Myths

7 Myths about sleep that you might not have known!

Lets talk about the myths that are out there and debunk them!

Myth 1: You need 8 hours of sleep a night

Some of the latest research shows and suggests that the amount of sleep you get is personal. What is more important is that sleep should leave you feeling energized for the next day.

Myth 2: Don’t fall asleep with the TV on

Some people have been cured from insomnia by just simply being told that its OK to fall asleep with the TV on. When people just cant turn off their brains, TV helps. The one caveat here is to make sure the TV is on a timer to turn off once you have dozed off yourself.

Myth 3: You can catch up on lost sleep on the weekend

It is actually not a reality that you will be able to catch up on chronically lost sleep in one stretch like a weekend. Catching up on sleep and excessive sleep in one stretch can have other negative effects like throwing off your internal biological clock.

Myth 4: If you have a few bad nights of sleep, it must be insomnia

Most people will eventually experience some nights when they can sleep. Only if you are always tired despite getting enough sleep or if more insomnia nights that not, you may want to seek help from a professional! You can find one here.

Myth 5: Caffeine doesn’t affect your sleep

Even in the scenario that you are able to sleep off after drinking a cup of coffee, the caffeine in that cup is enough to stop you from getting deep quality sleep. It keeps you in the lighter stages of sleep, and these stages are known to not have enough rest qualities that the body needs during sleep.

Myth 6: Alcohol helps you relax and rest well

Similar to the effects of caffeine, alcohol will lower your sleep quality. You may feel relaxed after some alcohol to help you sleep faster, but studies that show you wake up more and get less REM sleep.

Myth 7: Older people need less sleep

Older people believe at times they require less sleep, however it is often the case that though they may sleep less at night, they compensate for that lack of sleep by taking unscheduled naps during the day.