts, it is uncommon for anyone to function on less than 6 hours of sleep. Although some people claim to be fine with less sleep, scientists believe they are more likely to be accustomed to the negative effects of less sleep.

People who sleep for 6 hours or less per night become accustomed to the effects of sleep deprivation, but this does not imply that their bodies require any less sleep. According to Cynthia LaJambe, a sleep expert at the Pennsylvania Transportation Institute in Wingate, "At the end of the day, there is no denying the effects of sleep deprivation and raining the body to sleep less is also not an option."

It is worth noting, however, that some extremely rare individuals appear to function normally on less than 6.5 hours of sleep per night. There is evidence that this could be due to a rare genetic mutation, so it is unlikely that anyone can train themselves to achieve it.

3. Daytime naps are harmful.

In general, experts advise people to avoid naps in order to get a better night's sleep. A tactical nap, on the other hand, can help repay some of the sleep debt accumulated during previous nights.

A 20-minute nap is ideal. This allows the body to rest and recharge. People who sleep for an extended period of time may enter a deep sleep and feel groggy when they awake.

In the United States, daytime napping is relatively common, but taking a "siesta" is the norm in some countries. Because our bodies naturally lose energy in the early afternoon, napping around that time may be more natural than avoiding sleep until bedtime.

The authors of a large review of the effects of napping explain that afternoon naps in people who are not sleep deprived can lead to "subjective and behavioral improvements as well as improvements in mood and subjective levels of sleepiness and fatigue." They discovered that people who nap perform better in tasks such as addition, logical reasoning, reaction time, and symbol recognition.

But not all naps are created equal. There is a lot of variation, such as the time of day, length, and frequency of naps. As one author puts it, "Epidemiological studies indicate that taking short naps several times a week reduces the risk of cardiovascular and cognitive dysfunction."

The author also admits that much more research is needed to understand how napping-related factors influence health outcomes and the connection between napping and cardiovascular disease.

It's also worth noting that if a person feels extremely tired during the day, it could be a sign of a sleep disorder like sleep apnea. More research will be required before scientists can finally put all the napping myths and mysteries to rest.

4. Every animal sleeps.

Many people believe that because humans sleep and our companion animals appear to sleep, all animals do the same. This is incorrect. According to the authors of the paper "Do All Animals Sleep?":-

"Some animals never exhibit a sleep-like state." Others suspend or significantly reduce 'sleep' behavior for several weeks during the postpartum period or during seasonal migrations without incurring any 'sleep debt.'"

They go on to say that some marine animals, reptiles, fish, and insects do not appear to enter REM sleep.

Because sleep is more than just a lack of consciousness, but a rhythmic cycle of distinct neural patterns, determining whether an animal sleeps or rests can be difficult.

"Fewer than 50 of the nearly 60,000 vertebrate species have been tested for all of the sleep criteria," the authors write. "Some of those do not meet the criteria for sleep at any time in their lives, while others appear to be able to drastically reduce or go without sleep for extended periods of time."

5. More sleep is always better

Although many people struggle to get enough sleep to feel refreshed, some people routinely sleep longer than their bodies require. One might believe that this would endow these people with superpowers.

Longer sleep durations, however, are linked to poorer health, according to researchers. For example, one study that followed 276 adults for 6 years came to the following conclusion:

"The risk of developing obesity was increased by 27% and 21%, respectively, for short and long duration sleepers when compared to average-duration sleepers."

This finding held true even after the researchers adjusted the analysis for age, gender, and baseline BMI. According to some researchers, sleep duration may have an effect on mortality.

6. Sleep deprivation is potentially fatal.

There is no record of anyone dying as a result of sleep deprivation. In theory, it is possible, but scientists believe it is unlikely.

However, it is understandable why this myth has persisted. As many people can attest, sleep deprivation can be excruciating. However, Randy Gardner's case shows that severe sleep deprivation is not fatal.

Gardner took part in a sleep deprivation experiment when he was only 16 years old, in 1965. He was awake for 11 days and 24 minutes, a total of 264.4 hours.

During this time, he was closely monitored by his classmates and sleep scientists. Sleep deprivation symptoms worsened over time, but he survived. So, what is the source of this myth's persistence?

The belief that sleep deprivation can kill may have its origins in a study conducted in the 1980s. Rechtschaffen and colleagues discovered that depriving rats of sleep using a specific experimental method caused them to die after 2-3 weeks.

Despite the fatalities in Rechtschaffen's experiments, subsequent research revealed that this is not the norm. Rats that are deprived of sleep using various methods do not die. Researchers who used the disc method on pigeons discovered that it was not fatal to these birds.

Humans, on the other hand, suffer from sleep deprivation. Gardner's parents were concerned about him in 1965. Lieutenant Commander John J. Ross of the United States Navy's Medical Neuropsychiatric Research Unit in San Diego was assigned to observe him. He describes a gradual decline in function.

Gardner, for example, found it more difficult to focus his eyes by day two. By the fourth day, he was unable to concentrate and had become irritable and uncooperative. He also reported his first hallucination and delusion of grandeur on day four.

Gardner's speech slowed on day six, and by day seven, he was slurring as his memory deteriorated. Day 10 brought on paranoia, and by day 11 his facial expressions and tone of voice had become expressionless. His attention span and memory span were both significantly reduced.

He did not, however, die and appears to have had no long-term health issues.

Another reason for the persistence of the myth that sleep deprivation can be fatal is a condition known as fatal familial insomnia. People who have this rare genetic disorder have trouble sleeping. However, when people with this disease die, it is due to neurodegeneration rather than a lack of sleep.

Although sleep deprivation is unlikely to kill you, it is worth noting that being overtired increases the risk of an accident. "Drowsy driving kills — it claimed 795 lives in 2017," according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Similarly, according to a 2013 review, "approximately 13% of work injuries could be attributed to sleep problems." As a result, while sleep deprivation is not directly fatal, it can have fatal consequences.

Furthermore, consistently depriving our bodies of sleep for months or years increases the risk of developing several conditions, including cardiovascular disease, hypertension, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and some forms of cancer.

The bottom line.

Overall, we should try to get 7-9 hours of sleep each night. It may appear simple, but in our neon-lit, bustling, and noisy world, it is more difficult than we would like. All we can do is continue to make an effort to give sleep the space it requires.

agingbodyfact or fictionfitnesshealthlifestylelongevity magazinewellness
Like

About the Creator

Willie Wun

I am a senior who is very keen on health and longevity issues and would like to share such knowledge with whoever is interested in these areas. Please SUBSCRIBE if you find the information useful and I can be motivated to share them daily

Reader insights

Be the first to share your insights about this piece.

How does it work?

Add your insights

Comments

There are no comments for this story

Be the first to respond and start the conversation.

Sign in to comment

    Find us on social media

    Miscellaneous links

    • Explore
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Use
    • Support

    © 2024 Creatd, Inc. All Rights Reserved.