Research suggests that sleep plays an important role in maintaining the youthful appearance of our skin, as we age. But do you know the answers to these questions about sleep?
Are we sleeping less than previous generations?
It’s a common misconception that changes to our lifestyles in modern society have had a negative impact on how many hours we sleep. This study suggests that sleep may not have declined over the last 50 years.
How does sleep vary as we get older?
While individual requirements vary, the number of hours of sleep required generally decreases as we get older. Click Here to See Sleep Duration Recommendations by the US National Sleep Foundation.
Does sleeping longer makes us live longer?
This study examined the relationship between “Sleep duration and mortality –“ It found people under the age of 65 who slept for five hours or fewer every night, all week, did not live as long as those who consistently slept seven hours a night.
However, the authors suggest sleeping in on the weekend could actually compensate for this. People who slept for fewer than the recommended seven hours each weekday, but caught an extra hour or two at the weekend, lived just as long as people who always slept seven hours!
Which country sleeps the most?
A global study published in Science Advances, which used a smart-phone app to monitor sleep showed people in the Netherlands were the most well-rested, averaging 8 hours and 12 minutes of sleep a night.
The study found that New Zealanders on average go to sleep at 10.48pm and wake at 6.54am - an average of 8 hours and 6 minutes sleep. Click here for data on The 20 countries with the most respondents
Which country sleeps the least?
Residents of Japan and Singapore had the shortest sleep duration of the 20 countries represented in the study, getting an average of 7 hours and 24 minutes of shut-eye a night.
How does gender affect sleep?
On average, women schedule 8.07 hours of sleep, while men schedule 7.77 hours. Women both go to bed a bit earlier than men and wake up a bit later. The authors say this effect is most pronounced among people 30 to 60.
