Why sleep a lot is also harmful. Harvard version

We recently introduced you to a Huffington Post study on the effects of sleep deprivation. It turned out that just one day of lack of sleep can lead to overeating, deterioration of attention and memory, excessive emotional excitability and other negative consequences. If you do not get enough sleep systematically, then the risk of stroke, obesity, diabetes mellitus and other clinical changes in the body increases.

But as scientists at Harvard University recently discovered, excess sleep is no less destructive than lack of sleep.

The study, led by Elizabeth Devore, involved a group of women who were members of a large prospective study on the health of American nurses. Between 1986 and 2000, subjects' sleep habits were studied, and they were interviewed three times about memory and thinking over the past six years.

Devore and her colleagues found that women who sleep 5 hours or less a night and sleep 9 hours or more have lower performance than those who adhere to the norm and sleep 7-8 hours. In addition, it was found that the lack and excess of sleep makes the subjects psychologically two years older, compared to volunteers who sleep 7-8 hours.

Our research has shown that adherence to a sleep schedule (7-8 hours is the average) can help preserve memory; Clinical interventions based on sleep therapy should be studied as they can help avoid mental deterioration.

Why memory?

This and a number of previous studies show that people who do not sleep well have higher blood pressure, diabetes, and vasoconstriction. As a result, the blood flow to the brain decreases, which needs oxygen and glucose to function effectively.

Lack of sleep can impair memory in other ways. It was found that in the body of mice that were not allowed to sleep, the transmembrane protein beta-amyloid is formed more intensively. In the human body, beta-amyloid is the basis of amyloid plaques in Alzheimer's disease. Their concentration in the brain impairs memory and thinking and increases the risk of dementia.

Many are not enough

Does this mean more sleep is needed to preserve memory and other cognitive functions? It turns out not.

According to scientists, people who spend more than 9-10 hours a day in bed have poor sleep quality. And the quality of sleep, in turn, also affects memory and thinking.

Thus, sleeping a lot is just as bad as a little.

12 steps to perfect sleep

Observe the regime. Go to bed and wake up at the same time. Get into the pleasant bedtime habit. Take a relaxing bath, for example.
You can sleep in the bed or have sex. Don't read, watch TV, or eat in bed.
If you can't sleep for 15-20 minutes, get up and walk around the house. Do something peaceful. For example, read under a night light. Do not turn on the computer or TV - the light from the monitor or screen, on the contrary, will excite, not "lull". Return to bed when you feel sleepy. Do not set the alarm forward if you fell asleep later than planned.
Go in for sports. Get at least 45 minutes of daily exercise into your schedule. Exercise in the morning and practice yoga before bed to relax your body and mind.
If possible, schedule difficult, stressful tasks in the morning. Having solved them, by the time you go to bed, you will feel calm and peaceful.
Don't go to bed hungry. But don't eat just before bed. Looking for a snack at night? Eat an apple or light salad.
Avoid caffeine at least 2 hours before bed.
Avoid drinking at night to avoid waking up and running to the bathroom.
Don't drink alcohol at dinner. Many people think that it helps to relax, in fact, alcohol only worsens sleep.
Make sure your bed is comfortable and the room is dark and quiet. Use, for example, a sleep mask and earplugs.
Breathe correctly before going to bed: take a slow deep breath in and out.
Taking a nap during the day is good. The main thing is not to overdo it. Read about how much and how to take a nap here.