Palo Alto, Calif. (PRWEB) March 05, 2015
SleepRate, a company that helps people sleep better to improve their quality of life, today issued a list of the top 10 sleep-related myths and corrective facts to help support National Sleep Awareness Month, a public education campaign that kicks off in March each year to drive awareness of the significant health benefits tied to optimal sleep patterns.
To help foster greater discussion and awareness of these myths, SleepRate will host a Twitter Chat on Tuesday, March 10 at 11am PT. The chat will feature Dr. Britney Blair, Psy. D., CBSM at SleepRate and will be moderated by Andrea Metcalf, Womensforum.com Healthy Lifestyle expert. Anyone wishing to join the conversation can do so by following @SleepRate and using the #SleepMyths hashtag. SleepRate will also giveaway three Sleep Improvement Kits to active participants.
To qualify, participants must:
- RSVP on Eventbrite https://sleepratetwitterchat.eventbrite.com
- Follow @SleepRate
- Participate on March 10 at 11am PT using http://www.tweetchat.com
“We hope by issuing some top myths associated with sleep, we can assist in educating people on the health benefits of optimal sleep patterns as well as the serious health hazards of sleep deprivation, which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recently called a public health epidemic,” said Dr. Britney Blair, Psy. D., CBSM at SleepRate.
Myth #1: Everyone needs eight hours of sleep per night
Fact: Everyone has different needs, and often it comes down to genetics. Researchers recently claimed to have identified the variant “Margaret Thatcher gene” that allows some people to function normally on as little as four hours of sleep per night.
Myth #2: If you don’t remember your dreams, you aren’t dreaming
Fact: Some people are more prone to recalling their dreams than others. Often, vivid dreams are recalled because there is a disruption in your REM sleep—the cycle when most dreaming occurs. If this cycle isn’t interrupted, it’s possible that you won’t recall even emotionally intense dreams.
Myth #3: Getting up early will increase your productivity
Fact: Many people work better later in the day and even at night. The American Academy for Pediatrics has been recommending later start times at school while some sleep scientists recently began pushing for later start times at work to help fight sleep deprivation among teens and adults.
Myth #4: You can catch up on lost sleep
Fact: Numerous studies have shown that you can not “catch up” on lost sleep. One study conducted in New Zealand suggests that people who regularly try to catch up on sleep during weekends are more likely to develop obesity and diabetes.
Myth #5: Successful people don’t sleep very much
Fact: The sleep patterns of many famously successful people, such as Picasso and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, fall in the average 7-8 hour range.
Myth #6: A nightcap before bed will help with sleep
Fact: Alcohol may help you fall asleep faster, but it suppresses the REM stage, resulting in less and poorer quality sleep.
Myth #7: Warm milk before bed will help you fall asleep
Fact: Warm milk is among the many home remedies for sleep that have absolutely no evidence backing them up. That said, when it comes to your pre-bedtime routine, relaxation is a must. If warm milk puts you in a more relaxed state before bed, then by all means enjoy yourself.
Myth #8: There is no such thing as beauty sleep
Fact: Several studies have suggested that people do in fact look physically better after a good night’s rest.
Myth #9: People who have trouble falling asleep should go to bed earlier
Chasing sleep is one of the leading causes of ongoing insomnia. As counter-intuitive as it may sound, wait until you are feeling really sleepy before crawling into bed. If you still find it difficult to fall asleep, do something quiet and relaxing until the sleepiness comes back.
Myth #10: Older people require less sleep
Fact: As we age, we lose neurons in the part of the brain that controls sleep. It’s not that older people require less sleep. Their bodies simply won’t let them have it.
About SleepRate
Based in Palo Alto, California and Petach Tikva, Israel, SleepRate uses a smartphone and a heart rate monitor to accurately assess sleep issues, and offers an individualized sleep improvement plan, based on the Stanford University's CBTI protocols. This unique approach offers a level of insight, not currently available, in identifying the root causes of sleep issues and helping improve sleep. SleepRate currently offers the only solution that combines sleep analysis with steps to resolve sleep problems. The company has been founded and is led by leading experts in sleep medicine.