How Much Sleep Do We Need?

The post today will not be long, but really important. Why? Because once again I will touch on the topic of sleep. You have already read HERE and HERE about the aspects related to improving the quality of sleep, so you are no stranger to it. However, you often ask me how long our sleep should actually last. I decided to give you a specific answer. Enjoy. 🙂

According to research, adults should sleep 7-9 hours a day. However, the right amount of sleep changes throughout our lives. One of the main factors indicating the optimal length of sleep for you is your age. According to the latest analyses by the National Sleep Foundation, the correct amount of sleep in different age groups is as follows:

• newborns: 14-17 hours of sleep;
• infants: 12-15 hours;
• toddlers: 11-14 hours;
• preschoolers: 10–13 hours;
• school children: 9-11 hours;
• teenagers: 8-10 hours;
• adults: 7-9 hours;
• older people: 7-8 hours.

It is therefore important that the length of sleep is appropriately adjusted to your age. When the length of sleep significantly differs from the ranges presented above, it may indicate signs of serious health problems. If abnormal sleeping time is the result of your conscious decision, remember that it can threaten your health and well-being.

 

The Consequences of Lack or Excess of sleep

Both prolonged and too short sleep can lead, among others, to metabolic disorders and contribute to the development of obesity through changes in the concentration of appetite-regulating hormones (ghrelin and leptin). Research indicates that short sleep can lead to an increased intake of kilocalories by increasing the appetite for high-energy foods, especially high-carbohydrate foods. In the diet of women who slept too short in relation to their age norm, there is a greater consumption of products rich in simple carbohydrates and high-fat products.

In addition, lack of sleep can affect blood pressure problems, problems with concentration and memory. The lack of proper regeneration also significantly affects the decrease in immunity.
Sleeping too long can also have adverse consequences. Hypersomia is a disorder of sleeping for too long or being excessively sleepy during the day. Staying in a lying position for too long and limiting physical activity can lead, among others, to the development of such complications as: excess weight and obesity, heart disease, diabetes, migraine headaches, concentration disorders, depression, but also problems with the spine.

Do you sleep long enough and still feel tired all the time? This can signal various health problems, so in such a situation it is worth carrying out a thorough diagnosis, including in the direction of carbohydrate metabolism disorders, hypothyroidism or kidney diseases.

 

Is Napping during the Day a Good Idea??

It is, but it can’t be too long. Scientific research shows that short sleep during the day, up to 20 minutes, can have a beneficial effect on our performance, ability to regenerate, learn, and on physical activity. The right time of day is also important so as not to disrupt our sleep schedule. Remember that longer naps can significantly disturb the circadian rhythm and the process of falling asleep at night. In the case of children, sleeping several times a day will be associated with an overall higher need for sleep. In the elderly, short naps are usually a consequence of insomnia and problems falling asleep at night.

 

Summary

When it comes to slumber, it is important to strike a happy medium. The optimal length of sleep is an individual matter, which is determined by age, so it will change at different stages of life. Sleep well 🙂

 

Bibliography:

1. Grandner MA i wsp. Relationship between sleep duration and body mass index depends on age. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2015; 23(12): 2491–2498.
2. Hirshkowitz M i wsp. National Sleep Foundation’s sleep time duration recommendations: methodology and results summary. Journal of the National Sleep Foundation. 2015; 40-43.
3. National Sleep Foundation Recommends New Sleep Times https://www.sleepfoundation.org/press-release/national-sleep-foundation-recommends-new-sleep-times
4. Theorell-Haglöw J i wsp. Sleep duration is associated with healthy diet scores and meal patterns: results from the population-based EpiHealth study. J Clin Sleep Med. 2020; 16(1): 9–18.