Home Additional Reading Shut-Eye: The Myths That Are Dragging Us Down

Shut-Eye: The Myths That Are Dragging Us Down

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sleep

If you haven’t read the news, or the scientific journals to be precise, sleep is a big talking point right now. It was once regarded as something that we just “had” to do in order to survive, and various high-profile anecdotes almost promoted the notion that you should stay out of bed whenever possible.

Of course, as time has progressed, so have opinions. A lack of sleep has been associated with a whole host of nasty conditions, while it also wreaks havoc with the way that you look as well. In relation to the latter, it can lead a lot of people to a facelift, for the simple reason that it can make your face look a lot older than you really are.

So, sleep has become a real minefield over the last few years. It’s also attracted plenty of misinformation and through today’s post, we will take a look at some of the key myths that have arisen which surround it.

Myth #1 †You don’t need sleep

Well, this first myth has almost been covered. We have already spoken about all of the anecdotes that have historically done the rounds about famous individuals who survived on as little as five hours sleep per night.

Now is the time to banish such thoughts from your mind. While these individuals certainly did survive, it wasn’t doing them any good. A lack of sleep has been associated with umpteen different long-term health problems †so quit believing this first myth before it’s too late.

Myth #2 †Count sheep

OK, there’s more to this next myth than the subtitle might suggest. For people who are struggling to sleep, one suggestion has been to persevere in a bid to eventually get to the land of nod (and a lot of people supposedly count sheep to achieve this result).

As it turns out, this couldn’t be further away from the truth. If you do follow this approach, you are much more likely to develop an association between your bed and insomnia. Ultimately, in the future, it can become even harder to fall asleep.

Instead, it’s time to get up, do something, before reverting back to your pillow at a later time.

Myth #3 †Alcohol before bed makes you sleepy

Well, it does, but that doesn’t mean to say that having alcohol before bed is a good idea. Sure, it might help you drop to sleep on the sofa, but that’s where its “benefits” stop. From a longer-term approach, alcohol wreaks havoc with the quality of your sleep. It won’t give you sufficient amounts of REM and ultimately, the quality of your sleep has eroded. The result? You’ll be more tired than ever by the next morning.

Myth #4 †TV should not be used as a relaxing tool

By a similar token, your TV is also commonly used as a method to relax. However, the blue light side effects are there for all to see †these lights emitted from devices like TVs signal to the brain that it should be staying awake. Less melatonin is produced, and the result is that it can be more difficult to fall asleep.