Though it may seem counterintuitive, sleep is a busy time for your body.
Various processes are at work that help everything from your cardiovascular system to your brain function at their best.
Its because of this that getting enough sleep canimprove your overall health, which may help boost your longevity.
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While inadequate sleep can have the opposite effect, so too cantoomuch sleep.
The recommended amount of sleep varies by age, and teenagers and children generally require more sleep than adults.
Sleep also helps regulate your metabolism and how your body releases hormones.
Sleeping too little also puts you at risk for being involved in potentially fatal accidents.
Health Risks of Too Much Sleep
Its not just too little sleep that can be harmful.
Sleepingtoo muchcan be a sign of health problems, too.
Regularly needing extra hours of sleep could be a signal that something is wrong.
Alcohol ingestion in the evening can also disrupt normal sleep and result in poor sleep quality.
Sometimes more overt symptoms of depression are not present; exploring this possibility with a healthcare professional is important.
What Is the Best Sleep Duration for Longevity?
Research indicates that the sweet spot for sleep duration is seven to eight hours a night.
However, the amount of sleep that a person needs can vary from individual to individual.
In one study, researchers followed over 21,000 twins for more than 22 years.
They asked questions about the twins sleep habits and looked at their longevity.
The participants were asked questions at the beginning and end of the study.
The questions concerned sleep duration, use of sleep medications, and quality of sleep.
Using sleep medications, which indicates trouble sleeping, also increased the risk of mortality by about a third.
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