Introduction to sleep durationMost experts say that there is no magic number for the amount of sleep a person needs to get and that it all depends on individual cases. Different age groups needed different amounts of sleep and every individual has different needs.
It is just like any other characteristic of a person, some people may not need as many sleeping hours as another person to function well and to get through the day.
Even though there is no best number, many say that seven hours of sleep a night is the best possible amount for someone, though many cannot function without at least nine hours.
There are two essential factors that show that there is no magic number for all people. One is the person’s basal sleep need, which is the amount of sleep the body needs on a regular basis for optimal performance. The other is sleep debt, which is the accumulated sleep that is lost to poor sleep habits, sickness and other environmental factors.
Basal sleep should be around seven or eight hours every night, but complications occur when this and the sleep debt are intertwined.
A person might get their basal sleep every night for a week but there still may be some leftover sleep debt from when they were sick or study hard for an exam and did not sleep well for an extended period of time.
Even though there is still a lot to be learned about basal sleep, it has been shown that sleeping too little can have a negative effect on productivity and the ability to remember things. Lack of sleep can also lead to more serious health problems and can also put a person at risk. Risks of sleep depravation
When a person does not get enough sleep they are more prone to committing motor vehicle accidents, they are more likely to gain a lot of weight, they are also at a greater risk of diabetes and serious heart problems and there is also an increased risk of psychiatric conditions such as depression and substance abuse.
When people do not get enough sleep they are also more prone to attention deficit disorder and not being able to focus on things. They will also have much slower reaction times and will not be able to remember information and memorize facts and events.
Sleep depravation can effect the mood, performance and alertness, and in some instances it can result in serious injuries, even death.
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