5 myths about sleep, in which it is time to stop believing

A person's sleep is one of the most mysterious states. It is shrouded in many myths and conjectures, and some of them play a disastrous role for human health. We have collected the most popular ones and are ready to debunk them.

Myth 1. You can sleep it off for the future or "catch up" with hours of sleep deprivation

Alas, but if you think that you can then make up for lost hours of sleep, exhausting yourself with lack of sleep, we hasten to disappoint you: you can't "catch up" with a dream. As well as sleep for the future.

The body needs a certain time to recover, and this process is cyclical, i.e. a person can not recover in a dream on Monday for 5 hours, and on Saturday - for 10. The intervals must be equal. The typical misconception that you can get enough sleep for the future on the weekend can lead to sad consequences, because sleeping a lot is no less harmful than not getting enough sleep. Ideally, you should calculate your day so that uniform periods are allocated for rest.

Myth 2. Increased physical activity before bed helps you fall asleep faster

Many people believe that if you give your body a serious physical activity before going to bed, you will be able to fall asleep faster. In fact, any activity causes an acceleration of blood circulation in the body, which naturally leads to the excitation of muscles and tissues, and not to their relaxation and calming. As experts say, all activities should be finished about three hours before bedtime.

Myth 3: The older we get, the fewer hours of sleep we need

Scientists have proven that the elderly should sleep no less than the young. The norm of sleep is 7-9 hours, depending on the individual characteristics of the person. Although this does not negate the fact that many older people suffer from problems with falling asleep, insomnia and early rises. They can be caused by chronic diseases and other health problems. The body would like to sleep longer, but it can not, although it needs additional hours of sleep.

It was also noticed that the daily cycle of the elderly really shifts, which is why they begin to get up earlier and go to bed earlier. In addition, the elderly often sleep during the day, thereby reducing their night sleep.

Myth 4. Sleep is a time of rest for the brain

Numerous studies have shown that the brain works even more actively and productively during sleep than during wakefulness. Therefore, a person needs sleep to relax the body, as well as the nervous system. The brain itself does not stop working, because someone has to monitor the breathing and activity of the heart. But due to the fact that the brain does not have to be distracted by the movements of the body, it gets some relief.

Myth 5. A warm bed and a thick blanket will help you fall asleep faster and get a better night's sleep

Traditionally, in the imagination of many, the picture is drawn that if you wrap yourself in a warm blanket and curl up, you can fall asleep faster and get a great night's sleep. In fact, this is not the case at all.

The room should be fresh and cool. The best option will be a temperature of 18-20 degrees. According to doctors, in this case, a person sleeps more comfortably and he recovers faster. Ideally, you should leave the window ajar all night. But the option of good ventilation before going to bed is also suitable. You should sleep under a blanket — then sleep will be easy.