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Sleep requirements
Ok, so everyone is told that we need a certain amount of sleep every night (usually 8 hours, sometimes more). My question is, does it matter if all X hours are in a row? Or is it equally healthy to, for example, sleep 6 hours and then take a 2 hour nap?
In case there is a difference, I am interested in knowing the answer to this question both from a general health point of view, and also in relation to muscle regeneration (following weight lifting/ fitness activities). Please do answer even if you only know one or the other.
Thanks.
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i actually had to watch a video about this in science class. yes, it does matter that they are all in a row. that is because there are different stages of sleep before you reach a deep sleep. so if you only sleep for an hour, you're not going to go through the different stages. they did an experiment on a guy and had his sleep broken into 30 minute parts, and then he would have to perform simple tasks, such as mowing a lawn or doing math on a computer. after two weeks of having only 30 minute naps, he was quite messed up and couldn't think straight. so while sleeping for six hours and then taking a two hour nap is still okay, don't do anything completely drastic, like break it into four hour parts because that's not healthy. i'm not quite sure about the muscle regeneration, but i would suppose that fitness activities would not yield many results because you don't have enough time to regenerate the muscle.
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Adults usually need about 8 hours of sleep- I think 8-9 hours is considered healthy, but getting too much or too little sleep is not a good idea.. it's best to stick to a sleeping schedule.
It's healthier to remain in a deep sleep for all 8 or so hours, rather than take a nap in between. ( or before/after). Your body (and mind) needs time to regenerate and be fully rested, so it's best to have a deep sleep. I did read somewhere though, that having an afternoon nap (20 min. or so) is actually a good idea, and keeps you more energized.
For your second question regarding fitness.. I'm not so sure about that, but I do know that my best hours of sleep were spent after excersizing- mind and body.
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No, its not the same at all is you break up your sleeping. there ae different stages of sleep, and the one that really regenerates your body is REM (thats when you dream). To get to REM you have to go through some other stages, so it takes some time. Also, the more sleep in a row you get the more REM you get and the more refreshed you will feel. Muscles work the same way, REM not only refreshes your mind but your muscles. It is actually harder on your body to break up sleep like that often.
Thats not to say that taking naps is bad - as long as it is in addition to a substancial amount of sleep in a row.
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It's not the same if you split it up. In order to go into "deep sleep" mode you have to be asleep for a few hours. During that time is when your body gets the most rest. Here's some articles with more information. There are a lot more of them out there so if you want more information just use a search engine.
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