Mental illnesses, dementia and sleep time are closely linked in adults. In the journal Nature Aging, researchers have wondered about the ideal duration during which we should sleep to allow our brain to be as fit as possible.
A baby who sleeps well is better able to adapt to situations and manages his emotions more easily than a baby who sleeps irregularly. To have cognitive flexibility, to think effectively, to be creative, and to generally feel good, adults too should stick to a sleep pattern. But which one?
Scientists have studied a large database in the United Kingdom gathering the results of 500,000 people between 38 and 73 years old. They measured their sleep time based on certain factors: their mental health, brain function, genetics and cognitive factors. And they came to a conclusion about the ideal amount of time to sleep each night.
Respect the prescribed dose of sleep
You should sleep 7 hours, on a regular basis. It was the subjects who respected this rhythm who had the best mental health and whose cognitive results were the most satisfactory. You might think that sleeping more is beneficial, but the researchers point out that those who slept less, like those who slept more, had lower scores.
Obviously, this estimate is relative, because it involves being able to sleep in the best conditions so that the brain can rest and regenerate during the night. And in fact, our mental state affects the quality of our rest times. Seven-hour nights punctuated by awakenings will not have the optimal effectiveness described by the researchers.
A previous study (Korean) had come to the conclusion that to be in good physical health, you should ideally sleep between 6 am and 10 am.
Source: The brain structure and genetic mechanisms underlying the nonlinear association between sleep duration, cognition and mental health, Nature Aging, April 2022.
Read also:
- Here’s why women have more restless (and therefore less restful) sleep than men
- Melatonin and sleep disorders: what are the benefits? for who ? how to choose ?
- What is the ideal time to go to bed?
