You probably don't need 8 hours of sleep for a optimal brain health, as per science

Many of us have been led to believe that a full eight hours of sleep is what's most important for a optimal brain health, but a 2018 study challenged the notion.

The study, published in DovePress, suggests that our sleeping patterns can be different, but the brain can still be healthy. The findings of the study can be suprising after all, contrary to conventional thought.

Sleeping for eight hours straight has always been seen as essential for brain health. However, the study, analyzing brain scanning data, has shared interesting things on this belief. It questions the idea that shorter sleep durations automatically shrink the brain.

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Our need for sleep is determined by genetics, just like how tall we are or what color our eyes are

Depends on various factors (Image via Vecteezy)

It's a well-known fact that lack of sleep can leave us feeling groggy and unfocused the following day.

However, recent claims suggesting that regularly getting too little sleep not only raises the risk of Alzheimer's disease but even shrinks the brain have generated concern. That has led scientists to question the accuracy of the widely accepted eight-hour sleep rule.

The aforementioned study, which involved a meticulous analysis of brain scanning data, challenges the assumption that shorter sleep durations have a direct correlation with brain shrinkage.

This groundbreaking research presents a significant departure from the previous belief that insufficient sleep is detrimental to brain health.

Alzheimer's and sleep do not have a direct link, as per the study (Image via Vecteezy)

One study suggests that the average amount of sleep we need is around eight hours and 40 minutes, give or take a few minutes.

Get this, though: about 13.5% of us may need 9 hours or even more. There's this paper that talks about the ideal amount of sleep, which says that the recommendations from health authorities are important, but they don't take into account that each person is different.

Here's the thing - these recommendations are mostly based on studies where people report their own sleep duration. So, they might not be very accurate. Also, they're more focused on how much sleep people are actually getting, rather than how much they truly need.

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Researchers are clear about something: there's no magic number for sleep that applies to brain health

Need more study and research (Image via Unsplash/ Stefano B)

The right amount of sleep is different for each individual, based on a bunch of factors.

Sleep is a very complex phenomenon, with several factors influencing brain health. While duration is undoubtedly essential, the quality of sleep, including factors like restorative sleep cycles and uninterrupted rest, plays a critical role in brain health.

Several studies has been saying that not getting enough sleep increases risk of Alzheimer's, but the aforementioned one challenges that claim. It doesn't mean that sleep isn't important, but the direct connection between sleep duration and Alzheimer's needs more investigating.

Other factors also play a key role. (Image via Unsplash/Alina G)

Everyone's different, and that means our sleep needs are different too. Researchers are advising us to follow our body instead of obsessing over the standard eight-hour recommendation.

By figuring out what works for us, we can focus on getting the sleep for brain health and ready to tackle the day.