HEALTH Sleeping less than six hrs a night is as bad as binge drinking and severely damages brain

Housecarl

On TB every waking moment
Well we all knew it wasn't good for us to start with.....:shk:

For links see article source.....
Posted for fair use.....
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/a...ix-hours-sleep-night-like-BINGE-drinking.html

Sleeping less than six hours a night is as bad as binge drinking and severely damages your brain, study finds

Sleep deprivation raises risk of obesity, depression, heart attacks and strokes
The most worrying consequences are rooted in the brain, research suggests
Sleep deprivation is linked with acute cognitive impairment, researchers found
Driving while sleep deprived could be as dangerous as driving when drunk


By Phoebe Weston For Mailonline
PUBLISHED: 11:55 EDT, 7 August 2017 | UPDATED: 19:34 EDT, 7 August 2017

Regularly getting less than six hours sleep a night could cause the same long-term damage as alcohol abuse, according to a worrying new study.

For the body, sleep deprivation results in increased risk of obesity, depression, heart attacks and strokes - causing experts to dub it the 'modern ill'.

However, the most worrying consequences are rooted in the brain and new research suggests the effects are far more destructive than previously thought.

Research suggests that being awake for 18 hours results in the same cognitive impairment people get from being drunk.

This is so severe that driving while sleep deprived could be as dangerous as driving when drunk, researchers found.

Video

Researchers from Quebec-based digital health company Medisys found people who regularly got less than six hours of sleep a night could suffer terrible cumulative health effects they may be oblivious to.

Although the odd night sleeping just six hours or less will not have a significant effect, frequently not sleeping enough is very dangerous, researchers found.
Sleep affects hunger hormones

'Sleep plays an important role in regulating the hormones that influence hunger (ghrelin, cortisol, and leptin) that's why sleep deprivation increases appetite and leads to overeating and weight gain', neuroscientist Dr Adrian Owen at Western University, who also works with Medisys, told Digital Journal.

Researchers found your brain becomes less stable for the longer you remain wake - which reduces your attention, ability to focus and use your brain on specific tasks.
Recent reports have suggested 1 in 3 Canadians are chronically sleep-deprived.

The brain 'eats' itself

The news comes on the heels of research that showed having too little sleep causes the brain to eat itself if it hasn't had enough sleep.

In May researchers studied lab mice, and found that 'clean-up' cells were more active in their brains when they were sleep-deprived.

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TIPS TO SLEEP BETTER
Whatever form your insomnia takes, however intermittent or relentless, there are simple steps you can take to guarantee a better night’s sleep:
Avoid late afternoon naps - Snoozing after 4pm will dilute your urge to sleep later. If you find it difficult to stay awake on a comfy sofa, perch on the edge of a hard chair instead.
Wear an eye mask - Eye masks block out light, which suppresses the sleep hormone melatonin.
Use foam ear plugs - This will erase any background noise that might be waking you up in the night or causing you to sleep lightly.
Don't sleep with pets - Animals tend to be nocturnal and a common source of allergies that may disturb your sleep.
Turn your alarm clock against the wall - Clock-watching can trigger stress over how little sleep you’ve had, how long until morning and how tired you are going to be the next day.
Source: Professor Jason Ellis, director, Northumbria Sleep Research Laboratory
 

Deena in GA

Administrator
_______________
One of our sons was telling me the other day of some new fad where you only sleep 20 minutes at a time, five times a day. Sounds insane to me! He said they are claiming that research shows you can manage fine with no ill effects on that little sleep once their body adjusts to the schedule. I believe the OP study more.
 

China Connection

TB Fanatic
Some people stay awake for years. I knew such a person and he is old these days. Sleep is sensible but going without is not going to compete with heavy drinking,
 

Cyclonemom

Veteran Member
I think that, just like alcohol consumption, some people are more affected by lack of sleep than others. Just like some people are pretty much normal after 2 glasses of wine, and others are well on their way to being three sheets to the wind after the same amount.

To feel and perform my best, I need 9 hours of sleep a day. I only average about 6.5. There comes a point during the week that no matter how much I have to do yet, I must give in and take a 3 hour nap, or I become not only a forgetful cognitive mess, I am actually a danger to myself and others (can't focus well when driving, extreme forgetfulness, unable to concentrate, unable to think straight, etc).

Several other people I know function very well on only 5 hours of sleep a day. If that is you, consider yourself very lucky!!

A blanket "anything less than 6 hours is bad for you" statement is faulty. For some people, anything less than 8 hours is bad, and for others, anything less than 4 hours is bad. It's very individual.
 

Littlesister

Veteran Member
I wonder if this is just another hit on President Trump, because he is reported to only sleep 4 or 5 hours a night. This would help give his enemies more ammunition.
 

Freeholder

This too shall pass.
I wonder if this is just another hit on President Trump, because he is reported to only sleep 4 or 5 hours a night. This would help give his enemies more ammunition.

I can't speak for the intentions of the author of the article, but for a long time research has been showing that it's very important to get enough sleep. Especially anyone with auto-immune diseases needs to make sure they get at least eight hours of good sleep per night (and that's sleep; you can't count the time between when you go to bed and when you actually start sleeping!).

Kathleen
 

SAPPHIRE

Veteran Member
adequate sleep is paramount but very few do it..............I have problems STAYING ASLEEP all night and find myself lying awake sometime for hours or because of pain/discomfort doing so...I take melatonin/l-theanine to help..........stay away from big pharma sleep aids IMO
 

marsh

On TB every waking moment
In old England, they used to sleep, then get up in the middle of the night and study, pray or visit other people before going back to sleep. I would imagine this had something to do with long nights and the scarce availability of light.

I sleep for 6 hours and then awaken and can't get back to sleep, but I nap about 1/2 hour before evening.
 

PghPanther

Has No Life - Lives on TB
FYI.........during deep REM sleep is the only time the body actually repairs itself.........this is the time when growth hormone is secreted by the pituitary gland. This normally takes place between the hours of 10pm and 2am...........but requires a good lead in time and a lengthy exit time before waking to maximize that process.

So going to bed before 10pm and getting a full 7 to 9 hrs of sleep has huge implications on your health........particularly if you are doing any kind of weight bearing resistant physical training............

Growth hormone secreted naturally by the body (not the crazy injection insanity) is a true fountain of youth or rejuvenation to the body. It drops off after age 24 and falls off the cliff in secretion after 40 yrs of age..........but you can stimulate it naturally with:

1) 7 to 9 hrs of sleep a night and making sure you are asleep during that critical 10pm to 2am period.

2) Training with resistant strength anaerobic exercises.

3) Eating a high nutrition whole food diet with quality protein sources.

Enemies of growth hormone secretion are...undue mental/emotional stress, lack of sleep, drugs, alcohol, smoking, sugar, processed junk food and too much aerobic exercise!
 

missd

Senior Member
I sleep 4 1/2 - 5 hours on a good night. That is only if I stay up til 2am then I can usually get a 5 hour stretch in.
I never nap during the day or else I would not sleep a wink. I take a good sleep supplement and have no issue falling asleep. Staying asleep that's the issue. Sometimes if I have a serious respiratory illness I might sleep 6 hours.
Parents and grandparents the same. They all had rare cancers and/or heart disease. I have auto immune issues.
My DH asleep at 9:30pm - 6am every night. Like a rock. His parents and sibs too. He has had a heart attack age 49. Lost a brother to HA age 39. Another to cancer this year. Dad heart/stroke/diabetic. Mom to cancer.
It's not how much you sleep that counts; it's what you accomplish while awake!
 

NB

Contributing Member
I rarely get more that 6 hours a night. Usually closer to five. It seems that when I do I feel more tired and have trouble operating the next day.

DW needs 8+ to stay sane and sometimes that's not enough.
 

TidesofTruth

Veteran Member
In old England, they used to sleep, then get up in the middle of the night and study, pray or visit other people before going back to sleep. I would imagine this had something to do with long nights and the scarce availability of light.

I sleep for 6 hours and then awaken and can't get back to sleep, but I nap about 1/2 hour before evening.


This is called Biphasic sleep and this is how I sleep now. Two sleep periods one of a 2 (1 and 1/2 hour) sleep cycles for a total of 3 hours of 1st watch sleep. Then I am up for a non specific period of time and then I sleep in 1 and 1/2 hour sleep cycles for the duration of the 2nd watch. I like to use an alarm to wake me up 2 cycles ahead of the time I get up just so I can enjoy the waking up knowing I have a cycle or two left. I really enjoy the awakening from 1st watch. Waking up without the pressure of having to get up and go to work is like having extra weekends every day. Sleep cycles really work for me. 90 minutes is a full cycle for me. If I am awaken during the cycle I am barely able to function but If I awake at the end of a cycle I am very alert and If need be fully refreshed to take on a mental task.
 

frazbo

Veteran Member
Well, looks like I just went on another binge...dang! Who'da thunk it? Guess giving up alcohol over 25 years ago wasn't worth it...lol.
 

Lee2

Senior Member
I remember reading that Thomas Edison used to take 20 minute naps after every so many hours to help him work through the night. I used to take a nap for just 20 min a day and felt marvelous afterwards. I mean really rested. Don't do that so much anymore. Anyway, there might be something to the 20 min nap thing.

Also, I think 6 to 8 hours is normal for sleep for an adult. It's the teens and young college age that are so sleep deprived!
 
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