Is Getting Less Than 8 Hours Of Sleep Bad For You?
Short answer
Getting (much) less than eight hours of sleep per night on a consistent basis can be negative to your health, but it really comes down to your age and body's response.
A fairly even ratio of beneficial and harmful qualities. Moderation is important. Very general topics that can lean towards both sides of the spectrum will be placed here as well. Rice, for example, can be good or bad depending on the type.
View Full Grading System
Category 'A'
Very healthy and numerous health benefits. Side effects are rare. Things rated an 'A+' are typically necessary for survival (for example, water).
Very healthy and numerous health benefits. A few harmful qualities may be associated, but only under certain circumstances such as an allergic reaction.
Very healthy and numerous health benefits. Harmful qualities may be associated, but aren't usually serious.
It is important to note that even the best things in life can become bad in immoderate amounts. So, although something may be rated an 'A+', overconsumption/overdoing can bring unwanted effects.
Category 'B'
Very beneficial to your health. Things rated a 'B+' may have a few harmful qualities to pay attention to.
Overall beneficial to your health. Things rated a 'B' may have some harmful qualities to pay attention to.
More beneficial to your health than not. However, harmful qualities are most likely associated and shouldn't be overlooked.
The main difference between category 'A' and category 'B' is the harmful qualities typically present in 'B' items. Serious side effects are usually uncommon, but are still possible and should be taken note of.
Category 'C'
Both beneficial and harmful qualities associated. Things rated a 'C+' are typically a bit more on the beneficial side. Still, moderation is important.
A fairly even ratio of beneficial and harmful qualities. Moderation is important. Very general topics that can lean towards both sides of the spectrum will be placed here as well. Rice, for example, can be good or bad depending on the type.
More harmful than beneficial. Side effects are common, especially when consumed/done excessively. Moderation is very important.
Category 'C' usually denotes to both good and bad qualities. When it comes to this category, it is important to keep this word in mind: moderation.
Category 'D'
Harmful to your health. Although benefits may be associated, the bad most likely outweighs the good. Moderation is very important.
Harmful to your health. A few benefits may be associated, but the bad outweighs the good. Moderation is extremely important.
Harmful to your health. Very few, if any, benefits are present. Things in this category should be avoided as much as possible.
Category 'D' is typically for things that are more harmful than beneficial. While consuming/doing something unhealthy once in a blue moon shouldn't hurt, we definitely recommend eliminating 'D' items as a regular part of your routine/diet.
Category 'F'
Category 'F' is for things that fail to bring anything beneficial to the table, and are very harmful to your health. We recommend completely avoiding anything in this category. Long-term side effects of 'F' items are usually very serious.
Category 'N'
'N' stands for neutral. Things placed into this category are generally (a) neither good nor bad for you, or (b) lack the necessary evidence to reach any conclusions.
Long answer
We hear it all the time: you need to get eight hours of sleep a night! But is there truth to this? If you are regularly getting less than eight hours of sleep per night, you may be at risk for some negative consequences. However, this issue isn’t as cut-and-dried as people may think.
The amount of sleep a person needs is largely dependant on their age. Babies need the most, followed by children and teenagers, pregnant women, adults, and finally adults aged 65+. Everyone is different, even at the same stage in life, and individual needs will vary. For average adults, though, health risks start to occur once they are consistently getting less than six or seven hours. If this becomes a habit, they may find themselves putting on extra weight, experiencing heart problems, or dying sooner than they may have otherwise. This lack of sleep can also leave them feeling groggy, unmotivated, unable to pay attention, and unable to perform their daily tasks.
This is not to say that the more sleep you get, the healthier you become. In fact, the opposite is true, and many of the issues seen with too little sleep can be seen with too much. Don’t think that you absolutely need eight hours to be healthy. Anywhere from six to nine may be ideal for you. Pay attention to your body and the clues it is giving you. Is your skin looking dull? Are you having trouble concentrating? You may need to get more sleep. Don't overdo it, though!
Possible short-term side effects
- tiredness
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lack of concentration
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difficulty performing tasks
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irritability
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decreased memory
Possible long-term side effects
- memory / emotional problems
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weight gain
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increased probability of accidents
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early death
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Written by Lindsay
Published on: 12-29-2015
Last updated: 12-10-2016
Thank you for your feedback!
Written by Lindsay
Published on: 12-29-2015
Last updated: 12-10-2016
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