9 Sleep Myths Solved: Here Is Where the Truth is At!

The issue of sleep myths has finally been solved. Yes, people, sleep comes with plenty of misconceptions, For starters, sleep was never credited enough by experts. It took decades, maybe centuries, to finally acknowledge sleep. Today, we will finally clarify the biggest sleep confusions that ever existed.

Top Sleep Myths Explained

1. Sleep and Health have Nothing In Common

Answer: Incorrect.

As per many studies, there is a large connection between sleep and our health. In fact, sleep is responsible for most of our health issues, or the lack thereof. Through regular sleep, we prevent many health issues from happening. Such are hypertension, diabetes, and stress. The same goes for insomnia and sleep-related problems. Shortly put, sleep is crucial for your health.

2. Seniors Don’t Need As Much Sleep

Answer: Incorrect.

Seniors, are adults, too, meaning they need 7-9 hours of sleep. As we grow old, our sleeping cycles shift, so many seniors sleep less than before. However, their bodies still need enough sleep to perform ideally. Next time, don’t call your grandma lazy, just an average adult.

3. Snoring is Not threatening to the Health

Answer: Correct.

As much as we hate it noise-wise, snoring is not bad for the health. But, in some cases, snoring can cause certain issues. Snoring is associated with sleep apnea. This represents a sleep malfunction, caused by various triggers. These can be of cardiovascular nature or diabetes-related. Sleep apnea often causes additional problems, especially in the respiratory organs.

4. Sleeping Detours are Okay

Answer: Incorrect.

Interrupting your sleeping pattern is harmful to your health. Making up for hours lost doesn’t work either. The best thing to do is to keep to your sleeping schedule. Wake up and go to bed at the same time. Don’t exhaust your body with reversed sleeping hours. Don’t switch from no napping to napping. Respecting these boundaries will help you feel more energized in the morning.

5. Teenagers Require More Sleep than Adults

Answer: Correct.

If you found this surprising, don’t. For teens, an ideal sleeping cycle is from 8.5 to 9.25 hours at night. At the same time, adults need only 7-8 hours of sleep every night. For that, it is not recommended that teenagers stay up too much. Also, sleeping irregularly may cause insomnia and lack of focus in many teens.

6. Insomnia is Only Related to a Lack of Sleep

Answer: Incorrect.

Insomnia is a far more complex disorder than other sleeping issues. In fact, insomnia often relates to stress and anxiety, as well as a constant feeling of anticipation. Because of that, insomnia benefits from a proper professional guidance.

7. The Brain Doesn’t Work When You Sleep

Answer: Incorrect.

The brain works throughout the entire night. In fact, the body is what is resting during sleep. The brain takes this time to recharge, and control the body, physically and internally. This is mainly beneficial for the breathing cycle as well as the heart.

8. Waking Up In the Middle of the Night, and Being Unable to Fall Asleep Means Waking Up Fully

Answer: Correct.

Struggling to sleep may be even worse than not being able to sleep. If you happen to wake up in odd hours of the night, don’t worry. Give yourself 15-20 minutes to fall asleep again. If you are unable to do so, get up from bed. Start your day then, and don’t worry about it. Your biological clock knows how much sleep you need, so trust it.

9. Poor Sleep Leads to Weight Gain

Answer: Correct.

The weight is closely related to your sleep. Actually, improper or insufficient sleep can easily make you gain a few extra pounds. This is mainly due to leptin and ghrelin. These two hormones trigger appetite. If you sleep irregularly, you’ll get hungry more often. This will urge you to eat more, even when you are not supposed to.

Breaking down the main quality sleep myths will hopefully help you understand how sleep affects us all. With that, we hope you sleep better, feel better, and do better!