Definition
Sleeping for over 6 hours is beneficial because regularly sleeping for shorter periods of time can cause many health problems, even reducing length of life.
How to Do It
Get at least 6 hours of sleep every 24 hours. Try to be in bed by midnight every night and up by 8am to keep your circadian rhythm (‘body clock’) in line with the natural day-night cycle.
Benefits
- May improve mental wellbeing, ie., reduce stress, anxiety and risk of depression [1,2]
- May improve memory and other cognitive functions [1,5]
- May boost productivity [5].
- May improve heart health and reduce weight gain [1,2]
Time Commitment
6 hours
Why it works
The brain goes ‘offline’ while you’re sleeping. During this period, memories are processed and moved into long-term ‘storage’[5]. This is how sleeping improves memory.
Unsurprisingly, lack of sleep leads to tiredness. Many cognitive functions are deprived when tired [1,2,5].
Having inconsistent sleep patterns can take your body clock out of sync with the natural day-night cycle. This has detrimental effects on the immune system due to a disruption of melatonin production. You are even at a higher risk of developing cancer if you have an irregular sleep pattern [6].
Suggested Frequency
Daily
Supporting Studies and Articles
- https://jcsm.aasm.org/doi/10.5664/jcsm.4758
- https://jcsm.aasm.org/ViewAbstract.aspx?pid=30048
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352721815001606
- https://www.nature.com/articles/srep35812
- https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/full/10.1146/annurev.psych.56.091103.070307
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1087079208000786
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352721815001606
Side Effects
Some scientists have also argued that general recommendations for sleep duration ignore the fact that individuals vary in their optimal sleep patterns[4].
Oversleeping can be problematic. Try to avoid sleeping for over 8.5 hours on a regular basis[1].
Gurus/Celebrities/Doing it
Dave Asprey
Suggested Time of Day
Night, ideally be asleep by midnight and up by 8am.
Notes
- Sleep recommendations vary depending on age. Basically, the younger you are, the more sleep you should be getting. For example, it is recommended that adolescents sleep for 9 hours a night [7].
- Some studies suggest 7 hours is actually the optimum duration for a night’s sleep, and that 6 hours may have detrimental effects [2].
- Keep your room cool when you sleep at night. Ideally at 69 degrees fahrenheit
- Make sure your room is blacked out when you sleep.
Related Products
Keeping the right body temperature is crucial to your deep sleep. Chili has an excellent cooling mattress pad that will ensure you sleep at the right temperature all night long.
