REMIND that you didn’t sleep well last night and you’ll be bombarded with advice, whether you asked for it or not.
People will say, “Did you stay up too late? Did you snack before bed? Maybe your bedroom is too hot, too cold, or too bright.
“Maybe you need to invest in a new blanket, a thicker eye mask, a fancy white noise machine?”
They’ll blame your phone on your pillow, or the fact that you didn’t take the right supplement in the morning, and they’ll say that you may need to rethink your diet as well.
However, this is tricky when everyone’s “ideal” night’s sleep is different, and what helps us fall asleep varies from person to person.
But there are some universal “rules of sleep” that many of us live by.
Here we separate the truth about sleep from the myth about slumber…
1. Going to bed early is always good.
MYTH: Obviously not. According to James Wilson, sleep specialist and co-founder of Beingwell, “For most people, going to bed early will make things worse, because if you’re not a morning person, but only 10% of us, you won’t benefit from going to bed earlier.”
He believes that for many of us, 10 pm is too early for sleep.
“Any time you spend in bed and stay awake is dangerous because it can lead to even more stress.
“The more stressed we are, the less likely we are to fall asleep.”
2. You don’t need eight hours of sleep every night.
TRUTH: It is touted as the holy grail of sleep—a full eight hours in the land of the nod.
But in fact, eight hours is a luxury that most of us don’t have.
But don’t feel bad about it - you may not need eight hours.
“Not everyone needs eight hours of sleep, and it’s only quantity that counts, not quality,” says James.
The NHS says it takes six to nine hours for most adults, and James says the best indicator that you’re full is whether you feel tired or awake when it comes to mid or late morning.
So ask yourself, “Did I get enough sleep to feel alert and active at 10 or 11 am?”
3. Watching TV helps you unwind before bed.
MYTH: Like your phone, TVs emit blue light, which can delay your body’s production of the sleep hormone melatonin.
So while watching TV before bed may seem like a relaxing option, you can actually increase your stress levels unintentionally.
Dr. Rebecca Robbins, an epidemiologist at New York University School of Medicine (NYU), says, “Often if we watch TV, it’s the late night news… that’s what makes you sleepless or stressed right before bed when we sleep.” trying to switch off and relax.”
4. You can take a nap in the afternoon if you are tired
MUT: Daytime naps can help you get through the day after a bad night, but it can also reduce the “sleep pressure” you need to sleep that builds up during the day.
Sleep can reduce this need. “It makes it less likely that you will fall asleep at night,” says James.
“A lot of people think naps work, even though they can make things worse.”
5. Drinking alcohol can ruin your sleep.
TRUTH: A nightcap is a great idea, but unfortunately, alcohol reduces the body’s ability to get the deep sleep that humans need to function properly.
Dr. Robbins says, “It may help you sleep, but it drastically reduces the quality of your night’s rest.”
6. You can sleep off on the weekend
MYTH: Sorry, but lying can also make matters worse.
Switching from 7am Monday through Friday to staying in bed until 10am Saturday and Sunday can reduce sleep pressure.
“By the time it’s Sunday night, that little mismatch can lead to people having a social jet lag syndrome where the body is a little confused,” says James.
“It interferes with sleep on Sunday nights.” Leaving you completely drunk on a Monday morning.
7. A weighted blanket will solve all your problems.
MYTH: Weighted blankets are all the rage right now. Many people swear that heaviness helps them feel calm and fall asleep easier.
However, James says: “If you like to wrap yourself in a heavy duvet, these are perfect.
“But if you’re one of those people who pulls all the sheets out of bed when you arrive at a hotel, then a weighted blanket is your worst nightmare and you’ll sleep worse.”
8. It is not recommended to sleep less than five hours.
TRUTH: There are people who claim that they never sleep more than three hours, and yet they are full-fledged people.
Don’t believe it, says Dr. Robbins: “We have ample evidence that five hours of sleep or less significantly increases the risk of adverse health effects.”
These include heart attack and stroke, as well as reduced life expectancy.
9. Snoring is completely harmless.
MYTH: Snoring is absolutely annoying for anyone in bed next to you, but it can also be a sign of sleep apnea, a potentially serious sleep disorder in which breathing starts and stops at night.
It has been linked to cardiac arrest, obesity and high blood pressure.
10. Pressing the snooze button won’t help you wink a few more times.
TRUTH: We all want to do this, but resist, says Dr. Robbins, and don’t intentionally set your alarm early so you can hit the snooze button.
“Realize that you will be a little sleepy - like the rest of us - but resist the temptation to take a nap.
“Your body will go back to sleep, but it will be very light and low-quality sleep,” she says.