Getting fewer than five hours a night increases risks of heart disease
Sleeping myths debunked: Getting fewer than five hours a night increases risks of heart disease, strokes and early death and alcohol before bed DOESN’T help you nod off, study finds
- New York University published the study which looked into sleep and health
- They searched more than 8,000 websites, news reports and publications
- Dr Rebecca Robbins said: ‘We have extensive evidence to show that sleeping five hours a night or less consistently increases your risk for adverse health consequences’
Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher apparently got by on four or five hours’ sleep a night.
But it seems they set far from an ideal example. Experts say that thinking we need only five or fewer hours is one of the most harmful myths about sleep.
Regularly managing on four or five hours increases the risk of heart attacks, strokes and early death, according to a study on the 20 most common myths about sleep by US researchers.
Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher apparently got by on four or five hours’ sleep a night. But a new study by New York University has found that sleeping for five hours sleep or less can have adverse health consequences
They searched more than 8,000 websites, news reports and scientific publications. Dr Rebecca Robbins, who led the study from New York University School of Medicine, said: ‘We have extensive evidence to show that sleeping five hours a night or less consistently increases your risk greatly for adverse health consequences.’
The problem with alcohol before bedtime is that it reduces the quality of sleep so we feel much less rested the next day.
The study, published in the journal Sleep Health, also offers advice to those struggling to nod off and says they should get up and do something that is not stressful.
The study advises against watching TV before bed, because it can be involving – making us feel more awake.
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