While we generally tend to understand that children need a lot of sleep and elders need less than any age group, sleep for humans in their adult years has been the focus of many studies and debate. We now know that getting less than 6 hours of sleep a night can culminate in health issues, but what about too much sleep?
Is 8 the magic number?
8 glasses of water a day. 8 hours of sleep a night. 8 is our go-to number for average hours of sleep adults should be getting each night, but many say they function better on 6-7, while some say they do better during the day on 9-10 hours of sleep. So which is better?
According to Dr. Basu on JustAnswer, like many other things in life, go with what works best for you. This is because we all have sleep cycles specific to our own internal rhythms, otherwise known as circadian rhythms.
Sleep occurs in 90-120 minute cycles and there can be 4-5 cycles in a typical night’s sleep. When you do the math that adds up to between 6-10 hours a night. Some people are on the lower end of the spectrum, while others are on the high end.
How do you know what’s right for you? It’s simple. Whatever amount of sleep makes you feel refreshed when you wake. For some people, 6 hours makes them groggy, while for others they wake ready to greet the day. Same goes for 9-10 hours of sleep. For some, that’s too much, while for others that’s just right.
Final verdict? False. More than 8 hours of sleep is not harmful for you.
Too little sleep is actually a growing health concern. If you suffer from insomnia or just have general trouble sleeping, talk with a doctor or neurologist on JustAnswer.
