Getting one hour less sleep per night than needed won't affect you.Getting even slightly less sleep can leave you feeling less energetic, hinder your ability to think properly and respond quickly,
affect cardiovascular health, and make it more difficult for your body to fight off infections, particularly if the lack of
sleep continues.
Your body quickly adjusts to different sleep schedules.Our biological clocks are programmed so we're more alert during the day and more drowsy at night. Most people can reset their
internal clock by one or two hours a day, but it can take a week or longer to adjust to dramatically altered sleep/wake cycles,
such as when traveling across time zones or switching from the day shift to working overnight.
You need less sleep as you age.Older people need just as much sleep as other adults, but they often get less or find it less refreshing because they spend
less time in deep, restful sleep and might be easily awakened. They also tend to suffer from aches, pains, and medical conditions
that can disrupt sleep.
Extra sleep can prevent daytime fatigue.It's not just how much you sleep but how well. Some people sleep eight or nine hours but don't feel well rested because of
poor-quality sleep.
You can make up for sleep loss by sleeping more on weekends.This pattern will help relieve part of the sleep deficit, but it won't completely make up for it. Nor will it make up for
impaired weekday performance. Sleeping later on weekends can make it more difficult to fall asleep on Sunday night and get
up early on Monday.
Naps are a waste of time.Naps aren't a substitute for a good night's sleep, but they can be restorative. Napping after 3 p.m., though, can make it
tougher to fall asleep at night. It can also be difficult to shake off the cobwebs if you nap for more than an hour.
Snoring is normal.It's common, especially as we age. But snoring on a regular basis might make you sleepy during the day and more susceptible
to heart disease and
type 2 diabetes, according to growing evidence. Loud snoring could be a sign of
sleep apnea, a serious condition in which breathing can stop during sleep for as long as a minute. Untreated, sleep apnea can lead to
high blood pressure and other cardiovascular disease,
headaches,
impotence, memory problems, and
weight gain.
Children who don't get enough sleep will show signs of sleepiness during the day.Unlike adults, children who are sleep-deprived typically become more active during the day, behaving improperly and having
difficulty paying attention.
The main cause of insomnia is worry.Although stress can cause short bouts of insomnia, a persistent inability to fall or stay asleep generally stems from a number
of factors: a reaction to medication,
depression or
anxiety, or
asthma,
arthritis, or other medical conditions with symptoms that worsen at night.
