We have heard all our lives, to live a healthier and a longer life, 8 glasses of water a day coupled with 8 hours of sleep! And science has proven for this statement to be no myth! However, the figure 8 is not set in stone. Sleeping patterns may vary between different groups of people. Those who are under a lot of stress may require a whole another dosage of sleep than those who are not sleep deprived or toddlers or aged individuals. It is fair to say that the amount of sleeping hours an individual gets is dependent on a host of factors.
Even though some may claim they can function to their fullest potential on minimal sleep, there is definitely a lagging between those who sleep a few hours a night and those who get a sufficient amount of peaceful uninterrupted slumber, in the way they take up daily tasks and activities. Those who are not sleep deprived are more active and for longer periods throughout the day than those you may fall short on sleeping time.
Furthermore, research shows that those individuals who get much more or much less than approximately 7 hours of sleep a day are associated with a higher mortality rate! Certain common factors which may have an impact on your sleeping patterns are as follows:
Pregnancy
During pregnancy, women feel a lot of changes creeping up in their bodies and their general state of being. These changes may have an impact on sleeping patterns, elevating them in some cases and contracting in others.
Aging
As you age, you may increase the number of hours you sleep a day. Older individuals need the same amount of sleep as do younger adults. The difference is that as you get older, you may have difficulty falling into a deep uninterrupted slumber, associated with constant awakening in the middle of the night, breaking the flow of the cycle. This may lead to day time napping which is extremely common among older adults and those who generally suffer from a disturbed sleep, like individuals who take on too much stress.
Sleep Deprivation
If you are sleep deprived for any reason whatsoever, you are more likely to sleep for longer hours when you get the chance to. This, however, is not a constant pattern and may be generally episodic, but nonetheless, is an essential reason contributing towards differentiating sleeping patterns among individuals.
Quality Sleep
If you are getting your 8 hours of sleep, but it is characterized by constant awakenings and disturbed patterns, you are not getting enough of it. Just the time limit is not what counts, it is the quality coupled with the quantity that contributes towards an effective and a healthy sleep.
Conclusion
The number of hours of sleep we need a day depends on quite a few factors. Many of us believe 8 hours to be the optimal amount of sleep we should indulge in. However, there is no scientific evidence to prove this certain number, but the number of hours of sleep should revolve somewhere around the tentative figure of 8 hours. Anything under or below, deviating too much from 8 hours may cause disruption in our daily living. This is primarily because if the body is over exhausted due to lack of sleep or under availed due to excessive sleep, either extreme can have wasting effects on the proceeding day. If such patterns are continued then the effects that are pertained to the proceeding day, extend on to a more expansive life span, going beyond a day, and moving towards weeks and subsequently months and so on and so forth. So make sure to give your body the rest it needs, to be able to participate in the activities that make life worth living for you!
Source: Fitness Republic
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