The eight-hour sleep rule is being questioned: how much sleep do people really need?
Translated from Lithuanian and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.
At a glance
- The long-standing recommendation that adults sleep eight hours dates to a 19th-century idea dividing the day into eight hours each for work, leisure and sleep.
- A growing body of evidence suggests eight hours may not be the right amount for everyone.
- The discussion draws on a new review publication about adult sleep needs.
For decades, the answer to the question of how much sleep an adult needs seemed simple: eight hours. That rule is now being questioned.
The idea emerged in the middle of the 19th century, when the division of the day into eight hours of work, eight hours of leisure and eight hours of sleep first became established.
But growing evidence suggests that eight hours may not be the most suitable amount of sleep for everyone. A new review publication has renewed the discussion about how much sleep adults actually need.
Originally published by Delfi in Lithuanian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.