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Do You Really Need 8 Hours of Sleep?

Is it really harmful to get less than the recommended eight hours of sleep a night? Our Healthy Skeptic investigates

VIDEO TRANSCRIPT

It’s time-honored advice that we should sleep 8 hours a night. But do we all really need that, and what happens if we don’t get it? The answers ahead, on this episode of The Healthy Skeptic.

Routinely sleeping less than 7 hours a night leads to reduced attention, concentration and memory in most people, according to research.

One result is an increased risk of car accidents.
But individuals vary widely in how they’re affected… and how much.

Getting 6 hours of sleep, for example, can have a severe impact on some people… and barely make a difference in others.

Though you may think you fall in the second category, it can be hard to judge accurately for yourself.
Studies among sleep-deprived people show that they often overestimate their alertness on tasks like driving.

As for the effects on our health, studies overall have linked less than 6 hours a night with an increased risk of heart disease, strokes, diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, and premature death.

Interestingly, getting lots of zz’s… meaning 9 or more hours every night … is also associated with these risks.
But it’s unclear whether sleeping that much is the cause of health problems… or just the result.

There’s no evidence that sleeping in on weekends is harmful… and it may help make up for lost sleep during the week. But not entirely.

Your best bet is to consistently get 7 or 8 hours a night. If that sounds like a challenge, try putting away your cell phone and other electronic devices well before bedtime. That way, you won’t be tempted to stay up late watching videos or scrolling through social media. It could help make that dream of more sleep… a reality.

Helping you be a Healthy Skeptic, I’m Robert Davis.


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