By Mitch Rice
Did you know people spend almost half of their lives sleeping?
Sleep is possibly the most essential activity for our health and well-being. Our bodies and minds need time to rest and recover from daily happenings.
A messy sleep schedule leads to poor overall health. Both mental and physical health suffers when your biological clock is at odds.
Understanding sleep has been a priority for society, which is why there has been significant research in this area in recent years. But still, false information on the subject prevails, a lot of which has been discredited by scientific research.
Here are some of the most common myths about sleep habits in adults debunked!
Sleepiness During the Day Is Caused by Not Getting Enough Sleep
Sometimes, a chronic lack of sleep or poor quality of sleep may cause daytime sleepiness. However, excessive sleepiness during the day can also be an indicator of an underlying sleep disorder or health problem.
In these cases, just getting an extra amount of sleep in a non-disruptive environment may not be enough.
Snoring Is Normal
Light snoring is indeed normal and also common but loud, consistent snoring could be a sign of another bigger problem.
Research has found that loud snorers have been more prone to experiencing heart problems and sleep disorders, like sleep apnea, compared to non-snorers.
Luckily, often, snoring is a treatable condition.
Exercising Before Bed Is Bad
While it is true that extensive workouts have been disadvantageous to getting a good quality of sleep, light exercise is pretty helpful.
Researchers found that a session of some light stretching and cardio has not only not interfered with sleep but has also seemed to help people sleep better.
As long as it’s done an hour before, working out before heading to bed is not the worst idea.
Napping Makes Up for A Good Night’s Sleep
Naps can be a great way to refresh and give yourself a natural energy boost but they cannot replace your ideal 7-8 hours of sleep time.
You don’t have to be deprived of sleep to take naps. Naps should be treated as an additional sleeping time to relax and reduce lethargy more than to make up for lost sleep.
Movement During Sleep Is a Bad Sign
Tossing and turning while you sleep is fairly common. Even though your body is asleep, your brain is still active, sending signals to the rest of your body parts.
When you experience dreams or nightmares, minor movements can occur. But some of these habits could be potentially harmful, like grinding teeth.
Repetitive jaw motion could cause tooth fractures and pain. Fortunately, treatments are always available. Smile Brilliant’s custom night guard is an affordable and reliable solution for night-time teeth-grinding problems.
Your Body Acclimates to Less Sleep
No, your body cannot be trained to survive on less sleep. No study has been successful in eliminating the need to sleep. It isn’t possible to function during the day and be productive with less amount of sleep.
You can attempt to get used to less sleep but it would only lead to sleep deprivation, insomnia, and fatigue.
Lack of sleep could also give you bigger health conditions. There’s no way to cheat your body’s system healthily!
A Warm Glass of Milk Helps You Sleep Faster
Milk indeed has compounds like melatonin (the sleep hormone) and tryptophan, both of which have qualities that improve sleep.
Drinking warm milk may soothe you and have other benefits but contrary to popular belief, it will not put you to sleep.
Conclusion
Sleep science is an evolving area of research and while we haven’t really discovered all the secrets and truths of sleep, we’ve made a lot of progress.
Now that you know some facts from the myths, spread the word and promote better health!
Data and information are provided for informational purposes only, and are not intended for investment, medical or other purposes.
