A New Study Says There Are 4 Different Sleep Types. What’s Yours?
You probably know your personality type very well, such as whether you’re an introvert or extrovert.You may even know your love language.But have you ever considered the type of sleep you get?
Researchers at Pennsylvania State University recently released a study to help people determine the type of sleep they get and its impact on their overall health.The study, published in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine, included data from 3,683 middle-aged adults in the United States.Twice during the 10 years of the study, participants reported their chronic health status and sleep metrics-sleep duration, satisfaction, regularity, alertness, and efficiency.
The researchers then categorized the participants into the following four different sleep types:
- Good sleepers: people with ideal sleep habits
- Weekend catch-up sleepers: people who sleep irregularly and less on weekdays and sleep more on weekends or days off
- Insomniacs: people who don’t sleep as much and are sleepy during the day
- Nappers: people who sleep well but often nap during the day
Good sleepers: people with ideal sleep habits Weekend catch-up sleepers: people who sleep irregularly and less on weekdays and sleep more on weekends or days off Insomniacs: people who don’t sleep as much and are sleepy during the day Nappers: people who sleep well but often nap during the day
“Now, obviously we don’t see people who sleep well.If you’re sleeping well, you’re not going to see a sleep doctor.But a lot of times we see people in other categories,” he said.
More than half of the study participants were “poor sleepers” or insomniacs.Over the 10-year study period, the participants’ sleep type remained largely unchanged.
“These results may indicate that it is very difficult to change our sleep habits because sleep health is integrated into our overall lifestyle.It may also indicate that people are still unaware of the importance of sleep and sleep health behaviors,” study author Soomi Lee said in a press release.
Researchers have found that insomniacs are more likely to suffer from health problems such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and depression.Nappers were also more likely to suffer from these diseases, but at a lower rate than insomniacs.
Lee says this study and others show that “getting optimal sleep has many health benefits.In addition to increasing the risk of heart disease or stroke, irregular sleep patterns can increase the risk of diabetes, dementia or mood disorders.
Sleep, Lee says, “gives the brain a chance to rejuvenate.So sleep helps clear out a lot of things that the brain needs to clear out.”
While most people know that insomnia is a problem, excessive napping can also mask sleep problems.”My concern with napping is that it may indicate an underlying sleep problem – for example, sleep deprivation or poor sleep quality,” said Dr. Mira Tadros, assistant professor of medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York.(Tadros was not involved in the study.)
Tadros says, “If someone finds that they need a nap when they didn’t need one before, or just find that their sleepiness is worse in the afternoon, it’s important to really assess their sleep and the quality of their sleep.”
Those who catch up on sleep on weekends or days off should also consider their resting habits.
“It’s not optimal either.The ideal is to get the same amount of adequate sleep every night. ……I think a lot of us are guilty of that, where we stay up late at work or fulfill family obligations or things like that and we’re so tired that we then catch up on our sleep,” Lee said.
A regular sleep schedule is ideal.Whether it’s Saturday night or Wednesday night, you should go to bed at approximately the same time and you should get up at approximately the same time.
How to improve your sleep
Not sleeping well can be frustrating – is there anything worse than tossing and turning at 2:30 a.m.?For starters, you should be proud of yourself for wanting to sleep better.”As with any problem, recognizing the problem is the first step in solving it,” Lee says.
Adults should get seven to nine hours of sleep each night.
Tadros says it’s important to unwind before bed so you can put yourself in a relaxed state.To do this, she suggests meditating, reading or taking a warm bath or shower, avoiding screens before bed, and reducing your intake of caffeine and alcohol.You also don’t want to work or study until bedtime, Lee says.Sleeping in a cool, dark environment also helps.
“Try to avoid doing anything in bed that has nothing to do with sleep or intimacy,” Lee says.”This includes working, talking on the phone, watching TV, reading a book, etc., because the longer you’re in bed without sleep, the more your body gets used to it …… This is one of the connections we really want to eliminate.”
The Penn State study focused on the chronic health problems that can result from insomnia – a condition that requires medical care, not just the interventions mentioned above to improve sleep.
“When you can’t sleep at night or you wake up in the middle of the night, you get really scared and feel like you’re on an island,” Lee says.But many people struggle with insomnia.In fact, it’s one of the most common sleep problems doctors see.
He adds that if the above advice doesn’t help you get a better night’s sleep, or if you still feel tired after getting enough sleep, then there may be other reasons.
“You’re not alone – a sleep doctor can help you, and your PCP can help you,” Lee says.