5 Sleep Myths That Are Putting Your Health At Risk
According to a new study conducted by researchers from the NYU School of Medicine by reviewing more than 8,000 websites to identify the most widely known beliefs about sleep, most commonly practiced of these sleep myths are a threat to your health. Scientists say that tales such as having a nightcap to help you fall asleep or sleeping less than five hours are known mainly misconceptions. They claim that besides creating poor sleep habits, these beliefs are also shaping major public health threats.
Study leader Dr. Rebecca Robbins, an epidemiologist at New York University’s (NYU’s) School of Medicine, said that sleep is a crucial part of life and it affects productivity, moods and health and well-being in general.
Read below the five myths about sleep which endanger your health if practiced.
5 Sleep Myths That Are Putting Your Health At Risk
You can sleep less than 5 hours per night
The idea that you can get by on five or fewer hours of sleep is one of the top sleep myths that scientists were able to dismiss based on scientific evidence. This myth poses the most severe risks to health. Adverse health consequences such as cardiovascular diseases: heart strokes and attacks as well as shorter life expectancy. Dr. Robbins recommends a consistent seven to eight hours of sleep per night.
Sometimes, you don’t sleep enough because you have an extremely busy schedule and you’re working late – this is a problem that can easily be fixed. But, if you’re dealing with insomnia, this is a more severe issue that can have various causes. In order to be able to fix it, you will have to get to the bottom of these causes. Sometimes these can include anxiety or more severe psychiatric disorders, that’s why it’s advised to seek therapy. You can learn more here about how to overcome various mental health-related problems.
Snoring is harmless
Snoring is considered safe by many, but researchers say that it can also show sleep apnoea, a severe probable sleep disorder in which breathing stops and starts during the night.
Scientists say that you should not ignore loud snoring, and see a doctor because this sleep pattern may conduct to heart stoppages or other diseases.
Nightcaps before bed boost sleep
The team found enough evidence that in spite of the different beliefs promoted by many sleep myths, drinking alcohol at night is unhealthy. Alcohol reduces the body’s ability to attain deep sleep, which is much needed for proper functionality, experts say. Nightcaps may make you fell asleep, but it severely reduces the quality of your sleep that specific night.
Watching TV helps you nod off
Researchers found that the use of TV right before bed causes more stress. Dr. Rebecca Robbins said that because watching, often the news, it would cause insomnia or anxiety right before bed when you want to power down and relax.
Same goes for phone and tablet as for the TV, which’s screen produces blue light, delaying the body’s production of the sleep hormone called melatonin.
Snoozing the alarm is not bad for you
The team explained that by snoozing the alarm you could make yourself feel even worse, and they recommend just to get up as soon as we wake up. When you snooze the alarm, your body might go back to sleep, but it will be a low quality sleep.
Tommy’s hobby has always been playing video games. He enjoys competing in video games tournaments and writing about his experience. It’s not a big surprise that he mostly covers the latest trends from the gaming industry.
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