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Less sleep is healthy! New studies are revolutionizing sleep needs!
New studies show adults may need less sleep than previously thought. Learn more about optimal sleep duration and health.
Less sleep is healthy! New studies are revolutionizing sleep needs!
New findings about sleep: Scientists at Yale and Oslo universities have looked into the question of how much sleep adults actually need. According to their studies, less than the generally accepted seven to eight hours per night could be enough to lead a healthy life. Instead, the optimal sleep duration appears to be between 6.7 and 6.8 hours, as shown by analyzes of around 7,000 test subjects over a period of five years. These results were published in the respected journal Nature Medicine when [fr.de](https://www.fr.de/ratgeber/gesundheit/ Schlaf-stunden-nacht-erwachsene-ommendation-stunden-forschung-forschung-immunsystem-herz-zr-93449903.html) reported on them.
Changing sleep needs
The new research raises the question: Is less sleep really a problem? The studies show that subjects who slept an average of only 6.7 hours generally remained healthy. Previous studies that assumed longer sleep duration were often based only on participants' self-reports. The German Society for Sleep Research and Sleep Medicine (DGSM) now recommends adapting the duration of sleep to individual sleep needs. According to the Healthy People Initiative, an adult needs an average of 6 to 9 hours of sleep per night, with around 7.5 hours considered optimal. This was also supported by [deutsche- Schlafberatung.de](https://deutsche- Schlafberatung.de/wie-viel- Schlaf-bedarf-ein-mensch/).
It becomes clear that sleep duration is not the same for everyone and depends on different factors such as age, state of health and genetic influences. Younger adults between the ages of 18 and 21 need an average of 8 hours, while older adults often have similar sleep needs as younger adults. What is particularly striking is that lack of sleep in Germany has increased over the last three decades and many citizens complain about not getting enough sleep. This general sleep deficit not only has physical but also psychological effects and could significantly affect the quality of life.