01/22/2022
Sleep, like food, is vital to our life and health. Too much and too little can have a harmful impact long term, as observed in a 22-year study that followed 21,000 twins. The study showed that there were increased risks of death for both the participants that slept less than 7 hours and more than 8 hours. Other studies have shown the same U-Curve results.
Of course the duration depends on age, activity levels, gender, and a persons constitution. But it is commonly agreed that there is a general guideline: 12-18 hours for newborns, 14-15 hours for infants, 12-14 hours for toddlers, 11-13 hours for pre-schoolers, 10-11 hours for school age kids, 8.5-9.5 hours for teens, and 7-9 hours for adults.
Midday naps are built into many cultures - typically seen in places that experience extreme daytime heat. It has been shown in multiple studies to have a drastic lowering effect on deaths from heart disease.
Also, exercise and meditation have also shown to benefit sleep in general, but also help in overall heath for those that have chronic insomnia, those that have depression, pregnant women, and even cancer survivors.
So, turn off those screens, draw those blinds, and get some shut eye.
