Insufficient amount of sleep lowers our concentration, has a bad effect on our well-being and can be very harmful in the long run. How much sleep is enough? This varies from person to person, but most people need at least eight hours of sleep. Some disagree and claim that they can cut their sleep by at least two hours. However, research shows that just six hours of sleep is almost as harmful as none.
Lack of sleep it is very harmful for an individual's physical and mental health, but it also affects productivity, well-being and appearance. Recent research but it seems that it is just six hours of sleep is almost as harmful as none at all. This is true, of course, if six hours of sleep is a habit, not an exception. The research participants were asleep up to six hours a night over a period of two weeks. Their functioning (they were measured on cognitive tests and their reaction times) was at the same level as people who fasted for two days in a row. The difference was in theirs self-assessment of fatigue and functioning.
Those who were sleep deprived for two nights in a row knew that their functioning was worse. On the other hand, participants who slept six hours a night felt that their performance was completely normal and that they are not very sleepy. So the main conclusion of the study is that although we may not feel tired, for most of us, six hours of sleep is not enough in the long run. Our reaction times are extended, which is especially dangerous if we are involved in traffic, and our concentration is much worse.
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