7 hours of sleep a night is ideal for middle-aged and old – 04/06/2022

Studies show that seven hours of sleep a night is the ideal average in middle age and old age, and people who sleep too little or for long periods of time may experience poor general well-being and more symptoms of anxiety. worry And the depression.

in the interview To Jornal da USP no Ar 1st EditionAndrea Toscanini, Clinical Physician at IPq (Institute of Psychiatry) at Hospital das Clínicas, University of the South Pacific School of Medicine (University of São Paulo) and in the Institute’s Sleep Laboratory team highlights that there is individual variation in total sleep time, time interval Between seven and nine hours is the average for 95% of people.

The clinician also pays attention to the fact that sleep deprivation is more studied than sleep deprivation, and emphasizes that both conditions are unhelpful. “Sleeping, for example, nine hours or more, has no beneficial effect,” he adds.

There is a relationship between lack of sleep and the development of degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease. Metabolic changes also accompany lack of sleep. However, it is important to note that, for the development of these diseases, the practice of sleeping must occur more or less for many years.

Cultural influence

for ToscaniniGetting less sleep has cultural implications related to productivity. Therefore, in order to get good sleep, it is necessary to “get rid of our prejudice about sleeping well”, then organize your day, reserve eight hours of sleep and 30 minutes for sleep, and finally get used to a healthy dynamic.

The importance of sleep lies in the process of cleaning metabolites of chemical reactions and protein products from the body, which occurs only at rest. This cleansing occurs in the second stage of sleep, when we are in a deep sleep.

The doctor ends by saying that the ally in good sleep practice is the professional, a relatively new field but focused on specific issues. She also explains that there is a need to carry out sleep study on the basis of medical courses, this is a persistent issue in other medical fields, precisely because sleep disorders are so prevalent, affecting more than half of the Brazilian population. the scientist.