We spend a third of our lives sleeping and a good night’s sleep can lead to improving moods, concentration and reduce the risk of serious health issues such as diabetes and heart disease.
However, despite it playing such a vital role in all of our lives, it still appears to be very misunderstood.
Experts at Adjustable Beds have carried out research to help people to separate the facts from fiction when it comes to sleep myths.
MYTH: Just a few hours sleep a night is fine
We all have that friend that sleeps 3-4 hours a night and says that’s ‘all they need’. While there is a very rare, mutated gene that can cause this to be true, it’s unlikely to be the case. In fact, people who are sleep-deprived are unlikely to be able to accurately assess their own functionality so they might not realise just how many mistakes they’re making throughout the day.
MYTH: Sleeping less makes you lose weight
… This one had us stumped, too but it turns out the logic behind this is that having a more active life burns more calories overall and the longer you’re awake, the more calories you can burn.
The truth is, sleeping less doesn’t make you lose weight and it could actually make you gain weight. According to a Harvard Medical School study, the amount of sleep a person gets can affect certain hormones including leptin and ghrelin, both of which affect people’s appetites as they control feelings of hunger and fullness.
Basically, leptin is produced in fat cells and signals to the brain when you are ‘full’ and ghrelin is produced in the gastrointestinal tract and stimulates appetite. This means that when you don’t get enough sleep, leptin levels decrease leaving you not feeling full after eating and ghrelin increases, making you crave more food.
MYTH: Counting sheep… puts you to sleep faster
Thought to have derived from shepherds in medieval times, counting sheep has been a popular belief for generations and is still regularly cited in media. However, according to research conducted by scientists at Oxford University, counting sheep might actually be too boring and cause distractions. They also found that more effective imagery when going to sleep are tranquil scenes such as waterfalls or beaches.
MYTH: Napping is lazy
Partial to a nice weekend nap? According to the American Heart Association, napping regularly can bring great cognitive benefits such as improved concentration, memory, and productivity. However, it’s vital that naps are no more than 30 minutes as beyond this length of time, you risk going into a deep sleep and disrupting sleep patterns.
MYTH: Never wake up a sleepwalker
This is a very popular belief and has even been mentioned in films such as Step Brothers but it turns out, this is a complete myth.
Sleepwalkers can be difficult to wake up and have no memory of their nighttime wanderings but Scientific American research confirmed that contrary to popular belief, a sleepwalker will not go into shock if you wake them.
Of course, a person may be out of sorts when you snap them out of sleepwalking but no more so than somebody you’ve suddenly woken in bed and it’s actually encouraged to wake sleepwalkers as they could be at risk of falls or doing dangerous things such as leaving a gas stove on.