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If you think that these three habits help you sleep, you lose.
Researchers at New York University examined over 8,000 websites to highlight the 20 most common misconceptions about sleep, and then called on a team of experts from around the world. sleep to classify myths according to their health risks and determine if they had scientific data to support. And most of the misguided dreamers believe that it's fine to sip a nighttime drink and only stay five hours at night, and that snoring is safe.
Dream. These and other common bedtime mistakes wreak havoc on sleep health. More than a third of American adults are sleep deprived, according to the CDC, sleeping less than the recommended seven hours of sleep per night. This loss of productivity costs the US economy $ 411 billion a year, with lack of sleep linked to daily stress, lack of alertness, memory problems and chronic diseases such as obesity. , diabetes and stroke. And Americans spent $ 41 billion on sleeping pills in 2015, which is expected to reach $ 52 billion next year.
See: Do you sleep a "normal" amount? This graphic reveals how close we really are to our eyes
Dr. Rebecca Robbins, study author, NYU Langone Health Postdoctoral Fellow, told MarketWatch that her goal was to identify the most common sleep mistakes that people make and educate the public on a better one. sleep hygiene. And what many of these myths have in common is that they have an impact on deep restorative sleep.
"Many patients think that their brain is passive during sleep, but sleeping at certain stages is actually a very active regeneration process and the transfer of memories from a short-term storage to a long-term storage," Robbins said. "And for too long, we have stolen this vital part of our health with a happy ignorance, without really understanding the complexity and benefits we can get from sleep … it affects the quality of your work. able to do, the social activities that you are able to do. Sleep is a priority if we want to perform at our maximum. "
Robbins and Dr. Sanam Hafeez, a neuropsychologist in New York, presented MarketWatch with the team's three biggest sleep myths, as well as the improvements you can make to improve your bedtime routine.
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"I can manage with five hours of sleep."
Of course, actors such as President Donald Trump (who says he sleeps four hours), former President Barack Obama (who has declared five) and the former PepsiCo.
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CEO Indra Nooyi (four hours) avoided the suggested seven hours and more sleep. "It's one of the most offensive, in terms of falseness," Robbins said. "Numerous evidence unequivocally demonstrates that a healthy sleep schedule of seven to eight hours a night is vital for our cognitive, physical and emotional health. And the evidence shows that life expectancy and quality of life matter to us. "
If you have trouble falling asleep at bedtime, staying awake with your eyes closed is not the same as sleeping. "It's like standing on a treadmill without moving; you are there, but you are not doing what you had to do, "Robbins said. Rather than turning around and turning, do a soothing activity such as reading a book, sorting socks or making a cup of tea. (Do not look at the screens, the blue light disrupts the body's internal clock.) It is also important to adhere to a regular sleep schedule. Thus, even if you are free to stay awake late and sleep on the weekend, your In general, sleep health is more beneficial when you go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. You can also cool off if you do not get enough rest the night before. But "if a nap can help you feel better and combat many of the side effects of lack of sleep … the usual daytime napping is not a good way to supplement your nighttime sleep deficit," Hafeez added. .
Noisy snoring is harmless, though embarrassing.
Yes, about 90 million Americans snore, and half of them are "snorers" or "snorers", which is fine (although it may disrupt your partner's sleep). But about half of them may be suffering from obstructive sleep apnea, a potentially serious disorder in which your breathing stops and starts repeatedly during sleep due to blockage of the upper airways. So, if your sleeping partner snores loudly and shows interrupted sleep during the night – or if people have nudged you at night and told you that you are acting the same way – it is important for your doctor to check if your state of health allows it.
"We believe that sleep apnea affects about 30% of the population, but there is evidence suggesting that it is very misdiagnosed," said Robbins, who described it as a snoring noisy followed by a gasp for the air or a cough, as the sleeper 's airways have collapsed. "The brain does not receive oxygen and exerts tremendous pressure on the heart. It is therefore necessary that the patient wakes up to resume his breathing, which can occur 60 to 80 times per night. even if they sleep seven or eight hours, they wake up completely exhausted.
This is related to a higher BMI, so lifestyle changes such as doing more exercise and maintaining a healthy weight can treat sleep apnea. A doctor may also recommend that you wear continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) at night.
Drinking alcohol before going to bed improves your sleep.
It is a pleasure for those who like a glass of wine or a last drink before going to bed. "There is this story of an old woman who persists about the nightcap that can be good for sleeping," said Robbins. But this reduces your body's ability to sleep in a deep sleep, so that you wake up without being worried.
"Alcohol will give you the feeling of sleepiness, but will keep you in a state of superficial sleep. The next morning, depending on your beverage consumption the night before, you will not feel as optimized as you would like for the day, "said Hafeez. In addition, you will get up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom more often, because alcohol blocks the reabsorption of fluid in the body, which dehydrates you and fills your bladder faster. It's best to stop drinking 30 to 90 minutes before going to bed to go to the bathroom.
Robbins also recommend trading your wine with a cup of caffeine free tea or another soothing activity such as aromatherapy or reading to relax.
For more tips on how to fall asleep and stay at home, these 4 sleep experts shared their own personal routines to catch Z's.
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