Okay lazy bum, stop whining that you haven’t got your much needed 8 hours of shut-eye – turns out that researchers have actually debunked the myth that you really need it!
In a study done in Scripps Clinic Sleep Centre, California, that recorded sleep patterns of 1 million adults, it was revealed that those who clocked eight or above hours of sleep actually die younger. The same findings applied for those who slept less than 6.5 hours a night. The study states that illnesses like depression and heart disease are attributed to both too much and too little sleep.
What then is the ideal amount of sleep?
Researchers through the study have found out that sleep that lasts between 6.5 and 7.5 hours is best. Although the study showed that sleeping at least eight hours might reduce your life expectancy, the cause and effect are still unclear.
Dr. Michael Breus, sleep specialist and author of “The Power of When,” tells the INSIDER, “I’ve been a 6.5 hour sleeper almost my entire life,” Breus says. “But my wife needs 8.5. Everybody is different.”
The daily adds, “As a general reference, most people go through five 90-minute sleep cycles per night, Breus says. That’s why the average person needs 7.5 hours of sleep. Five cycles of 90 minutes each work out to be 450 minutes in total, which is the equivalent of 7.5 hours. However, some people’s cycles are longer or shorter.”
The study also revealed that insomniacs often fuel their insomnia as they lie in bed worried about clocking in the “required” eight hours of sleep. These findings hopefully help them rid their worry and fear of sleeping.
Also read: 10 sleeping positions that tell the state of your marriage