Sleeping: myth or truth?
We have already discussed the importance of sleep for the human body here. Today we would like to find out if there is any truth in a bunch of myths related to the topic of sleep.
🔻 5 hours of sleep is enough. The rest of time is better to devote to work, this will increase productivity and help to achieve success
This is not just a myth, but even a dangerous lie. We advise reading once again here, how long it is better to sleep, what happens at this time and what will happen if you do not get enough sleep.
🔻 There are “larks” and “owls”
This is true. Although, what is our usual idea of "larks" and "owls"? "Larks" are early birds, who get up early and go to bed early too. "Owls" are people who sleep until noon. But things are not like that. The point is in the individual characteristics of the daily rhythms.
Of course, if the "owl", for example, needs to get up for work at 7 am, the "owl" will do that. But the body will not be able to fully wake up at this time. Most likely, the body will "dull" a little, as the peak time for "owl’s" brain activity is in the late afternoon. And no matter how hard you try, you cannot make a “lark” out of the “owl”, since belonging to a certain chronotype is determined at the genetic level and depends on the secretion of melatonin and cortisol hormones. For example, “larks” have higher levels of cortisol than owls when waking up, and due to this, they get out of bed earlier and already begin to do something. But for the "owls" the situation is different: their melatonin begins to produce later, closer to midnight, so morning cortisol is produced later too.
But these are not the only chronotypes that exist. According to the latest data, there are already more than seven of them.
🔻 Teenagers need more sleep
This is also true. In adolescence, the body actively grows and develops, learns, and new neural connections are constantly formed in the brain, so an enormous amount of energy is expended. Because of that teens need more sleep, both to recuperate and to complete neural maturation.
🔻 If you put the book under the pillow, then new information better soaks into your mind
Well, this is not how it works, but the brain is capable of learning while sleeping. During REM sleep, the brain is actively working: processing memories, creating associations, making decisions and assimilating new material.
However, such training is ineffective. At least, because the REM sleep phase is short - it lasts only 10-20 minutes. In a study by Thomas Andrillton and his colleagues at the Pierre and Marie Curie Institute in Paris, it was found that by listening to an audio recording in a dream, people could more quickly recognize and repeat the combination of sounds. So far, this is a scientifically known maximum.
🔻 Health problems are not related to the lack of sleep
They are interlocking! We will not stop saying that sleep and a sufficient amount of it is a very important condition for a healthy lifestyle. If the body does not get enough time for rest and recovery, all body systems begin to work worse, immunity decreases and various failures occur: from viral to autoimmune diseases.
🔻 Daytime sleepiness indicates that you have not got enough sleep at night
Not always. Often, daytime sleepiness, fatigue and lack of energy are signs of a deficiency of some important elements, such as iron or calcium, poor general health or just sleep disorders.
🔻 Sleeping pills can help cope with insomnia and other sleep disorders
It depends on what is meant by the word "cope" here. If we are talking about really solving the problem without harming the body, then rather no than yes. The fact is that sleeping under sleeping pills is unnatural. Sleeping pills do not change our internal biological clock in any way and deprive us of the stage of deep and REM sleep, thereby depriving us of full rest and recovery. Such sleep is caused by the activation of inhibitory processes in the brain. In addition, sleeping pills can cause addiction similar to alcohol one.
It is better to change your lifestyle, daily routine and especially what you are doing 3-4 hours before bedtime.
🔻 If you constantly do not get enough sleep, then sleeping for the future on the weekend is a situation
This, unfortunately, does not work either. Only fatigue accumulates. And what the lack of sleep will lead to can be once again read in detail here. So, by not getting enough sleep regularly, you are simply stealing your time, productivity and health. And the body will still take its toll.
🔻 Alcohol helps to fall asleep faster
Alcohol promotes falling asleep faster, but the quality of sleep suffers. Not to mention intoxication and some other negative consequences for the body.
We hope that we helped to sort out the confusion of various stereotypes on the topic of sleep and this information was useful to you. Take care of yourself, get enough sleep.