Latest study on sleep optimality

[Pluvious]

One of life’s challenges… The right kind, and amount of heavenly sleep…

Researchers from the University of Cambridge and Fudan University say seven hours is the ideal amount of sleep for people in their middle age and upwards, with too little or too much sleep associated with poorer cognitive performance and mental health.

Sleep plays an important role in enabling cognitive function and maintaining good psychological health. It also helps keep the brain healthy by removing waste products. As we get older, we often see alterations in our sleep patterns, including difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep, and decreased quantity and quality of sleep. It is thought that these sleep disturbances may contribute to cognitive decline and psychiatric disorders in the aging population.

In research published on April 28, 2022, in the scientific journal Nature Aging, scientists from the UK and China examined data from nearly 500,000 adults aged 38-73 years from the UK Biobank. Participants were asked about their sleeping patterns, mental health, and well-being, and took part in a series of cognitive tests. Brain imaging and genetic data were available for almost 40,000 of the study participants.

By analyzing the data, the team found that both insufficient and excessive sleep duration were associated with impaired cognitive performance, such as processing speed, visual attention, memory, and problem-solving skills. Seven hours of sleep per night was the optimal amount of sleep for cognitive performance, but also for good mental health, with people experiencing more symptoms of anxiety and depression and worse overall wellbeing if they reported sleeping for longer or shorter durations.

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https://scitechdaily.com/forget-8-hours-scientists-discover-ideal-amount-of-sleep-in-middle-and-old-age/

[True Dough]

1. I have given up on trying to attain "optimal sleep"

Too many studies. Too much emphasis on the need to get a solid seven or eight hours of sleep or else health consequences.

I have long been an irregular sleeper. Usually out by around 1:30 a.m. (sometimes as late as 2-3 a.m.). I get about four hours then wake up. I read for an hour or two and then doze off for another 1.5 to 2 hours.

I wake up refreshed and that's that.

After reading so many studies stating that I'm doing it wrong, I raised it with my doctor years ago and he said, "Are you dragging your butt around all the time?"

No, I said, I feel fine.

Then don't worry about it and get on with life.

And I have.

[hlthe2b]

3. read my comment below about biphasic sleep patterns. This is not unusual or abnormal.

[True Dough]

12. Thanks for that

I'm resigned to it, one way or another. Works for me!

[hlthe2b]

2. Quality of sleep matters every much (or more) than quantity. My peeve at the simplistic overview

that so many recent studies provide that do not fully analyze time in each sleep stage but only total time in sleep... Quantity is important but that is not the end-all.

Further, until the advent of electricity, biphasic sleep periods were the norm, sleeping for a few hours once it got dark, getting up to read or do some few hours of activity, and then returning to sleep for several more hours. Those with self-described insomnia may well be merely reverting to that tendency.

But, no doubt that sleep is the long underappreciated health preserver and illness recovery enabler. So, I hope this at least starts convincing people to make it a priority.

[Midnight Writer]

8. I've always slept in two "shifts". 5-6 hours at night, then a nap of 1-2 hours later in the day.

If I don't get my nap, I seriously drag later in the day.

[Historic NY]

4. I tend to fall into that range or less

I've been using the z quill or like to help get better sleep. A decade plus of working 12-8 or 10-6 on nights still make for some insomnia.

[Gore1FL]

7. 3rd shift work in my earlier career part of my problem too.

I tend to move to later and later bedtimes if I don't watch it.

[Historic NY]

9. Yes, mine has a lot to do with pain

from old injuries. I was tested for sleep apnea and the Dr told me you don't more for 4-5 hrs. and then your restless. He never asked about pain and assumed it was apnea.

[tblue37]

5. But if you get up several times a night, then your sleep is disturbed, and you might

not be able to assess how much you're really getting.

[Gore1FL]

6. Once in like 5 years have I received a "Good" sleep rating from my Fitbit.

I tend to under-sleep by a couple of hours each night and my REM sleep is rare. I've found MMJ edibles help to improve this, but not enough to consistently achieve even 6 hours.

[Chalco]

10. After several years of insomnia, I slept 7 hours consistently for the last month

Here's my story.

First, I did Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Insomniacs. This helped a little but the therapist also told me that it was ok to take over the counter drugs like Zquil and Doxylamine Succinate. Those both work but Zquil is addictive and both are not good for your brain long term. (Check the research) My problem was I'd take the Zquil and get to sleep and then the next night obsess about how I was going to get to sleep without it. Same with Doxy. Which didn't help my sleep.

Second, I stopped drinking alcohol. I'm not a heavy drinker, just one a day. That didn't help.

Third, I started meditating. This helped. What I realized from meditating twice a day, 10 minutes morning and evening, was how uptight my body was, how anxiety was in control. With meditation, I found out what it felt like to not be anxious. I was so relaxed. The other thing about meditation was learning the skill of turning off the thoughts in my head. I would wake up in the middle of the night and immediately think of something I had to do the next day and start obsessing about when and how to do it. I learned to shut that thinking off. So all of that helped but I still had trouble some days. But, I was sleeping at least 7 hours about 3-4 days a week.

Fourth, I got a Fitbit. My Fitbit Inspire 2 measures activity and sleep. I have always exercised. Didn't need the Fitbit for exercise. i used it to get the sleep data. Time in light sleep, REM sleep, deep sleep and time awake. Now, I wondered whether I would feel pressure from seeing this data, become anxious and not be able to sleep. The opposite happened because of the meditation skills I had developed. Also, the Fitbit calculates the quality of sleep. More REM and Deep sleep the higher the number.

I've been waking up 2 to 4 times a night for years. (As you get older this is natural. I don't need to pee. This is a natural sleep pattern as you get older.) After each awakening, I had to figure out how to get back to sleep. I used meditation to calm me down and drift off to sleep. My sleep improved to an average of 5 days a week for 7 hours each day.

Fifth and last change, I changed my sleep schedule. In the past I went to bed at 11 pm and woke up between 6:30 and 7am. Now, I go to bed at 10 pm and still get up at 6:30 to 7. That change gives me 9 hours in which to get 7 hours sleep. That way when I wake up at night I have more time to get back to sleep. I'm more relaxed. I don't worry whether I'll get enough sleep. For example, the third time I woke up from last night to this morning I woke up around 5:30am. I opened the Fitbit and it said I had 6 hours, 11 minutes sleep so far. I went back to bed. It took me about a half hour to bet back to sleep by meditating and then I woke up at 7:11 and had reached my goal of at least 7 hours sleep.

Lastly, another trick I use (for myself, the therapist said not to do this but it helps me get out of my head) is I watch late night comedy shows on demand to get to sleep at 10. Sometimes when I wake up in the middle of the night and I'm having trouble getting back to sleep I turn the TV back on and watch some more. Comedy heals my mind every night.

I was determined to get a good night's sleep. For the last month, everyday I've been happy. Before this I'd spend each day wondering whether I'd sleep that night. I don't have to do that any more. There's nothing like being happy! I recommend it highly.

[Pluvious]

14. Thank you for sharing your story

We too journeyed a similar path, tho no Fitbit.
You’ve inspired me to look into that.

When trying to fall asleep, I’ve learned it’s crucial to avoid any form of emotional or stimulating subjects in my thoughts. Thinking about tomorrow’s tasks or challenges will be disastrous.

One trick which works for me - to quiet my thoughts - is listening with headphones to a dull story, or performing so routine boring task, like folding laundry. Listening to music is bad; too stimulating.

Also tart cherry juice before bed can help, but the sugar is a downside.

Before retiring, watching dull gameplay videos or poker tournaments (recordings of live streams) work well to lull me into getting drowsy.

It’s so great to get that solid sleep

Cheers

[Fix The Stupid]

11. Three words: Restless Leg Syndrome.

Sheer torture. Wouldn't wish this on hitler.

No idea what "sleep" even is...

[Doodley]

13. You wouldn't wish restless legs on Hitler.

[Fix The Stupid]

15. Hey, I got a stalker!

Gonna send me any more stupid PM's?

Imagine...this place as your main focus in life...now that is sad.

[Phentex]

16. Yes! I think I get this more when I've had sugar a few hours before...

It seems more noticeable but I also get it when I've walked too much. It's the dang worst! The only thing that helps is for me to get up and move for a bit.

also common in people with ADHD.

[yellowdogintexas]

17. I have had trouble with insomnia for years, and never woke up feeling

truly rested. In the fog for couple of hours at least after I got out of bed

I have fibromyalgia and can no longer sleep much longer than 5 hours at a stretch because my body starts to rebel from lying in one position .

So my doctor sent me for a neuro evaluation and that dr ordered a sleep study.
Turns out I have Central Sleep Apnea which originates in the brain. My sleep study showed I stopped breathing 65 times an hour.

So now I have a CPap machine. I hate the damn thing but I do feel better when I wake up even if I only get 4 hours.

When I first got it my cat wouldn't get in bed with me for 3 days!

Sleep research is indicating that Central Sleep Apnea may be the root cause of SIDS. The theory: baby's reflexes are not well formed enough to begin breathing again after a lapse.