Are You Sleep Deprived? What Number of Sleep Hours Is Optimum?
Posted: Saturday, December 03, 2011
by The Old Gray Mare
www.DressYourHorse.com
I came across a study by a senior researcher and author Jane Ferrie. She’s a Ph.D. at University College London Medical School.
Apparently, if you get adequate sleep every night, it does refresh you and give you necessary beauty rest. The research shows, however, that if you do not get sufficient sleep over a period of time, this lack of sleep is counterproductive to the brain – the lack of sleep actually ages the brain before the norm.
“Sleep regenerates neurons that enable the brain to function optimally,” says Jane Ferrie.
Some of the individuals also showed some cognitive decline. In these people, the study verified that depression, heart disease or illness was also stressful and resulted in advanced brain aging.
The question therefore is: What is the optimum number of hours required to establish a sound and healthy sleep pattern that will not adversely affect the brain?
According to this and other sleep studies, and even the studies involving illness, the consistent sleeping pattern of six to eight hours each night is the most beneficial.
This is a wake-up call for me. I’m not a many-hour sleeper, nor have I ever been a long sleeper. My normal sleep pattern has always been around 4 to 6 hours nightly. Any more hours than that and I’m actually tired throughout the day. I feel my best with the lesser hours. I also experience mild insomnia if I get too many hours of sleep at one time. Part of the problem is my metabolism, I’m sure. It’s always been go, go, go. My brain only wants to settle when it is ready to shut down for the night.
The thought occurs to me – what is right for one person may not be so perfect for me. Yet, this study has me wondering . . .
Guess I’m going to try a little change in the sleeping hours starting tonight. Instead of getting to bed at 1 a.m., I’ll call it a night at 12:30. If that works on The Old Gray Mare, then maybe we can try midnight soon. Might as well do my own sleep study for a few months.
To be continued sometime in 2012.
The Old Gray Mare writes for www.DressYourHorse.com and her blog sites.
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Top-level comments on this article: (3 total)Great article Heidi. If you get to bed at 1:00, what time do you get up?? My goodness, I am normally in bed by 7:30 to 8:00 and up by 3:30 to 4:00. Just about as close to 8 hours as one can get, I think. I've always done this as near as my work and other things would permit. I was raised on a farm where the clock mattered little, we just went to bed after dark and up by daylight.You're very kind. Thanks Joel. Appreciate the support. I can see why on a farm you'd head for the feather bed early because duty calls when the rooster crows. You work hard all day on the farm and then fall into a healthful sleep and establish good sleep habits that way. Smart man. You're doing it exactly right. Something is working terrifically well for you cause you're sharp as a tack. Not a thing wrong with your gray matter.
I read people need less sleep as they get older. Some people are early to bed in my family and get up after 8 hrs. I'm usually 6-7 hrs, but occasionally more. I stay up late a lot.They do say that us oldsters don't need as much sleep. Well, this chicadee needs sleep these days. I can sleep most anytime sitting in my "cloud" - that's my awesome recliner the kids got me last year. When my buttinski hits the cloud, I put the footrest up, cuddle with my teeny Pommies, and cover for coziness, I'm out then and there. Helps to have tv on cause it's even quicker then. Mind you, I don't have a lot of time to sleep, but of late I've been sitting down occasionally. Problem is I don't want to get up and do what needs doing then. As always, Elle, I appreciate your support more than you know. You are a real WS friend. Thanks always!
Heidi,
If you are really interested in sleeping and getting the most of it (Rest) Let me know. I have a written a Proven All Natural Sleep Remedies that thousands have attested to. It is not the amount of Sleep you get, but the amount of Rest You Get that countsThank you. You're mostly right
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