Most people feel that they aren’t getting enough sleep on a daily basis, but often feel that they don’t have the time to get as much sleep as they would like. Sleep loss is a serious concern that affects millions of Americans every year. Understanding truly how well your body is functioning, and what you can do to improve the sleep you do get is extremely important. Below you’ll find 5 common misconceptions about healthy sleeping patterns and what you can do to correct yours.
Myth 1: Drunk driving is the leading cause for auto accidents.
The Truth: While drunk driving is responsible for many of today’s accidents, it is not the leading cause of them. Sleep deprivation is felt by as many as half of all the drivers on the road and is responsible for over half a million accidents and almost 1,000 deaths a year. Amazingly, many of those drivers have actually fallen asleep while at the wheel.
Myth 2: Sleeping more than 8 hours a night can help you catch up on missed sleep.
The Truth: Unfortunately, you can’t just make up lost sleeping time by sleeping in one morning. Once you miss a few hours one night, they are gone. The best thing to do is re-evaluate your sleeping habits. You should try to let your body recover properly, by getting some extra sleep over multiple nights.
Myth 3: Anyone who sleeps more than 6 hours is wasting their time.
The Truth: A research study conducted by Boston University found that people who sleep less than 6 hours at night or more than 9 hours had an increased risk of developing diabetes. Those participants that slept only 7 to 8 hours at night had the lowest occurrence of diabetes.
Myth 4: My snoring is only bothering my wife; it’s not a real problem.
The Truth: Sleep apnea is one of the most dangerous types of sleep disorders a person can develop. It occurs when a person’s air way is temporarily blocked during sleep. The muscles surrounding the throat become so relaxed that the air way is shut off. While most people who have sleep apnea snore, it does not mean that everyone who snores has sleep apnea.
Myth 5: Having an alcoholic drink before bed will help you sleep better.
The Truth: While the alcohol may help you relax a bit so you can fall asleep faster, it won’t be a very long peaceful sleep. Alcohol has a tendency to work for only 3 or 4 hours, after that time period a person can become restless and uncomfortable. This can also lead to an addiction, once the amount of alcohol necessary to fall asleep increases.
In general most adults need somewhere between 7 to 8 hours of solid sleep a night. While everyone is different it is recommended that a person track how much sleep they got and how they feel in the morning to determine how much sleep they need.