There are a lot of myths about how many hours of sleep is perfect or if snoring is healthy or bad for you. A team of researchers got together to study the most common myths about sleep. They looked through more than 8,000 websites and narrowed down 20 most common assumptions. They also checked if these myths actually pose as a health hazard.
“Sleep is a vital part of life that affects our productivity, mood, and general health and well-being. Dispelling myths about sleep promotes healthier sleep habits which, in turn, promote overall better health,” said Rebecca Robbins, lead researcher of the study published in the Journal of Sleep Health.
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The myth that five hours of sleep is enough was the first one to be dispelled by the researchers and they suggested that this could actually lead to a deficit in sleep in the long term. Robbins and her colleagues suggest creating a consistent sleep schedule and spending more time, at least seven hours, asleep instead of breaking it down to shorter naps and getting lesser sleep.
Another common myth relates to snoring. The researchers suggest that loud snoring should not be dismissed as it can be a sign of sleep apnea. This sleep behaviour may lead to extreme heart ailments and other issues.
The study also finds out that the intake of alcohol before sleeping is actually unhealthy and can result in broken sleep, unlike popular belief. According to experts, alcohol reduces the body’s ability to achieve deep sleep, which people need to function properly.
The researchers believe that some pointers about a healthy sleep may be true like sleeping in on weekends tends to disrupt the natural rhythm of the body. People who work in shifts tend to get fewer hours and results in a disrupted sleeping pattern.