How much sleep you need may depend on where you live: Study
When it comes to getting a good night’s sleep, most of us have a general idea of how much shut-eye we need to feel rested and refreshed. But a new study suggests that the answer may not be the same for everyone, and that sleep needs may vary depending on where you live.
The study, conducted by researchers at the University of British Columbia, analyzed data from over 15,000 people in 34 countries to explore the relationship between sleep duration and health. What they found was surprising: not only did they discover significant differences in the average amount of sleep people get from one country to another, but they also found no link between shorter sleep durations and poor health in countries where people typically sleep less.
So, how much sleep do people actually need? The answer, it seems, is different depending on where you live. According to the study, the average sleep duration varies significantly from country to country. For instance, people in Japan sleep an average of six hours and 18 minutes, while in France it’s seven hours and 52 minutes. The United States, on the other hand, averages around seven hours and 40 minutes of sleep per night.
But what’s most interesting about these findings is that the study found no correlation between shorter sleep durations and poor health in countries where people typically sleep less. In other words, just because people in Japan are sleeping less than people in France, it doesn’t mean they’re experiencing poorer health as a result.
So, what’s going on here? Why are people sleeping different amounts, and why isn’t shorter sleep leading to poorer health? The researchers behind the study offer a few possible explanations.
One possibility is that sleep needs are influenced by cultural and environmental factors, such as lifestyle, diet, and social norms. For example, people in Japan are known for their busy schedules and fast-paced lifestyles, which may lead them to prioritize other activities over sleep. Meanwhile, people in France are known for their love of leisure time and relaxation, which may encourage them to get more sleep.
Another possibility is that the study is picking up on a phenomenon known as “sleep compression,” where people adapt to living in a society with a certain sleep pattern. In other words, if everyone in a given society is sleeping less, then people may start to feel like that’s the norm and adjust their own sleep habits accordingly.
The study’s lead author, Dr. Czeisler, suggests that these factors may be influencing sleep needs in different countries. “It’s possible that people in different countries have different sleep needs because of differences in their lifestyles, work schedules, and social norms,” she says. “It’s also possible that people are adapting to the sleep patterns in their culture, so that what might be considered ‘normal’ in one country might be considered ‘abnormal’ in another.”
So what does this mean for the average person? If sleep needs really do vary depending on where you live, what does that mean for our understanding of sleep and health?
One potential implication is that we may need to rethink our approach to sleep and health. Instead of assuming that eight hours of sleep is the gold standard, we may need to consider individual sleep needs and adapt our recommendations accordingly. This could involve using sleep diaries or other methods to track individual sleep patterns and develop personalized sleep plans.
Another potential implication is that we may need to reevaluate our assumptions about sleep and health. If shorter sleep durations aren’t necessarily linked to poorer health in countries where people typically sleep less, then we may need to rethink our understanding of the relationship between sleep and health.
Of course, more research is needed to fully understand the implications of this study. But one thing is clear: the relationship between sleep and health is more complex than we previously thought, and it’s time to start thinking outside the box.
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