TAMPA (Fla.), July 6, 2021 - Three consecutive nights of sleep deprivation can cause significant mental and physical decline. In Annals of Behavioral Medicine, a new study examined the effects of sleeping less than six hours per night for eight consecutive nights. Experts say this is the minimum amount of sleep needed to maintain optimal health in adults.Soomi Lee (assistant professor in the School of Aging Studies, University of South Florida) was the lead author. She found that the greatest increase in symptoms occurred after one night of sleeplessness. The severity of mental and physical health problems grew steadily, reaching their peak on day 3. Research shows that the human body became accustomed to sleepless nights. Participants reported severe physical symptoms on day six.Lee stated that many people believe they can pay their sleep debt on weekends, and still be productive on the weekdays. However, this study shows that even one night of sleeplessness can have a significant impact on your daily functioning.The Midlife in America study had data on nearly 2,000 middle-aged adults, who were healthy and well-educated. 42% of them had experienced sleep loss at least once night and slept 1 hour less than usual. Researchers were able to examine how sleep loss affects the body by keeping track of their mental and physical behavior for eight consecutive days.Participants described feeling angry, anxious, lonely, irritable, and frustrated as a result to their sleeplessness. Participants also reported more physical symptoms such as upper respiratory problems, gastrointestinal issues and other health concerns. These symptoms and negative emotions were present for several consecutive nights and did not return to their baseline levels until they had a rest period of at least six hours.One-third of Americans sleep less than six hours a night. Lee states that once this becomes a routine, it is increasingly difficult for the body to recover from a lack of sleep. This vicious circle can lead to a worsening of one's professional well-being. Lee conducted a previous study that found that even losing 16 minutes of sleep can have a negative impact on job performance. Lee's previous research also showed that minor sleep losses can lead to a decrease in daily mindfulness. This is an important tool for managing stress and maintaining healthy routines.Lee suggests that you should sleep for six hours every night to keep your daily performance high.###
