How many hours of sleep do adults really need?

Myth #1: Everyone Needs Eight Hours of Sleep  

We hear this myth everywhere — “everyone needs to complete eight hours of sleep.” But the truth is, the number of hours of sleep you need will depend on your age and how your body performs on daily tasks.   

For healthy young adults and adults who get normal sleep, seven to nine hours of rest would suffice. The range will vary throughout their life, but note that this will not go below seven hours because you can develop sleep deprivation. Even when people think that there are sleep training methods that can help you get used to sleeping less, sadly, this is a myth.  

Myth #2: You Should Take Daytime Naps  

Generally, sleep experts recommend avoiding taking naps during the day to get a better night’s sleep. However, if someone missed out on sleep the night before, it’s best to repay them by getting some rest.   

A 20-minute nap is a good nap length to help you feel recharged and focused. If you take naps longer than that, you may tend to feel groggier and moodier. This is because you dive into a deep sleep, causing you to feel disoriented and lose focus.   

For some people, napping can lead to subjective and behavioral improvements. So, it’s worth trying to see if naps can help you go through your daily routine.   

Myth #3: Sleeping More is Always Better   

Even if some people don’t get the right amount of sleep they need, some regularly sleep longer than expected. Sadly, many think that getting more hours of sleep is healthy, but it can actually trigger health complications.   

Those who sleep longer have the risk of developing obesity as compared to average-duration sleepers. With that being said, if you notice that you’re getting an unhealthy amount of sleep, it’s best to learn different sleeping training methods that will help you regain healthy sleep durations.   

Myth #4: Sleep Deprivation Can Be Fatal  

Sure, sleep deprivation is incredibly unhealthy and could cause health complications; there is no record that any has died from sleep deprivation. In theory, it could be possible, but it’s improbable.  

Sleep deprivation is not fatal, however it can increase the risk of accidents which could potentially be fatal. Aside from that, sleep deprivation also triggers various health conditions like cardiovascular disease, obesity, hypertension, and more.   

Myth #5: Lost sleep can't be recovered 

It is a widespread notion: that lost sleep cannot be recovered. Instead, a recent study has shown that it is possible to compensate for poor weekday rest by spending more hours in bed on Saturdays and Sundays. The findings were published in the Journal of Sleep Research as the outcome of a 13-year study conducted by scientists at Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm on 38,015 adults. Over the study's 13 years, 3,234 of the subjects died. After statistical analysis, the researchers discovered that those under 65 who slept little on weekends had a 52 per cent greater mortality rate than those who napped for seven hours a day on weekends. However, if the same rate of under-five hours were followed seven days a week, the result would be a 65 per cent rate. This means that recovering lost sleep on weekends can be a way of improving your health, as well as your life span.  

The Bottom Line: Getting Enough Sleep Is Crucial To Maximize Its Benefits  

In general, you should aim to get at least seven to nine hours of sleep every night. However, setting an optimum number of hours is not necessary if you are still able to perform your daily tasks without any drawbacks. Although it’s easier said than done, learning sleep training methods that could help put your mind and body at ease to help you get better sleep is essential.