Although eight hours is the common mention, optimum sleep can vary from person to person and from age to age.One review that worked through 320 research articles concluded 7 - 9 hours of sleep are enough for adults. According to experts, too little or too much sleep can both have a negative impact on your health.

Sleep quantity

Dreaming accounts for 20% of our sleeping time. The length of dreams can vary from a few seconds to almost an hour. During REM sleep, the brain is highly active. The muscles are paralyzed, and the heart rate increases. Breathing can become erratic.

Rapid eye movement (dreaming) - REM

About 80% of our sleeping is of the SWS variety, identified by slow brain waves, relaxed muscles and deep breathing. Deep sleep is important for the consolidation of memories. New experiences get moved to long-term storage and less important experiences from the previous day get cleared out.

Slow-wave sleep (deep sleep) – SWS

Our bodies are synchronized with the day-night cycle as our planet rotates. Our circadian rhythms continue even in the absence of any external input. Even plants that are kept in a dark cupboard at a stable temperature open and close their leaves as though they can sense the sun.

It matters when you sleep

Poor sleeping habits are not a modern problem.One study found tribes that don't have access to modern electrical devices to be prone to intermittent sleep. The main difference is that they do not have anxiety about their sleep patterns like western countries do.

Anxiety about sleep problems

Sleep deprivation has been shown to change the body’s basic metabolism and the balance between fat and muscle mass.A review of existing studies found permanent night-shift workers were 29 % more likely to become overweight. They were also 41 % more at risk of a heart attack or stroke.

Physical health

A day or two of sleep deprivation can cause healthy people to suffer hallucinations and physical symptoms.Cognitive abilities are impaired after a poor night's sleep. Concentration and memory are affected, and people are more likely to be impulsive.

Sleep deprivation

We have a gene that releases a protein that builds up in cells overnight and gets broken down in the daytime. The clock gene is active in almost every cell type in the body and under circadian control.Virtually every activity in our bodies - related to the blood, liver, kidneys and lungs as well as the secretion of hormones and body temperature - is influenced by the time of day they are normally needed.

Our clock genes

"The only known function of sleep is to cure sleepiness," the Harvard sleep scientist Dr J Allan Hobson once joked. This isn't quite true, but the questions of why we spend about a third of our lives asleep and what goes on in our head during this time are far from being solved.

Rapid eye movement (dreaming) - REM

Sleep: how much do we really need?

It's time to

READ

LIKE

A PRO!

How to Get a Better Night's Sleep - Well Guides

How to Sleep Better

The Science of Sleep: A Brief Guide on How to Sleep Better Every Night