8 Hours of Sleep: Necessity or Luxury?

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Sleeping takes up half of our lives, and rightfully so. According to scientific research, it is evident that sleep is fundamental at any age. As we all know, sleep recharges the mind, body and fortifies essentially every system in the body. 

A large number of individuals have been conditioned to believe that the digit 8 is the one to remember in terms of sleep. Many follow the mantra 8 hours of work, 8 hours of relaxation and 8 hours of sleep. But, how true is this? Is conventional wisdom as reliable as we believe it to be. So, how much sleep do we really need to get in order to reap the benefits of a rested and healthy body? Those who struggle with sleep must sleep the correct amount of hours – with the aid of medicine if required – to gain the benefits. 

Without further ado, let us delve into whether 8 hours of sleep should be considered a luxury or a necessity. 

The Foundation of Good Health

Sleep entirely refreshes your body and mind. However, it is much more than just a time for your body and mind to rest. As a matter of fact, when you are asleep, your body stays active. During this time of rest, your body vigilantly works on rebuilding the muscles that you have worn out during the day. In addition to this, the toxins in your brain – that amass when you are awake – are removed as well. This plays a vital role in keeping your memories faultless. 

Furthermore, sleep works similarly in aiding you to regulate your emotions. According to experts, if an individual is sleep deprived for longer than 24 hours, their emotional response to negative feelings increases by nearly 60 per cent. Also, sleep deprivation can negatively alter your body’s capacity to control crucial functions like appetite, metabolism, immune system, as well as your body weight.

In addition to this, you might think you are getting enough sleep since you sleep 8 hours but not all sleep can be considered equal. Everyone is aware that the amount is important; however, sleep quality is just as important. You can note down these points to determine the quality: 

1) How long it takes you to fall asleep?

2) How many times do you wake up during the night?

3) How tired do you feel the next day?

If the quality of your sleep is poor, the number of hours does not matter. Similarly, if the quality of your sleep is excellent, even little sleep will do wonders for you. 

Guidelines for Sleep

These guidelines should be used as a general rule-of-thumb for acknowledging the ideal amount of sleep for children and adults while keeping in mind that it all varies from person to person. 

The perfect sleep pattern can be determined through your overall health, activities, and more. These are a few questions that will allow you to assess your unique sleeping pattern:

● Are you productive, in good health, and content on 8 hours of sleep? Or have you observed that you require a little more sleep to function properly? 

● Do you have pre-existing health issues? 

● Are your daily activities physically demanding? 

● Do you feel sleepy during work?

● Do you have difficulty sleeping? Do you have a history of that? 

● Do you actively depend on caffeine?

Sleep Duration – Age Group 

Every individual has different needs and choices. This applies to the sleep duration of every person as well. However, the average amount of sleep you need per night can be determined by your age. This is the official chart presented by experts: 

● Grown Adult (65+): 7–8 hours

● Adult (18–64 years): 7–9 hours

● Teenager (14–17 years): 8–10 hours

● Adolescent (6–13 years): 9–11 hours

●  Child (3–5 years): 10–13 hours (naps are included)

● Toddler (1–2 years): 11–14 hours (naps are included)

● Baby (4–12 months): 12–15 hours (naps are included)

● Infant (0–3 months): 14–17 hours

Additionally, the recommendation acknowledges that for certain people, there can be some room for flexibility. Sometimes, people have unusual sleeping patterns that are not considered acceptable but are optimal.  

Final Word

So, 8 hours long sleep: is it a necessity or luxury? It is, without a doubt, a necessity. Of course, the exact amount of sleep one needs varies from person to person. However, the bottom line is that 8 hours is pretty much the ideal amount for most working adults. Furthermore, you should formulate good bedtime habits such as decreasing caffeine and alcohol intake to create a good sleeping environment. 

What do you think? Sleep: Necessity or Luxury?