Sleep is what determines our well-being, the state of our body and mood. In this post, we will debunk five of the most common misconceptions about sleep:
Myth 1: We start gaining weight from too much sleep
In fact, sleep is the best diet there is. Studies show that if you sleep just one hour longer at night, you can lose almost a pound per week. According to a University of Colorado study, people who did not get enough sleep ate six percent more calories from their meals than those who slept longer.
Here's why: Leptin (a hormone that controls appetite and sends a signal to the brain that your fat stores are in order and you have enough energy) drops when you don't get enough sleep. Maas says that even if you get six hours of sleep a night (rather than the recommended eight or nine), leptin levels drop. You wake up hungry and probably want to eat something high in fat and carbohydrates to keep you full. “So the brain is tricked into eating more than you need to,” he says.
Myth 2: Lack of sleep can be made up on weekends
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Sure, getting enough sleep on a Sunday to make up for a late Friday night or Saturday night - or even a whole week of hustle and bustle - will make you feel like a million dollars, but really recovering from a sleep deficit isn't easy. You can't make up for missed sleep, whether in a week or just one sleepless night at a time - it can take days or weeks.
A good practical tip is that you need to sleep half the time that you are awake. For example: if you are on your feet for 16 hours, you should sleep for eight. But replenishment is crucial. Just as you can't ignore your loan fees because debt will go up, if you ignore your lack of sleep it won't go away. You literally have to think of it as a sleep bank account.
Myth 3: You can train your body to limit yourself to less sleep
You know how some people brag about being able to sleep only a few hours a night because their bodies are used to it? Don't trust them. You may get used to getting up earlier, but your body's need for sleep cannot be changed.
In fact, getting by with less sleep means doing a lot of damage to your health. A lot of people think that five hours is all it takes - but this is a huge mistake. There are individual differences and genetic factors, like your parents' sleep patterns and so on. And you may be one of the lucky few who really only needs seven hours. But if this is not the case, then over time, lack of sleep can affect some aspects of health, such as weight or mental activity.
Myth 4: A glass of wine can help you fall asleep deeply
While a little (and even more so) wine can actually help you switch off, as soon as your head touches the pillow, this dream will not be as beneficial as if you were completely sober. Drinking any alcohol three hours or less before bedtime can disrupt REM sleep, which is why you won't be able to fall asleep deeply, which is really important. If you do this one or several times a week, and your sleep deficit will not only worsen, but a direct road to problems with excess weight and memory will open.
Myth 5: It is imperative to sleep through the night
Sometimes we have to get up several times a night to drink water, go to the toilet, or when we just can't sleep, we toss and turn from side to side. The good news: there is nothing wrong with that. In fact, sleeping all night without interruption is not so natural.
It's another matter if after waking up you manage to fall asleep again only 10 minutes before getting up. Sleep quality and memory only suffer when you toss and turn for too long. So if you can't sleep for more than 15 minutes, or you wake up for an hour and a half or longer at night, which is the equivalent of one REM sleep cycle, this could be a sign of insomnia.