The problem is not that we sleep too short, but that we do not sleep well. That is the conclusion of the largest study ever on sleep behavior. The research shows that sleep problems have more to do with the quality of sleep than with how many hours per night we sleep, says Annemarie Luik, one of the researchers at Erasmus MC.
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More than one million people worldwide took part in the study by Erasmus MC and the Amsterdam UMC, including 200,000 Dutch people. All those people were asked about their sleeping habits. Our sleep time is not that bad.
“We have trouble falling asleep, trouble staying asleep, waking up much too early and not waking up rested,” explains Luik.
The researchers believe that the treatment of people with sleep problems should focus more on improving sleep quality, such as falling asleep faster or sleeping better, rather than simply trying to extend sleep. Doctors now mainly ask what time someone goes to bed and what time someone gets up again.
Stress
This study did not look at the causes. “We know from other research that there are many reasons for this. Mental health problems such as depression and anxiety do not promote sleep.”
But lifestyle also has an influence. “Have them drink alcohol, exercise fanatically very late, or don’t go outside or see the light at all.” Stress is both a cause and an effect.
The tips will sound familiar to many people. Be careful with alcohol before going to bed, keep your room dark, and take the time to unwind before going to bed, says Luik. “Also lying awake in bed for a long time is not good for you. It is better to go out for a while, relax and then go back to bed. Otherwise your bed will be a nasty place.”
Blue light
The effects of a bad night are also recognizable to everyone. “You are more irritable and it is more difficult to concentrate. In the long term, mental health deteriorates and there may even be a connection with dementia.”
Opinions are still divided among scientists about apps that make the light on your phone or laptop more yellow in the evening. There are studies that prove it works, there are studies that contradict it. “We know that blue light keeps you awake the most. We also know that when you filter out color, our pupils enlarge to capture as much light as possible. In general, I would say, be more cautious and don’t sit in front of you with bright light “, says Luik.
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