Sleep Time… Regular 6 hours is better than irregular 8 hours.

While getting enough sleep is important, research suggests that regular sleep patterns can have an even greater impact on health. While we all know that getting enough sleep is beneficial, this is welcome news for those who find it difficult to achieve eight hours of sleep due to their busy schedules.

Recently published in the journal Sleep Studies have shown that maintaining a regular sleep pattern of even six hours a night can lower the risk of premature death, rather than sleeping irregularly for eight hours a night.

 

Using data from the UK Biobank, researchers examined the association between sleep patterns and health and mortality risk in over 60,000 participants. They found that participants in the top 20% for sleep regularity had a lower risk of death from all causes than those in the bottom 20%, the most irregular sleep patterns. Those in the top 40% for sleep regularity had a lower risk of death from heart and metabolic diseases, cancer, and other causes than those in the bottom 20%.

The explanation is that if you have regular bedtimes and wake-up times, your body's biological rhythm will work much more efficiently, which can help you fall asleep easily and maintain deep sleep.

 

Conversely, irregular bedtimes can fragment sleep and disrupt your circadian rhythm, making it difficult for your brain to predict when to sleep and wake. This can lead to difficulty falling asleep and waking up.

 

Circadian rhythm refers to the internal biological processes that occur in a 24-hour cycle.

 

While it's been proven that even a little less sleep is beneficial to your health, experts agree that adequate rest is still crucial. Ideally, it's best to maximize your sleep time and maintain a regular sleep pattern.

 

Maintaining a regular bedtime and wake-up time isn't easy for modern people with busy lives. It's inevitably influenced by various variables, such as job, family composition, and social status. However, for a healthy life, it's best to strive for consistency as much as possible.

 

After observing your daily routine for a week, set your target wake-up time based on the earliest time you wake up. Since eight hours of sleep is ideal, subtract eight hours from your wake-up time or adjust your sleep time based on your usual schedule or circumstances to determine your bedtime. It's also a good idea to factor in the fact that it takes at least 15 to 20 minutes to fall asleep. Once you've set a target time, get started right away. Don't forget that weekends are no exception.

 

==============

How many minutes does it take you to fall asleep?

It depends on my condition that day.

Yesterday, I fell asleep for about 15 minutes.

And some days I toss and turn for about an hour.