How many hours should you sleep?
One thing in advance: There is no one answer to questions about sleep - what is ideal for the individual can vary greatly from person to person. In addition, needs change depending on age and living circumstances.
“Fashions” and indeed the zeitgeist also play a role: for centuries it was said to be completely normal to sleep intermittently at night, with a break of an hour or even several hours. It is said that this was sometimes even used and planned as an extra time of the day, by doctors, for example, scientists, the church - or in private for telling stories and reading.
Today, at least in Western societies, this is not desirable for most people. The phenomenon of interrupted sleep still occurs frequently and is known as the “wolf hour”. Those affected wake up between three and four o'clock in the morning and cannot go back to sleep. A remnant from earlier times? Possibly - the scientific explanation for waking up at this time is usually due to the hormone level in conjunction with the drop in body temperature.
Those who know this from their own experience will probably not be comforted by this, as they just want to sleep through the night - preferably 8 hours of sleep in a row night after night: These are generally considered ideal for adults.
How much sleep do adults need?
There are no general rules for how much sleep you need and how many hours of sleep you need to feel rested. However, several surveys come to the conclusion that most people in Germany, more than half in any case, consider 7 to 9 hours of sleep to be sufficient. However, that obviously doesn't mean that people actually sleep that much: a study commissioned by the Techniker Krankenkasse, for example, showed that around 60 percent of adults only get 6 to 7 hours of sleep on average.
Far fewer percent say they sleep up to 12 hours - at the other end of the scale are those who get by on 5 hours of sleep or less. Prominent examples show that this does not have to be detrimental to energy levels and work performance: whether Winston Churchill, Napoleon or Thomas Edison - it is apparently no obstacle to being extremely productive in under five hours.
Overall, the three belong to a minority of approximately one percent of short sleepers who need less than six hours of sleep, even over long periods of time, in order to get a good start to the day. Like many things, from what is known, predisposition plays a crucial role in what type of sleeper someone is. In practice, of course, that doesn't mean that it can be lived afterwards. Just think of previous presidents like Barack Obama or former Chancellor Angela Merkel, who hardly had the opportunity to follow their natural sleep rhythm while in office. Obama is said to have resorted to medication to shorten his sleep while maintaining the same level of performance. It's probably not for nothing that he once said before the end of his presidency that one of the first things after leaving office would be to sleep for two weeks at a time. And Merkel, who has earned a reputation for having an extraordinary constitution during her long years in office, also dispelled the rumor in an interview that she only needs four to five hours of sleep. According to the then Chancellor, in order to be in a fairly consistently good mood, it has to be more than that on a regular basis.
How much sleep is too little?
Apart from a worse mood, what threatens those who sleep contrary to their natural rhythm, i.e. don't get enough rest at night? Scientists largely agree that chronic or prolonged lack of sleep endangers health. “Too little sleep makes you stupid”: This truism can be confirmed by students who like to stay out late, as well as shift workers.
However, limited short-term memory, difficulty concentrating and drowsiness are the more harmless symptoms of poor or too short sleep. The German Society for Sleep Research and Sleep Medicine cites the more serious consequences as increasing the risk of depression, heart disease, high blood pressure and even certain types of cancer - apart from the fact that almost every fourth traffic accident is attributed to drowsiness at the wheel.
It is obvious that it cannot be a good idea to compensate for sleep problems with alcohol or tablets. In both cases there is a risk of dependency and further health problems - and wine and beer do not even help in the short term. This is simply because alcohol deprives the body of water: This means you have to go to the toilet more often than usual at night and are also more thirsty. Sleep researchers also warn that even small amounts of alcohol before going to bed reduce the quality of sleep. Even if it is easier to fall asleep, the particularly important deep sleep is impaired. In the second half of the night, physical recovery and regeneration are at the expense if this sleep phase is shortened and interrupted by more frequent waking.
Is too much sleep unhealthy?
When people don't sleep enough, their health can deteriorate. But what happens to the body and brain when people sleep too much? Studies show that too much sleep is also harmful. Long sleepers who sleep too much over a long period of time are more likely to develop illnesses, back pain, depression and heart disease. What matters, however, is how you feel after a night. If you feel refreshed, well rested and can perform at your best during the day, then sleeping for a long time can also represent the right amount of sleep.
Influence of sleep phases
The recovery value of sleep also depends on the different sleep phases that people go through several times during the night. To evaluate your own optimal sleep duration, it is helpful to know the individual sleep phases.
The sleep phase
The falling asleep phase is part of the non-REM phase. Sleep in this phase is very light. The muscles are not yet completely relaxed. Brain activity slows down.
The light sleep phase
The second phase in the non-REM phase is the so-called light sleep phase. The muscles increasingly relax and the body temperature drops. Activity in the brain continues to decrease.
The deep sleep phase
During the deep sleep phase, breathing and heartbeat slow down. Blood pressure drops and very slow brain waves can be detected in the brain. The deep sleep phase is also part of the non-REM phase.
The REM phase
REM stands for Rapid Eye Movement. The eyes move quickly back and forth under the lids. So while the body falls into absolute relaxation, the brain processes the events of the day. In particular, the areas responsible for long-term memory are working in this phase. The REM phase is also the sleep phase in which people dream.
After the REM phase ends, the sleep cycle begins again. The body then returns to the light sleep phase.
Our four tips for a healthy sleep so that you can wake up refreshed
We have already shown that it is not just the length of sleep that matters when it comes to healthy and restful sleep. The quality of sleep is at least as important.
People can do something to ensure good quality sleep. Below we list the most important tips and tricks for increasing sleep quality.
Tip 1: Build routines
Bringing regularity to your sleep rhythm creates the basis for a restful sleep. The body can adapt to this regularity and adapts to the bedtime. Ideally, this routine should not be interrupted even on weekends.
Tip 2: Exercise in everyday life
Regular exercise and regular sport also have an extensive impact on the quality of sleep. Exercise leads to more balance in everyday life and is therefore an important factor in increasing the degree of recovery during sleep.
Tip 3: Avoid alcohol and caffeine
In particular, consuming alcohol and caffeine immediately before going to bed has a negative impact on sleep quality.
In particular, drinking alcohol to relax after a stressful and demanding day is not a good idea in terms of the quality of sleep and avoids holistic recovery during sleep.
Tip 4: Improve sleep quality with the right bedding.
The sleeping environment and the sensation of sweating at night have a major effect on the quality of sleep. Night sweaters in particular often complain about restless nights. For example , temperature-regulating bed linen to prevent night sweats can promote restful sleep.
