Seven Hours of Sleep Is Ideal for Most Adults, Study Finds
The new study, published in Nature Aging, shows that among people ages 38 to 73, getting seven hours of sleep each night provides the most benefit for cognitive and mental health. It's best for those sleeping patterns to remain consistent, too—meaning getting seven hours of sleep once in a while won't cut it for brain health.
How Sleep Impacts Brain Health
According to researchers, a lack of sleep—and in turn, worsening cognitive performance—may be a risk factor for cognitive decline during aging. This may be due to insufficient or interrupted "slow-wave" sleep (aka, deep sleep). Too little of this type of sleep has been shown to lead to a buildup of beta-amyloid proteins, called amyloid plaques, which are seen in some forms of dementia.
Basically, your brain needs ample time to rest overnight in order to clean up and recharge. "The brain reorganizes and recharges itself during sleep," study co-author Jianfeng Feng, PhD, a professor at Fudan University in China, told Health. "As well as removing toxic waste byproducts and boosting our immune system, sleep is also key for memory consolidation, during which new memory segments based on our experiences are transferred into long-term memory."
Sleeping too much can have a negative impact on our cognitive function, too. As with too little sleep, an excessive amount of sleep was also shown to cause structural changes in the areas of the brain associated with cognitive processing and memory.
Tips to Improve Sleep Habits
If your sleep habits are less than optimal, there are ways to modify your lifestyle so that you can begin to get the best amount of sleep. According to Margarita Oks, MD, a critical care pulmonologist and sleep expert at Lenox Hill Hospital, the following suggestions may help to improve your overall sleep health:
· Go to bed when you generally start feeling tired
· Maintain a consistent bedtime and wake-up time
· Refrain from reading, watching TV, or using electronics in bed
· Do not spend more than 30 minutes in bed awake
If you are not feeling tired, leave the bedroom and go to another part of the home until you do feel tired
Because some sleep issues are due to underlying health problems, it's also important to make sure your sleep disturbances aren't linked to another condition. According to Dr. Oks, if you're having an extremely difficult time getting enough sleep, or if you find yourself consistently sleeping much longer than seven hours per night, it's best to consult with a health care provider or sleep medicine physician to exclude sleep-related or other disorders.
Here’s Why You Shouldn’t Sleep With Your Phone in Bed:
Many people sleep with their phone near them. Getting good sleep is critical for both mental and physical health, and your phone can make that harder. Tempting as it may be to check in or hop online—to be available for those important emails, texts, or calls—there are many reasons to be careful about smartphone use.
Reasons to Keep Your Phone Out of Bed
Researchers have consistently noted those who use devices frequently, especially at night, are more likely to report not enough and poor-quality sleep. Though their overall safety is well established, cell phones may pose additional hazards, depending on how you use them.
Screens Disrupt Sleep Cycles
Cell phone and screen use have been directly linked to disruptions of your circadian rhythm, or natural sleep-wake cycle. As noted in research, the blue light emitted by cell phones inhibits the production of melatonin, the hormone that makes you drowsy. Melatonin levels usually increase before you go to sleep but blue light suppresses the levels of melatonin. This makes it more difficult to fall asleep since you are more alert and not as sleepy as you normally would be.
Your sleep cycle includes REM sleep (a stage characterized by rapid eye movements and dreams), which helps with your memory and emotional processing. Along with reducing melatonin levels, nighttime exposure to blue light can reduce the length of REM sleep, which can make you feel less alert and it may take longer to be fully awake in the morning.
Phones Stimulate Your Mind
It's not just the glow of the screen that interrupts sleep. Consider how you interact with your device. Phones are a boundless source of information and stimulation, which can provoke a state of arousal and alertness. This can make it harder to fall and stay asleep.
Not only that, the interactive nature of smartphones or devices seems to make matters worse. Some studies suggest nighttime phone usage, as well as other interactive devices like video games, have a more pronounced effect on sleep than more passive nighttime screen activities, such as watching TV.
Phones May Pose a Fire or Burn Risk
Though very rare, only arising in isolated incidents, there is the risk of your phone's battery catching on fire. A phone explosion or fire in bed has the potential to cause significant harm. A recent review article noted that overheated or burning batteries have been linked with several cases of second-degree burns.
Because of the risk of serious burn injury, Samsung had to recall one million Galaxy Note 7 phones in 2016.
Finding A Balance Between Sleep and Phone Use:
Try to limit overall screen time: Make the bed a screen-free zone:
Set up nighttime mode or Do Not Disturb mode: Create a ritual that includes relaxation and consistent bedtimes; Adjust the lighting of both the phone and bedroom.
Giving your body the sleep it needs is a critical part of maintaining your overall mental and physical health, and it may mean checking your phone habits.
Until Next time: Stay Safe, Stay Healthy and be Careful out in the World.
James A Vito, D.M.D.