Monday, February 28, 2011

Sleep myths that make you tired

1. Many people are “short sleepers”

Fact: If you genuinely require less than 6 hours of sleep a night, you’re a rarity. A just-discovered genetic mutation does enable some people to function okay on 20 to 25% less sleep than average, but—here’s the catch—researchers estimate that fewer than 1% of people have the trait.

2. Napping only makes you more tired

Fact: Some people swear that quick naps make them sleepier, but a snooze that’s less than 20 minutes should perk most of us up.

3. Exercise too close to bed keeps you up

Fact: That’s not true for everyone. In fact, research shows that even vigorous exercise right before bedtime doesn’t cause trouble sleeping for many people (and in some cases it may help).

4. It’s normal to nod off during a meeting

Fact: It’s normal to feel slightly less energetic in the afternoon because of your body’s natural circadian rhythms. But you shouldn’t feel like your head’s about to droop while your group VP is giving a 4 PM presentation or when your preschooler is explaining why Superman is better than Batman. If your eyelids feel heavy, you’re too tired, says William C. Dement, MD, PhD, the Stanford University scientist known as the father of sleep medicine.

Read more at the link.

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