03:19:49 pm 07/20/2023
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They have been telling us we need more sleep, that sleep is important to health and it's all not true!!
The impact of our modern, interconnected lives on our sleep has been a topic of concern. Studies have suggested that compared to previous generations, we are getting less and less sleep each year. This lack of sleep has been associated with an increased risk of chronic diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, depression, obesity, cancer, higher mortality rates, and a decline in quality of life and productivity.
However, recent findings challenge this notion and indicate that the claim may not be entirely accurate. Historically, the significance of sleep for overall health was overlooked by doctors and scientists, and it is only in recent decades that we have begun to understand its importance. Consequently, comprehensive data on the actual amount of sleep people get has not been systematically gathered until now.
Researchers have started analyzing the limited data available to gain a broader understanding of sleep patterns. Surprisingly, these studies suggest that our sleep duration has not decreased over time. The precise measurement of sleep duration is crucial because sleep plays a pivotal role in various aspects of our health, including mental acuity and immune function.
In the 1980s, researchers conducted studies to explore the effects of sleep deprivation on health. An alarming discovery was made in a 1989 study, which revealed that rats deprived of sleep died within a matter of weeks.
By examining the impact of sleep deprivation on humans, experts have determined that the average adult requires seven to nine hours of sleep. When we consistently sleep less than seven hours, our memory and cognitive functions may suffer, although there is a small fraction of individuals who can function effectively on less sleep.
According to a survey conducted by the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) between 2005 and 2007, over 30% of adults slept less than six hours per night. Similar findings were observed in surveys conducted by the National Sleep Foundation in 2009, which showed that over 20% of individuals slept less than six hours, compared to only 12% in 1998. The CDC labeled insufficient sleep as a public health epidemic, coinciding with an increase in prescriptions for sleeping aids and pills, with the number of adults using these medications tripling in the last decade.
However, a 2010 analysis published in the journal Sleep, utilizing data from different surveys conducted between 1975 and 2006, presented contrasting results. The analysis indicated that the proportion of short-sleepers (those sleeping less than six hours) had not significantly changed in the last 30 years and was only 9.3% in 2006.
The reason for this discrepancy may lie in the different questions asked in the surveys. For instance, the CDC survey asked participants, "On average, how many hours of sleep do you get in a day?" Answers to such questions can be influenced by conscious and unconscious biases, leading to inaccurate responses. Sleeping less has become associated with productivity, and some individuals may consider it fashionable to claim they sleep less. Moreover, studies have shown that people tend to underestimate their actual sleep duration, particularly those suffering from insomnia.
A more effective approach involves examining how people spend their typical day and deducing the total time they spend sleeping, as demonstrated in the study by Kristen Knutson from the University of Chicago. Knutson's analysis utilized data from the American Time Use Survey (ATUS), which involved over 150,000 participants. It is worth noting that both the CDC and ATUS data only encompass individuals in the United States, and if there were a cultural shift in sleep patterns, it would likely be reflected in other countries across the Western world as well.
A 2012 systematic review published in Sleep Medicine Reviews analyzed 12 studies from 15 countries, covering the period between 1960 and 2000. The review demonstrated that total sleep duration had not changed significantly across these countries during that time. In seven countries, sleep times increased by less than an hour per night, while in five countries, they decreased by less than 30 minutes per night. Two countries showed no change in sleep duration.
To address the conflicting results, Shawn Youngstedt, a sleep researcher at Arizona State University, conducted a systematic review published in Sleep Medicine Reviews. The review incorporated 168 studies with objective data gathered between 1960 and 2013, involving more than 6,000 participants from 15 countries. Although a smaller dataset compared to self-reported surveys, these studies also indicated that the total sleep time had not significantly changed over the years. Most individuals still slept between seven and nine hours, and the proportion of those sleeping less than six hours had not increased in the last 50 years.
Nevertheless, the CDC maintains that poor sleep remains a public health epidemic, attributing the differences in studies to various factors such as the different surveys used, varying definitions of short sleep, and diverse statistical analyses conducted.
Shawn Youngstedt highlighted that calling something an epidemic requires an extraordinary amount of supporting data, which seems to be lacking in this case. However, the widespread concern about a poor sleep "epidemic" is likely fueled by social trends. In our fast-paced society, sleep is often viewed as a leisure activity, and the perception of having less free time for rest creates anxiety. Additionally, the success stories of famous individuals who thrive on little sleep, like Margaret Thatcher and Marissa Mayer, further contribute to the myth.
Some people speculate that we must be sleeping less than our ancestors who did not have access to electricity. While the invention of the light bulb did impact our sleep patterns, it did not significantly alter the total amount of sleep we need. In the past, segmented sleep patterns were common, where people would sleep for four hours, wake up for a short period, and then sleep for another four hours.
For a long time, sleep was not considered a critical aspect of human health, leading to a scarcity of well-designed studies in the past. Consequently, it may be challenging to determine precisely how much sleep people obtained in earlier times.
It is important to note that the results of these studies may not apply uniformly to all groups of sleepers. For example, research suggests that black Americans may experience more sleep difficulties compared to white Americans, potentially contributing to the health disparities between racial groups. Furthermore, the studies mainly focused on healthy sleepers and did not explore the relationship between poor sleep and the increased risk of diseases such as diabetes and obesity, or whether individuals at risk of these diseases experience sleep disturbances.
While it appears that most of us are sleeping an adequate amount, scientists are continuing to delve into the essential role sleep plays in maintaining good health. The field of sleep research is advancing, and the increasing use of wearable devices for sleep monitoring promises to provide further insights. Until we have a more comprehensive understanding, there is little reason to lose sleep over concerns about insufficient sleep.
#article #sciencelies #nottrue
The impact of our modern, interconnected lives on our sleep has been a topic of concern. Studies have suggested that compared to previous generations, we are getting less and less sleep each year. This lack of sleep has been associated with an increased risk of chronic diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, depression, obesity, cancer, higher mortality rates, and a decline in quality of life and productivity.
However, recent findings challenge this notion and indicate that the claim may not be entirely accurate. Historically, the significance of sleep for overall health was overlooked by doctors and scientists, and it is only in recent decades that we have begun to understand its importance. Consequently, comprehensive data on the actual amount of sleep people get has not been systematically gathered until now.
Researchers have started analyzing the limited data available to gain a broader understanding of sleep patterns. Surprisingly, these studies suggest that our sleep duration has not decreased over time. The precise measurement of sleep duration is crucial because sleep plays a pivotal role in various aspects of our health, including mental acuity and immune function.
In the 1980s, researchers conducted studies to explore the effects of sleep deprivation on health. An alarming discovery was made in a 1989 study, which revealed that rats deprived of sleep died within a matter of weeks.
By examining the impact of sleep deprivation on humans, experts have determined that the average adult requires seven to nine hours of sleep. When we consistently sleep less than seven hours, our memory and cognitive functions may suffer, although there is a small fraction of individuals who can function effectively on less sleep.
According to a survey conducted by the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) between 2005 and 2007, over 30% of adults slept less than six hours per night. Similar findings were observed in surveys conducted by the National Sleep Foundation in 2009, which showed that over 20% of individuals slept less than six hours, compared to only 12% in 1998. The CDC labeled insufficient sleep as a public health epidemic, coinciding with an increase in prescriptions for sleeping aids and pills, with the number of adults using these medications tripling in the last decade.
However, a 2010 analysis published in the journal Sleep, utilizing data from different surveys conducted between 1975 and 2006, presented contrasting results. The analysis indicated that the proportion of short-sleepers (those sleeping less than six hours) had not significantly changed in the last 30 years and was only 9.3% in 2006.
The reason for this discrepancy may lie in the different questions asked in the surveys. For instance, the CDC survey asked participants, "On average, how many hours of sleep do you get in a day?" Answers to such questions can be influenced by conscious and unconscious biases, leading to inaccurate responses. Sleeping less has become associated with productivity, and some individuals may consider it fashionable to claim they sleep less. Moreover, studies have shown that people tend to underestimate their actual sleep duration, particularly those suffering from insomnia.
A more effective approach involves examining how people spend their typical day and deducing the total time they spend sleeping, as demonstrated in the study by Kristen Knutson from the University of Chicago. Knutson's analysis utilized data from the American Time Use Survey (ATUS), which involved over 150,000 participants. It is worth noting that both the CDC and ATUS data only encompass individuals in the United States, and if there were a cultural shift in sleep patterns, it would likely be reflected in other countries across the Western world as well.
A 2012 systematic review published in Sleep Medicine Reviews analyzed 12 studies from 15 countries, covering the period between 1960 and 2000. The review demonstrated that total sleep duration had not changed significantly across these countries during that time. In seven countries, sleep times increased by less than an hour per night, while in five countries, they decreased by less than 30 minutes per night. Two countries showed no change in sleep duration.
To address the conflicting results, Shawn Youngstedt, a sleep researcher at Arizona State University, conducted a systematic review published in Sleep Medicine Reviews. The review incorporated 168 studies with objective data gathered between 1960 and 2013, involving more than 6,000 participants from 15 countries. Although a smaller dataset compared to self-reported surveys, these studies also indicated that the total sleep time had not significantly changed over the years. Most individuals still slept between seven and nine hours, and the proportion of those sleeping less than six hours had not increased in the last 50 years.
Nevertheless, the CDC maintains that poor sleep remains a public health epidemic, attributing the differences in studies to various factors such as the different surveys used, varying definitions of short sleep, and diverse statistical analyses conducted.
Shawn Youngstedt highlighted that calling something an epidemic requires an extraordinary amount of supporting data, which seems to be lacking in this case. However, the widespread concern about a poor sleep "epidemic" is likely fueled by social trends. In our fast-paced society, sleep is often viewed as a leisure activity, and the perception of having less free time for rest creates anxiety. Additionally, the success stories of famous individuals who thrive on little sleep, like Margaret Thatcher and Marissa Mayer, further contribute to the myth.
Some people speculate that we must be sleeping less than our ancestors who did not have access to electricity. While the invention of the light bulb did impact our sleep patterns, it did not significantly alter the total amount of sleep we need. In the past, segmented sleep patterns were common, where people would sleep for four hours, wake up for a short period, and then sleep for another four hours.
For a long time, sleep was not considered a critical aspect of human health, leading to a scarcity of well-designed studies in the past. Consequently, it may be challenging to determine precisely how much sleep people obtained in earlier times.
It is important to note that the results of these studies may not apply uniformly to all groups of sleepers. For example, research suggests that black Americans may experience more sleep difficulties compared to white Americans, potentially contributing to the health disparities between racial groups. Furthermore, the studies mainly focused on healthy sleepers and did not explore the relationship between poor sleep and the increased risk of diseases such as diabetes and obesity, or whether individuals at risk of these diseases experience sleep disturbances.
While it appears that most of us are sleeping an adequate amount, scientists are continuing to delve into the essential role sleep plays in maintaining good health. The field of sleep research is advancing, and the increasing use of wearable devices for sleep monitoring promises to provide further insights. Until we have a more comprehensive understanding, there is little reason to lose sleep over concerns about insufficient sleep.
#article #sciencelies #nottrue
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