Getting a good night’s rest is vital to having enough energy for the next day. But that’s not the only reason you should get plenty of sleep. Your body needs sleep in order to rest and remain healthy. However, a recent study revealed that not only is not getting enough sleep detrimental to the brain, getting too much sleep can be as well.
The Sleep Study
The study was published in the academic journal Sleep, and included an online survey completed by over 40,000 subjects around the world. In addition to the survey, they were asked to complete a series of tests of reasoning, memory, and verbal skills.
According to the results, they found subjects who slept an average of 7 to eight hours every night performed better on these tests than those sleeping fewer or more hours. Other conclusions researchers were able to draw from the study included:
Around 50 percent of the subjects revealed that they slept less than 6.3 hours a night.
The amount of sleep associated with the best performance on the tests was the same for all ages.
Short-term memory skills appeared to be unaffected by either too little or too much sleep.
Reasoning and verbal skills were very much affected by the amount of sleep a subject had.
Subjects who slept more than usual the night before taking the test did better than those who either slept their usual amount or slept less than usual.
How Much Sleep Do I Need?
Doctors have been saying for years that people should get at least 7 to eight hours of sleep every night, and it turns out they are right. Recently published research has indicated that less than seven hours or more than eight hours of sleep can affect the brain’s ability to function at an optimal level the next day.
Make sure you get the proper amount of sleep every night. For more information about sleep or general health tips, be sure to visit us online at The Benefits Store today.