Getting enough quality sleep is essential for achieving optimal health. While some of us can survive and thrive on 6 hours or fewer a night, others may need more than 9 hours to feel great. Where you fall on the spectrum can be influenced by factors such as age, lifestyle, and overall health. Generally speaking, most adults need 7-9 hours of sleep per night to function at their best and this is also what the National Sleep Foundation recommends for adults aged 18-64. It's always important to pay attention to your own body's needs and to make sure you feel refreshed and alert during the day.
What happens if you don’t get enough sleep?
Most people struggle to get enough sleep. Getting consistently less than 7 hours a night can have pretty drastic effects on long term health and wellness. It doesn’t seem like a big difference between 6 or 7 hours a night but that might make all the difference! But it begs the question: If I only sleep 6 hours a night instead of 7 hours a night? How much difference does that extra hour make?
Lack of sleep has been linked to a number of health problems, including obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. Studies have shown that people who get less than 7 hours of sleep per night are more likely to be overweight or obese. This may be due in part to changes in hormones that regulate hunger and metabolism.
When we sleep less than 7 hours, it leads to disruption of our hunger hormones such as ghrelin and leptin, resulting in increased appetite and cravings for high-carbohydrate and high-fat foods. Additionally, lack of sleep can also make us feel more tired during the day, which may lead to decreased physical activity and a sedentary lifestyle.
In addition to weight gain, lack of sleep has also been linked to an increased risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Studies have shown that people who get less than 7 hours of sleep per night have a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes and that lack of sleep can lead to an increase in blood pressure and inflammation, which are risk factors for heart disease.
And if that’s not enough, consistently sleeping less than 7 hours a night may cause depression and anxiety as well as affect your mood, memory, and ability to concentrate. YIKES!
So, it is important to get enough sleep to maintain good health and prevent chronic diseases.
“I’m not sleeping enough”. What to do?
If you have trouble getting enough sleep, and don’t feel rested during the day, try implementing some proven strategies to improve your quality of sleep or give Rack a shot!
We recently studied Rack in a population of healthy adults to see if we could help them reach that magical 7 hour mark of productive sleep. During our study we found that groups that took Rack prior to bed were able to extend their sleep from 5.8 hours on average to over 7 hours on average per night compared to both placebo and control interventions.
Short term, you may be able to survive on 5-6 hours of sleep per night but the scientific consensus is clear that the optimal amount of sleep needed for long term health and wellness is 7-9 hours a night. Don’t let life get in the way of reaching your target. Let Rack help you get that extra hour and set you up for long term success!
