The Top 5 Myths About Sleep

Some people are quick to suggest that sleeping for eight or nine hours is ideal. Others point to studies showing that people with six hours of sleep have longer lives. Although many of these numbers point to trends among large populations, the truth is that the right amount of sleep varies a lot from person to person. Sometimes the right amount of sleep can even vary for the same person on different days. As long as you feel rested when you wake up, don't worry about how many hours you're getting.

Although most people are simply not getting enough sleep, it is possible to get too much sleep. In fact, many diseases are linked to excessive amounts of sleep. Although it is difficult to determine when sleeping too much is a cause of or an effect of illness, unhealthy sleep patterns should be discussed with your doctor.

It is true that some people function better on low amounts of sleep than others. However, their bodies are still taking a toll. Research has shown that although some people can remain productive while tired, their bodies are still feeling the effects of sleep deprivation. They are simply not mentally aware of how tired their bodies are.

Many people become alarmed when they wake up in the middle of the night and cannot fall back asleep. Others try to avoid napping so they can be as tired as possible before they go to bed. As it turns out, some people might naturally have sleep patterns on a cycle that is shorter than 24 hours. If your sleep patterns are not interfering with your ability to work or function, do not worry about them.

It is very common for people to get too little sleep during the week, then sleep in on the weekends. Although they intend to make up for lost sleep, they usually wind up going to bed later on these days. Going to bed late on the weekends leads to the cycle of sleep deprivation that continues into the week. Consistency is the best way to maintain healthy sleep habits.