We are beginning to know that sleeping poorly is as bad for the body as it is for morale. According to a recent study conducted by the University of South Florida (in the United States), it only takes 3 “bad nights” to feel the maximum psychological impact of lack of sleep.
To reach this conclusion, the American researchers worked with a group of 2000 volunteers: they filled in a “sleep diary” for 8 consecutive days while their physical and mental state was regularly assessed. In the end, during the observation period, 42% of the volunteers had (at least) a “bad night”, with a shorter sleep time of at least 1.5 hours compared to the usual.
Verdict? The researchers discovered that the psychological symptoms of lack of sleep (irritability, nervousness, the feeling of anger, the feeling of loneliness, the feeling of frustration …) manifested themselves from the first “bad night”: on the other hand , these symptoms were maximal after 3 “bad nights”.
Get at least 6 hours of sleep per night to protect your health (mental and physical)
Regarding the physical symptoms of lack of sleep (respiratory problems, pain, gastrointestinal disturbances, etc.), these were maximum after 6 days of “bad nights”.
“Many people think that we can pay off a sleep debt accumulated during the week during the weekend: our study shows that a single insufficient night can have an impact on the daily functioning of the person.“analyze the researchers, who published their work in the specialized journal Annals of Behavioral Medicine.
American researchers estimate that a “good night’s sleep” lasts at least 6 hours. On average, according to the latest Public Health France barometer published in 2017, the French sleep 6 hours and 42 minutes per night during the week.
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