I still remember that hectic week crammed with endless tasks and tight deadlines, and less time for sleep. I thought it would be my most productive week after which I would be able to recharge and restore rest by sleep that I traded for work. Unfortunately, I was completely wrong; almost everything during that week gave me a pushback that made me realize how foolish I was to marginalize the unmatched benefits and role of sleeping well.
By searching for why all of this had happened, I came across some of the most common misconceptions and myths about sleep, and the facts that debunk them.
Myth 1: Everyone needs a cycle of eight hours of sleep per night
It may vary from one person to another; some people need only six hours of sleep and still function well without drowsiness, while others need ten hours to reach their peak in productivity and perform well. The most important factor to be highlighted here is what regulates sleep to be able to know what works best for us.
First, it is the circadian clock, which is influenced by light and dark. As our biological system is unique, there might be slight differences from one person to another. Every small variation can affect sleep–wake cycles; therefore, how much sleep our bodies need is estimated.
The other factor is the homeostatic sleep drive, which also by nature differs from one person to another, and grows the longer you have been awake; the thing that causes sleep pressure and pushes you to try to get some sleep.
Myth 2: Sleep deprivation can be refunded
A simple example for that is when you skip getting enough sleep one night, thinking that you would simply compensate for this the following night or during the weekend. The fact is that one night of sleeplessness cannot really be compensated for.
Scientists indicate that, when you do not get adequate sleep for several nights in a row, it may cause health problems; such as high blood pressure, mood swings, and decreased productivity. Furthermore, if you try to refund less hours of sleep during the week by sleeping extra hours during the weekend, this does not completely restore your cognitive function. This means that sleep can take its toll if you do not consider its role in your daily life seriously.
Myth 3: As we grow older, sleep needs decline
Well, although this may seem correct, it does not work this way. By growing older, the pattern and need for sleep changes, as it has already changed before during infancy, childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. What happens is not that our need for sleep lessens; what happens is that some sleep issues take the stage.
As we grow older, some common sleep problems, such as insomnia and sleep apnea, surface. Therefore, older people may experience trouble falling asleep, difficulty staying asleep, and the quality of sleep declines. All of this happens as a result of changes in the circadian rhythms, which gradually weaken by aging. As older people get less sleep at night because of sleep problems, they tend to sleep more during the day. This means that their needs do not decline; just that the pattern of their sleep changes.
Myth 4: Falling asleep anytime, anywhere, indicates a healthy pattern of sleep
Actually, it is the opposite; getting micro-sleep or mini-sleep episodes are signs of body exhaustion that tries whenever possible to restore the rest that was neglected the other times of not sleeping well.
The scientific explanation for falling into micro-/mini-sleep is that it happens because of the accumulation of adenosine; a chemical that gets reduced when you sleep well, and its level gets high while not getting enough sleep, which causes sleep load.
Myth 5: Staying in bed with eyes shut forces sleep to come
If you cannot sleep and you still stay in bed, you would associate bed with insomnia, which counterworks falling asleep. Sleep experts suggest that fifteen minutes to fall asleep is a healthy period for people to fall asleep; if it takes you longer than that, you should get out of bed and do something mindless with keeping the environment ready for sleeping—low lights and sounds that help you stay in the mood for sleep.
Myth 6: Snoring is forever harmless
In fact, snoring can be in some cases a strong indicator of sleep apnea; a life-threatening sleep disorder, which means it should not be considered a trifle. This case of sleep apnea is characterized by pauses in breathing, preventing air from flowing into or out of the sleeper’s airways, which results in waking frequently at night to catch a breath. This breathing pause can strain the heart and cardiovascular system by reducing blood oxygen levels; therefore, snoring is directly linked to hypertension.
Myth 7: Insomnia can be briefed in difficulty falling asleep
Difficulty falling asleep is only one indicator of others that characterize insomnia. Frequent awakening, waking up too early with the inability to fall back asleep, and waking up feeling unrefreshed are common characteristics as well. Also, insomnia is not only a sign of sleeping disorder, it may be a symptom of other medical or psychological, or psychiatric problems as well, and can be treated.
Myth 8: Brain suspends its functions during sleep
Although the body rests, the brain remains active during sleep controlling other functions, such as breathing; it also gets recharged during this period. The sleep cycle has four stages, ranging from drowsiness to deep sleep, during which the most positive and restoring effects take place, which means that the brain stays awake and working while other organs rest.
Who pays the debt?
In a nutshell, not all debts can be paid easily, especially when it is linked directly to our physical and mental health. It is better to listen to scientific facts and dismiss myths, which we may belittle its effect at the current time, even though it would have real harmful effects on us in the long-run.
References
edition.cnn.com
psychologytoday.com
sleepfoundation.org/facts
sleepfoundation.org/myths
Cover image by Freepik