Despite decades on research on the subject, there’s still a lot about sleep that we as a society don’t know. We all need it, and we all do it, but many of the key aspects of sleep remain shrouded in mystery, and this has led to a lot of misconceptions and misinformation about the subject.

This can be dangerous, as understanding more about sleep is essential to improving your sleep health and helping you rest easy. With that in mind, here are five key facts about sleep that may come as a surprise.

Counting sheep might make it harder to fall asleep

Counting sheep is arguably the most famous piece of sleep advice out there, but that doesn’t mean it’s a good tip. While counting sheep may be successful in that it stops your mind from wandering onto potential stressors which are keeping you up, it also highlights how much you’re struggling, giving a clear indication of how long you’ve been trying to nod off.

A study from Oxford University found that counting sheep actually prohibited participants from falling asleep. Sleep experts are now offering alternative advice that doesn’t involve counting, such as walking your mind through a house you know really well.  

Your brain doesn’t rest while you sleep, your body does

Sleep allows your brain to restore rather than rest. When you sleep, your brain is actually working quite hard. This work allows it to heal and repair, giving you the energy and brainpower you need for the following day. But while your brain isn’t necessarily resting during sleep, your body is. Sleep is essential for allowing your body to rest and recuperate from the day’s efforts. This entails the release of hormones like growth hormone, as well as the circulation of nutrients to the body in the bloodstream.

Your body won’t get used to sleeping less

It’s often thought that if you get the same amount of sleep every night, your body will get used to it, even if that amount of sleep is especially low. After all, some of the world’s most well-known people claim to forego sleep for much of the night, with one of American’s founding fathers, Benjamin Franklin, writing in his autobiography that only slept five hours a night.

However, sleeplessness is always detrimental to your health, and the longer you suffer from sleep deprivation, the worse its effects can be. Missing out on sleep can impact your heart health, your weight, your emotional stability and your mental wellbeing.

Naps can be good. But they shouldn’t replace a solid night’s sleep

We’re often told to avoid napping at all costs, as it can make it more difficult to sleep through the night. But while this latter fact may be true, having a nap during the day is arguably better than simply not getting enough sleep during both the day and night.

Ideally, we would all sleep for the recommended 7-9 hours every night, but if you find yourself operating on very little sleep, a nap can help to restore some of the energy you’ve lost during the night.

One bad night’s sleep actually can make all the difference

While not catastrophic, one bad night’s sleep can be detrimental to your wellbeing. You might think that a single late night isn’t going to make much difference in the grand scheme of things, but even one night of missed sleep can impact your physical health, your mental health, and your internal body clock.

That’s not to say that you can’t enjoy a late night now and again, but prioritising a healthy sleep schedule is essential to protecting your overall health in the long run.

The best sleep happens on a high quality mattress, so check out the Perks range on our website now. You can also explore the rest of our blog for more sleep news and tips.

The post Don’t count sheep: 5 surprising facts about sleep appeared first on Mammoth Perks.

With increased research and better science, these days we know a lot more about sleep than we used to, but there is still much that remains a mystery. And because sleep is such a mysterious subject, a lot of misinformation gets spread around in place of actual facts.

By busting some of the most common sleep myths, we can help you improve your understanding of sleep. And when it comes to sleep, knowledge is power. Having a better idea of all things sleep can help you make smart decisions about improving your sleep hygiene and feeling more rested. Let’s take a look.

“You get used to not getting much sleep”

A lack of sleep takes its toll on your mental and physical health, both in the short term and the long term. After a night or two of bad sleep, you’ll find yourself feeling more tired during the day. This daytime tiredness may stabilise over weeks, but it doesn’t mean your body is functioning on all cylinders.

Instead, constant sleep deprivation can impact your decision making, memory, focus and more, as well as putting you at risk of serious health conditions because your body isn’t able to get the rest it needs.

“It all depends on how long you sleep”

While sleep duration is important, sleep quality is also a critical factor to consider, as it is involved in helping you avoid sleep disruptions. Fragmented sleep is marked by numerous awakenings, impacting your body’s ability to move through the sleep cycle. This can reduce the amount of time you spend in the most restorative stages of sleep.

“Your brain shuts down during sleep”

Despite what many people believe, the brain remains active during sleep. As you move through the sleep stages, your brain activity changes, and during REM sleep it ramps up to a level that’s similar to when you’re awake.

This brain activity is thought to contribute to sleep’s ability to support effective thinking, memory and emotional processing.

“Napping makes up for a bad night’s sleep”

Napping can indeed provide a boost of energy, but it’s not a substitute for quality, prolonged periods of sleep. For one thing, you don’t move through the stages of sleep in the same way you do when you sleep through the night.

What’s more, napping can throw your sleep schedule into disarray if employed at the wrong time of day, making it harder to fall asleep at a normal time. So though napping isn’t inherently bad (and works well for many people who can incorporate it into their routine), relying on it in exchange for a good night’s sleep isn’t  a healthy approach to take.

“Alcohol before bed helps you sleep”

While a drink or two in the evening might make you feel more relaxed, it won’t improve the quality of your sleep. In fact, it will most likely have a detrimental effect on your sleep and leave you waking up feeling tired.

Alcohol can make it easier to fall asleep, but it also throws off your sleep cycles and makes it more likely that your sleep will be interrupted.

If you struggle to get to sleep of an evening, don’t rely on alcohol. Instead, use the hour or so before bed to wind down your body and mind, avoiding bright screens and engaging in relaxing activities like stretching, reading, or taking a warm bath.

The best sleep happens on a high-quality mattress, so check out the Perks range on our website now. You can also explore the rest of our blog for more sleep news and tips.

The post 5 common sleep myths debunked appeared first on Mammoth Perks.