[Hedwig]

As more and more is discovered about sleep, scientists are realizing the importance of sleep on our overall mental and physical health. Unbelievably, we spend one-third of our life sleeping or approximately 122 days a year. However, it is estimated that 63% of us get less than 8 hours of sleep and 31% get less than 7 hours of sleep….

As we age, the amount of sleep we need decreases….not only does the amount of sleep decrease with age, but the amount of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep decreases. Adults need approximately 8 hours of sleep per night and spend 20% of that time in REM sleep….older people (50 – 85 years of age) sleep approximately 5.75 to 6 hours per night and 15% of the time in REM sleep.

Lack of Sleep and the Consequences

Since sleep is responsible for the body’s restorative functions, the lack of sleep can be deleterious upon an individual’s health. The consequences of sleep deprivation can affect the following areas:

* Reduced performance and lack of concentration cause impaired learning.

* Depression. People who are depressed have shorter lengths of REM sleep. It is also a viscous circle. Depression may cause sleep loss and vice-versa.

* Increased mental illness

* Decreased immune system function

* Increased pain perception

* Decreased ability to metabolize glucose and an increased risk of diabetes.

* May trigger the release of stress hormones and an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes.

* An increased risk of breast and colon cancer. Melatonin fights abnormal cell growth, especially in breast cancer and colon cancer. Since melatonin is released at night, less sleep means less melatonin. Thus, a reduced cancer-fighting ability.

* Increased car accidents and occupational accidents

* Increased inflammation

Conclusion

If a person is a sleep deprived, once normal sleep returns, the body tries to compensate for it. However, when the loss of sleep continues, researches have found that animals no longer try to make up for the loss of sleep despite the sleep deficit…..therefore, since the loss of sleep is so damaging to the health, it is imperative one try to get the proper amount of sleep….

So on average how much sleep do you get per night….??

😕 😕 😕

[LindsayK]

What an interesting post! I average, typically 3-5 hours per night. If I happen to get more than 5, I feel horrible the next day due to poor quality. Definitely notice a difference in the ability to concentrate, easily distracted, can't focus, etc, and also driving is a terrible hazard for me some days.

That's fascinating about the deficit not being rectified. I wonder why our bodies do that? Perhaps it's a coping method; maybe it's saying “Well, if you're not going to sleep anyway, I'm not going to try.” Hmmm…

[emmaree]

If I don't get 8 hours I'm get all moody and emotional, to the point where a cartoon can make me cry. My sleep pattens are so irregular. I can go weeks on really good sleep, about 8 hours. Out of nowhere I go months, on 2 or 3 hours a night. After which I often collapse and may sleep 3 days straight.Sometimes I have a good nights sleep yet the next I'm up all night. Just when I think I'm on te right track my sleep it alters.

Oh well, not going to stress about it or I wont get any sleep

[Kik]

I'm the same. I need between 6-8 hours sleep a night to achieve full functionality but I haven't had that on a regular basis for over a year. Generally I get about 3 or four hours but with long periods of lying awake in between. I think I read somewhere that REM sleep is tied in with memory and I can definitely say since becoming a chronic insomniac as opposed to an occasional one, my long term memory is terrible and I am constantly forgetting words in the middle of sentences.

[seenafterscene]

Ideally, I need eight hours at least, even 6 is hard for me to function. But my schedule and reaction to said irregularities vary so much it's a constant dice roll. I was getting by on 6 for weeks…then it wasn't enough. Often, I obviously get much less sleep than 6 or 8.

One of the key things for me is that I NEED a nap during the day. Anyone else like this???

It doesn't matter if I've had zero sleep, six hours, or ten hours, if I don't get a mid-day nap, I usually spend the entire afternoon/evening tossing and turning usually heading into the night where I finally am able to sleep or take something to sleep, etc. Oddly enough, I'd say my “nap” necessity is more important to me than actual sleep at night; if I don't sleep well, I'll tend to nap earlier or longer, and can still function usually early in the day…but it's a much longer, less-functional road if I don't get a nap.

[IvanAleisterMesniaa]

I get cycles, right now Im on the sleep every night for about 6 hours and not feel terrible I feel amazing this lasts two weeks or so, then it'll go to I get no sleep for about 18 hours then I'll get 3 hours sleep and this will continue for five months or so, then for the rest of the year I'll get a jumbled mess of no sleep for days, then like six hours like no sleep for 18 hours or so then 1-3 hours etc, then back to the 2 weeks or so of six hours of sleep.

It gets bad for about one week a year where I just get minutes of sleep here and there around an hour in that week

[LindsayK]

'seenafterscene' wrote on '13:

Ideally, I need eight hours at least, even 6 is hard for me to function. But my schedule and reaction to said irregularities vary so much it's a constant dice roll. I was getting by on 6 for weeks…then it wasn't enough. Often, I obviously get much less sleep than 6 or 8.

One of the key things for me is that I NEED a nap during the day. Anyone else like this???

It doesn't matter if I've had zero sleep, six hours, or ten hours, if I don't get a mid-day nap, I usually spend the entire afternoon/evening tossing and turning usually heading into the night where I finally am able to sleep or take something to sleep, etc. Oddly enough, I'd say my “nap” necessity is more important to me than actual sleep at night; if I don't sleep well, I'll tend to nap earlier or longer, and can still function usually early in the day…but it's a much longer, less-functional road if I don't get a nap.

I have found that a nap is necessary for me to be able to function into the afternoon and evening. If I don't get one, my body is too wired to sleep by the time bedtime rolls on me. I could be setting myself up for failure, as well, because with a nap I won't sleep until 12 or 1. Either way, more than 5 hours a night leaves me drained and sluggish and needing two or three naps through the day. :/

[seenafterscene]

'IvanAleisterMesniaa' wrote on '13:

I get cycles, right now Im on the sleep every night for about 6 hours and not feel terrible I feel amazing this lasts two weeks or so, then it'll go to I get no sleep for about 18 hours then I'll get 3 hours sleep and this will continue for five months or so, then for the rest of the year I'll get a jumbled mess of no sleep for days, then like six hours like no sleep for 18 hours or so then 1-3 hours etc, then back to the 2 weeks or so of six hours of sleep.

It gets bad for about one week a year where I just get minutes of sleep here and there around an hour in that week

I remember a few weeks ago you were doing pretty poorly. I'm glad you're okay for now, like any cyclical beast, I hope you have more good times than bad times. 🙂

[seenafterscene]

'LindsayK' wrote on '13:

I have found that a nap is necessary for me to be able to function into the afternoon and evening. If I don't get one, my body is too wired to sleep by the time bedtime rolls on me. I could be setting myself up for failure, as well, because with a nap I won't sleep until 12 or 1. Either way, more than 5 hours a night leaves me drained and sluggish and needing two or three naps through the day. :/

Ah…now it makes sense. I was wondering how you were so seemingly highly functional knowing how little sleep you get. I'm glad the naps help, and I'm glad I'm not the only person for whom naps are arguably more important than sleep at night. I felt a little lame admitting that.

[LindsayK]

'seenafterscene' wrote on '14:

Ah…now it makes sense. I was wondering how you were so seemingly highly functional knowing how little sleep you get. I'm glad the naps help, and I'm glad I'm not the only person for whom naps are arguably more important than sleep at night. I felt a little lame admitting that.

😉 It's my secret superpower. LOL

[Mike Hooker]

Right now I'm getting between six and eight hours per night. But that can change at any time. I go in cycles: sometimes 6-8 hours, next week I might drop to about 4 or 5.

When my insomnia started, I couldn't fall asleep when I went to bed. I lay there until sometimes 5 am before finally going to sleep. Having to be up no later than 6:30 makes for one short night.

Now my problem has switched. I can fall asleep pretty easily, but I wake up around 3 am and can't go back to sleep. Sometimes I'll do that for a week and then its back to 6+ hours. Right now it's 12 midnight, and I'm not sleepy yet, which is the reason I'm writing this.

I guess I better go read something so I'll get sleepy, if not I'll be awake until 2 or 3 am.

[Author]

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