When it comes to the bedroom, few guys would reject a little more
mystery and surprise. But leave the girl out of it and what’s left to do
in there? Sleep. For optimal health, doctors recommend you spend
one-third of your time snoozing. But is that really necessary? Is it
more important to hit the sack than fit in a late-night gym session?
What if your schedule only allows for 5 or 6 hours a night? Sleep is
full of uncertainty, so we asked the experts to clarify some of the
unknown.
Q: Is 8 hours of sleep each night really necessary?
A:
Almost every sleep physician recommends adults sleep for 7 to 8 hours
every night. But everybody is different, according to Dr. Neil Kline, a
sleep physician and representative for the American Sleep Association.
"You need what you need," says Kline. "Some people may only need 6
hours, while others won’t function as well unless they get 8. There
isn’t one specific amount of sleep that every person needs."
If
you feel drowsy during the day—at work, in the car—you’re not getting
enough sleep, Kline says. It’s as simple as that. If you’re still unsure
how many hours your body needs, make it a goal to lay your head for 7
to 8 hours a night to guarantee optimal mental and physical performance.
Q: Do I benefit from the extra few minutes of sleep I get by hitting "snooze"?
A:
Only if they give you a chance to finish up a cool dream. "It's
unlikely that the extra 10 to 15 minutes will make a dent in your
nightly sleep deficit," says Gerard T. Lombardo, M.D., director of the
Sleep Disorders Center at New York Methodist Hospital. Chances are, that
deficit is growing: According to the National Sleep Foundation,
Americans are sleeping 6.9 hours per night—much less than the 8 hours
usually needed for good health.
The desire to hit "snooze" comes
from the instant reaction that drives you to shut off whatever blaring
monstrosity just invaded your deep, peaceful sleep. May we suggest a
more genteel alternative? Rather than scare you out of bed, a Zen alarm
clock ($100, now-zen.com) uses a gradual series of chimes to rouse you,
leaving you less groggy.
Q: What if my schedule only allows for 5 to 6 hours of sleep each night?
A:
Sleep is a basic biological need, so there’s nothing—not caffeine, not
exercise—that can replace it. "Most adults need at least 7 hours of
nighttime sleep," says Dr. Mary Susan Esther, president of the American
Academy of Sleep Medicine. "But if your schedule doesn’t allow that,
break sleep up into parts (five hours at night and a daytime nap)." It’s
almost as beneficial.
Chances are if you only have time to sleep
5 or 6 hours a night, a daytime nap is improbable. Stick to your
shorter sleep schedule during the week, and pay back the debt on
Saturday or Sunday. While sleeping in on weekends can disrupt your
sleep-wake cycle and result in more fatigue, it’s still better to
replace the sleep you miss during the workweek than to continue
accumulating a sleep deficit. "It’s not ideal to wake up at 6 a.m.
during the week and sleep until 10 a.m on weekends, but getting sleep
[even in odd fragments] is always better than the alternative," says Dr.
Esther.
Q: Is it worse to skip exercise or to get too little sleep?
A:
If you're short on time, it's healthier to get a full night's sleep and
do a quicker workout every few days, says Jeffrey Gould, M.D., a sleep
expert and clinical assistant professor of neurology at Temple
University. Chronic inadequate sleep can lead to high blood pressure,
obesity, heart attack, and stroke, not to mention 100,000-or-so car
accidents per year. Best-case scenario: Hit the rack early so you can
wake up in time for a full workout. If that's too much of a squeeze,
sleep the full night and shorten your workouts—but up their intensity:
less time between lifting sets, faster pace for cardio. You can hack
it—after all, you'll be well-rested.
Q: After a night out drinking, I often wake up early and exhausted. Why?
A:
Because boozing and snoozing don't mix. "The adage 'Tie one on for a
good night's sleep' isn't true," says Gerard Lombardo, M.D., director of
the Center for Sleep Disorders Medicine & Research at New York
Methodist Hospital. Alcohol will help you fall asleep faster, but it
also inhibits deep REM sleep, so the slightest noise or movement can
wake you. What's more, alcohol relaxes your throat enough that the brain
may think you're choking and jolt you awake. How to ensure a good
night's sleep? Stop drinking at least 4 hours before going to bed, Dr.
Lombardo says.
Q: Why do I wake up 2 minutes before my alarm goes off?
A:
Your body has an internal clock (circadian rhythm) that adapts to sleep
and wake patterns. "People like the assurance that an alarm is going to
be there, but we have the ability to set our own mental alarm," says
Dr. Esther. It may not be exactly to the minute, but numerous sleep
studies show that people can condition themselves to wake up at certain
times without the blaring buzzer.
Train your internal clock by going to sleep and waking up at the same time for 7 days straight.
Q: Can a night owl become a morning person?
A:
Yes—with a little effort. Light exposure is the biggest influence on
your sleep-wake schedule, says Dr. Kline. If you want to become an early
riser, commit to a specific wake-time for at least 7 days in a row and
expose yourself to bright light—it’ll reset your internal clock.
Being
a lark or a night owl is a genetic inclination, says Dr. Esther. "If
you keep to a regular schedule, you can adapt. But you probably don’t
change your basic nature."
Q: What is the best way to make up for a sleepless night?
A:
"The only way is to catch up on that sleep," says Dr. Kline. "You’re
going to need to pay back that sleep debt." You can choose to be
miserable until it’s paid off, or you can find some free time and a dark
corner to curl up for a nap.
Caffeine can postpone the
inevitable for some time, but no chemical will replace good
sleep—eventually you’re going to need to crash. Everybody has the
occasional bad night—it’s no cause for concern. Just try to wind down a
little bit earlier the next night to get back on track.
Q: When is sleep a symptom that something more serious may be wrong?
A:
Chronic daytime sleepiness—drowsiness that goes on for more than two
weeks—is the number one sign that you may have a sleep disorder, says
Dr. Kline. Sleeping too much or too little is a symptom of a variety of
health problems such as depression, anxiety disorders, or a thyroid
problem.
If you’re concerned about your sleep hygiene, discuss
symptoms with your primary care physician. He or she will determine if
an appointment with a sleep specialist is necessary.
Q: What goes on in my brain while I’m out cold?
A:
Sleep is an active process. "You don’t just relax and let yourself
sleep," says Dr. Esther. "There is a complex biological system at work
while you’re sleeping." So complex, in fact, that scientists still don’t
know exactly what goes on when we’re out cold.
But one thing is
certain: Sleep is restorative. Our bodies release certain chemicals when
we’re asleep that help promote good heath and strengthen the immune
system. This is especially true during rapid eye-movement (REM) sleep.
Brain scans of people experiencing REM sleep show activity comparable to
that of being awake. This is why Dr. Kline warns against pulling an
all-nighter. "It is much better to get the benefits of sleep, than to
study [or work] through the night."
