"Get enough sleep" is a common wellness admonishment, and the normal amount is usually pegged at around eight hours per night. However, some researchers have found evidence that less sleep might be better than slumbering for too many hours. You must have enough down time to let your mind and body rest, but you might realize some health benefits from cutting back on your sleep time.
Amount
The Mayo Clinic pegs seven to eight hours as the ideal amount of sleep for adults. People who sleep too little have a higher mortality rate, but Mayo points out that the same is true for people who sleep too much. Researchers found that people who sleep about seven hours per night have a lower mortality rate rather than those who sleep the commonly stated eight hours.
Expert Insight
Researchers from the American Cancer Society and the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine conducted a six-year study that included 1 million adults 30 years old or older. Participants who slept six to seven hours each night had the lowest death rate. People who slept more than eight hours or less than four hours had the highest death risk. The researchers could not isolate a reason for their findings.
Considerations
Sleep needs vary among individuals. You can tell if you need more sleep by noting whether you get tired during the day, the Mayo Clinic says. Gradually cut back on your sleep until you reach that point. This will give you a personal baseline so you can sleep for the minimum amount of time necessary to maintain yourself.
Time Frame
Sleep needs vary based on a person's age. Infants require about 16 hours of sleep each day, but the time drops to 11 hours for toddlers and 10 for school-age youngsters, the Mayo Clinic says. Sleep time cutbacks are OK for teenagers and adults, but babies and children should get their full allotment of rest.
Researchers at the University of Surrey in the United Kingdom discovered some older adults develop a reduced need for sleep. They can safely cut back on their sleep hours without any resultant daytime drowsiness or impaired functioning.
Warning
Too much sleep might be unhealthy, but too little can have many negative effects, too. Sleep supports your immune system and keeps your nervous system working properly, the Mayo Clinic says. It also helps you concentrate properly during waking hours. Don't cut back on your sleep too much, or you might be more susceptible to illness and impair your mental functioning during the day.
