How Much Sleep Do We Really Need?
Written By Devika Chauhan
Twas the night before the chemistry final and all through the house. Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse. The sky has gone all dark and you can hear the occasional revving of the sports car across the street. While you’re the only one awake, studying, light illuminating your room, at precisely 2:43 a.m.
As students, surely I’m not the only one adopting a nocturnal persona before my exams. Countless times throughout the semester I have voyaged to bed at 3:00 a.m. and woken up at 6:00 a.m., in order to get to school. Running my entire day on a mere 3 hours of sleep. But why is it that I can get 3 hours of sleep on a weekday and get 10 hours of sleep on the weekend and still feel equally as tired? Do we really need 8 hours of sleep to feel energized and meet our body’s requirements? Keep reading to unveil the truth behind your sleep.
Many experts bring up this theory about sleep debt, which basically states that if you haven't had sufficient sleep it will “add up”. This will result in your body demanding itself to “pay back your debt”, by restoring that lost sleep. Now if I thought about all the times I’ve lost sleep, I’d be drowning in sleep debt!
Additionally, it has also been analyzed that 17 hours or longer of sleep loss is similar to a blood alcohol content of 0.05%. Which is why most sleep deprived individuals show signs of the same imbalance, drowsiness, and lack of focus when driving, as those who are drunk. Therefore, remember to always switch drivers, or discontinue driving when taking lengthy road trips.
So do we really need 8 hours of sleep? Several studies have discussed the connections between too much or too little sleep as on our bodies. It has also been given that we should sleep for at least 7-9 hours per day. However, the amount of sleep that is labeled as sufficient for our body, greatly varies throughout the course of our lives. Or for some, maybe even day to day! For example, newborns need 14-17 hours of sleep. This value gradually gets smaller as our body matures.
In conclusion, although it may be difficult to regularly control your sleep schedule, it certainly is important to get enough sleep and avoid lack of rest. Remember to keep your body replenished by sleep to stay refreshed, and so that you don’t wake up as a grouchy monster.
References
Newman, T. (2020, August 24). 5 sleep myths: How much sleep do we need? Www.medicalnewstoday.com. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/medical-myths-how-much-sleep-do-we-need
WebMD. (2022, August 22). How much sleep do you need? (S. Felson, Ed.). WebMD; WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/sleep-requirements
Written By Devika Chauhan from MEDILOQUY