How Long Can You Go Without Sleep

Most people know that sleep is an integral part of a healthy lifestyle. Still, you may know someone who brags that they function perfectly well with just a few hours of sleep every night.

Key Takeaways

• 7-8 hours of sleep is optimal for most adults, according to clinical sleep medicine.
• Chronic sleep deprivation or too little sleep increases risks of common sleep disorders, depression, and weakened immunity.
• Lack of sleep impacts memory, weight, and immunity and may lead to a sleep disorder.
• "Catching up" on sleep won't reverse long-term effects of deprivation.
• Sleep regulates mood and focus, crucial for preventing common sleep disorders.
• Maintaining good sleep hygiene is key to avoiding too little sleep and related health issues.

What Are The Benefits of Sleep?

Most people know that sleep is an integral part of a healthy lifestyle. Still, you may know someone who brags that they function perfectly well with just a few hours of sleep every night.

Is this true? Perhaps. But it's certainly not the norm. Scientific research has proven time and again that we need sleep for our physical and mental health, and serious health consequences, such as the following, may befall individuals who chronically lack sleep:

Risks of Not Sleeping Enough

Not getting enough sleep daily could have detrimental consequences. This is why getting a good night's sleep is imperative. Suffering from sleep deprivation could result in any of the following health-related issues:

• Depression
• Excess stress and anxiety-related disorders
• Other mental health problems
• Sleep disorder
• Diabetes (disturbance with the blood sugar)
• Heart attack and stroke (heart disease)
• Hypertension (high blood pressure)
• Weight gain (poor physical health)
• Disturbed sleep cycle (incorrect sleep schedule)
• Inflammatory bowel diseases
• Decreased immune function
• Poor sleep patterns
• Poor sleep quality (feeling tired when waking up)
• Chronic sleep deprivation

Benefits of Getting Sufficient Sleep

• Healthy weight maintenance
• A strong immune system
• Improved memory
• Improved mood
• Clearer thinking
• More focus
• Better overall physical and mental health
• Maintaining proper sleep patterns (easier to fall asleep and reduce their risk of sleep disorders)
• Ability to reach rem sleep (feeling relaxed and well-rested when waking up)

Causes of Sleep Deprivation

Just as with the risk when it comes to less sleep, the causes can be in correlation to the risks. Less sleep can cause these issues as mentioned above while at the same time, some of these issues can result in sleep deprivation.

• Sleep apnea
• Depending on sleep medicine
• Anxiety
• Stress
• Constant worrying
• Not maintaining a sleep diary
• Not ensuring a comfortable sleep environment
• Maintain comfortable temperature settings in the bedroom
• Lack of bedtime routine

Again, the list could be endless. Above, we listed a few of the root causes of why someone might have trouble sleeping, having sleep problems, and not sleeping enough.

How Much Sleep is Enough?

According to research recently conducted in Italy and the UK, those who get an average of 7 to 8 hours of sleep every night are the healthiest. These individuals will also live the longest. That is, it was found that “people who sleep for less than six hours each night were 12 percent more likely to die prematurely.”

Oddly enough, there was also an increased risk of premature death for individuals who slept longer than nine hours every night, leading researchers to contend that an average of 7 to 8 hours of sleep per night is optimal.

Of course, the 7-8 sleep range is ideal only for a certain percentage of the population. Babies and children, for instance, require much more sleep. A newborn baby needs at least 14 hours of sleep every night, according to the Sleep Foundation. Preschoolers need about 10 to 13 hours of sleep every night.

Can you “catch up” on sleep?

Yes and no. As you have undoubtedly experienced in your own life, if you go several nights with limited sleep, you're bound to feel renewed and refreshed on that night when you finally catch 7 to 8 hours in. On the other hand, research has shown that the negative health effects that occur because of lack of sleep cannot be "fixed" by "catching up" on sleep.

Required Sleep For Improved Health

Here are three key ways that getting enough sleep can help you improve and maintain your health.

Boosting Your Immune System

You’ve probably heard before that lack of sleep can cause illness. Unfortunately, many people make the mistake of believing this to be an old wives’ tale.

In fact, it’s quite true.

Lack of sleep can impair your immune system, making it more likely that you’ll develop an infection after being exposed to a virus or that you’ll succumb to another disease that’s linked to the ramifications of poor sleep. For instance, because it’s harder to maintain a healthy weight when you don’t get enough sleep, obesity may be an issue, and obesity is linked to cardiovascular disease, heart attack, and stroke.

Overall, everyone’s immune system functions much better on at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night.

Improving Memory

Research has proven time and again that with better sleep comes better learning and an improved memory. The learning and acquisition process, as well as the consolidation and recall processes, are all enhanced when you get adequate sleep.

Maintaining Healthy Weight

For both children and adults, not getting enough sleep can have terrible implications for the waistline5. Much of this has to do with chemicals that are released in your brain when you are sleep-deprived. If you're not getting enough sleep, your brain may get signals that it's hungry (when it shouldn't be: in the middle of the night). Later in the day, this may cause you to consume excess calories. Your lack of sleep may make you more tired and less likely to exercise as well.

All of these factors combined can make you gain weight, and the snowball effect may be cumulative. Adequate sleep, on the other hand, will leave you feeling rested during the day and not inclined to consume any more calories than your body would normally need. All of this will help you maintain a healthy weight and feel better and stronger overall.

How To Cultivate Healthy Sleep Habits

If you’d like to improve the amount of sleep you get each night, try these six tips for cultivating a healthy sleep regimen:

Set a Time For Going To Sleep And Waking Up

Many people who don't get enough sleep, live by the credos that they'll “go to sleep when they're tired” and “wake up when they've had enough sleep.”

Although this would be quite a convenient way to live, most of us need to establish regular sleep-wake cycles in order to get the right amount of sleep every night. The best way to do this? Establish a regular bedtime and a regular wake time for yourself, and stick to these times every day — even if it's on the weekend.

Ensuring a Comfortable Sleep space

If you've been having trouble falling asleep, it could be that your sleep space is not optimally comfortable. It's definitely okay to spend some time enhancing the cozy factor in your bedroom.

Do this by investing in a better mattress. Pick out some sheets, blankets, and pillows that make you feel calm and rested inside. Be purposeful in your selection of pajamas, and make them as comfortable as possible.

Also, use a diffuser or essential oils with relaxing scents before bed. Listen to peaceful music or nature sounds. All of these things will promote calm, peace, and relaxation for better sleep.

Avoid Stimulants at Night

Ingesting certain stimulants before bedtime can make falling asleep and staying asleep more difficult. It's best to avoid things like alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine, for example. While something like alcohol may make you feel drowsy, it can actually have ramifications for your sleep in that it may make you wake up in the middle of the night.

Exercise Daily

While it may seem counterintuitive because exercise is supposed to "pump you up" and make you feel more energized, exercise during the day actually facilitates better sleep at night. According to Johns Hopkins University, “Recent research indicates that exercise decreases sleep complaints and insomnia in patients".

Try Sleep Apps

Technology to the rescue! If you’re a tech guru (or just need a little extra help), sleep apps like pzizz and Sleep Genius can be especially wonderful for the cultivation of good sleep habits. pzizz encourages better sleep through the use of sound and music. Sleep Genius is an app that “tracks and treats sleep problems".

Reduce Stress In Your Life

Stress-relief techniques such as meditation, yoga, mindfulness, and pilates are especially useful at reducing daily stress. If you tend to have a lot of stress throughout your day, using these techniques and others (long walks, massage, time spent with friends and family, a relaxing bubble bath) will help stop you from ruminating on worries and fears before bed — something that can easily prevent quality sleep.

Sleep For a Better Health

While sleep may not have been at the top of your list when it came to your health before, take to heart that sleep is actually just as important to your wellbeing as the food you eat and the exercise you do.

The good news is that it’s never too late to become a good sleeper. Furthermore, improving your sleep habits doesn’t require fancy equipment or even too much physical effort. It’s simply about building some basic steps into your daily and nightly rituals and cultivating habits that will make sleeping 7 to 8 hours a night a routine part of your life. Sleep affects a lot of bodily functions, from mood to health-related issues.

Sleep is the best meditation.

— Dalai Lama

References

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/05/100504095109.htm

https://www.sleepfoundation.org/articles/how-much-sleep-do-we-really-need

https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/sleeping-in-on-the-weekend-wont-help-you-recover-from-lost-sleep

https://web.archive.org/web/20190325204255/https:/pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/133/6/1013.long

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/exercising-for-better-sleep

https://pzizz.com/

https://advancedbrain.com/sleep-genius/

Disclaimer

The contents of this article are provided for informational purposes only and are not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. It is always recommended to consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making any health-related changes or if you have any questions or concerns about your health. Anahana is not liable for any errors, omissions, or consequences that may occur from using the information provided.