15 incredible facts about sleep
It’s something we all do every day (for a third of our lives, in fact) but you may be surprised to learn how little scientists really know about sleep. But of what we think we know, how much is myth and how much is fact? BuzzFeed asked three experts to find out.
1. You can’t “train” yourself into being able to get by on less sleep.
2. The idea of “catching up” on lost sleep is false – getting 12 hours on the weekend won’t make up for the weekdays you only got six hours.
3. When you’re sleep deprived, you may wake up in the middle of the night (during REM sleep) to find you can’t move your body. This is called sleep paralysis.
4. Some people suffer from REM sleep behaviour disorder, which causes them to act out their dreams while asleep and have no memory of doing so the next morning.
5. The amount of “deep” sleep you get decreases from the age of 40. Between 80 and 90, it will have disappeared altogether.
6. Certain parts of your brain are more active during REM sleep than when you’re awake.
7. It’s possible (and even normal) for some people to sleep the entire night with their eyes open and wake up feeling perfectly rested the next day.
8. If you go to bed with your phone in the same room, on average, you’ll lose up to an hour of sleep each night.
9. “Somniphobia” is a fear of falling asleep. It’s common in children and those who experience recurring nightmares or insomnia.
10. Between 0.5 and 1.5 per cent of the population are naturally able to feel fully rested after just four or five hours of sleep.
11. Between two and three per cent of the population need at least 10 hours sleep in order to feel fully rested.
12. The higher altitude you’re at, the harder it is to fall asleep, thanks to the decrease in oxygen which leads to central sleep apnoea.
13. According to the National Sleep Foundation, 18 to 20°C is the optimal temperature for a good night’s sleep.
14. If you want to take a nap, between 20 and 30 minutes will give you the best results energy wise.
15. In some southern European and South American countries, a daily afternoon nap is the norm. In China, a nap after your lunch break at work is a constitutional right.
Tell us in the comments below, which of these facts surprised you the most?