Sleeping eight hours is no longer enough: what specialists say

Sleeping eight hours no longer guarantees restful rest If the nervous system remains on alert due to technological overstimulation and environmental stress. The feeling of morning exhaustion, even after complying with the recommended schedule, became one of the most frequent consultations in sleep medicine units during this last year.

Professionals in the area warn that the traditional approach focused exclusively on the number of minutes spent in bed became obsolete in the face of the new dynamics of the current pace of life.

According to a recent study published by National Geographic, the modern brain faces increasing difficulty in completely disconnecting from external warning signals, which generates a latent wakefulness state.

This phenomenon prevents the body from moving smoothly through the stages of deep sleep and the REM phase, essential for memory consolidation and complete physical restoration.

The impact of the digital sleep hygiene It is one of the determining factors that neurologists analyze in this month’s scientific publications. Exposure to blue light and constantly receiving notifications before closing your eyes alter the natural production of melatonin, the hormone responsible for inducing rest.

When this process is interrupted, the body can remain lying down for eight hours, but the brain continues to process information at superficial levels. This causes what experts call «fragmented dream»where imperceptible micro-awakenings occur that break the natural architecture of rest.

Sleep quality and circadian imbalance

The specialists in chronobiology They highlight that the time at which rest begins is as relevant as its duration for metabolic balance. Going to sleep after midnight, even if you complete the requested eight hours, often conflicts with natural biological rhythms and exposure to dawn sunlight.

This imbalance causes awakening to occur in an inappropriate phase of the cycle, generating that characteristic heaviness and lack of mental clarity that accompanies many people during the first half of their life. work day.

Regularity in the times of going to bed and getting up is thus presented as the most effective tool to stabilize the central nervous system.

What habits can break your rest?

Another critical component that experts mention is diet and the consumption of stimulant substances in the hours before resting at night. He consumption of caffeine, alcohol or excessively heavy dinners It forces the digestive system to work intensely when the body should be focusing its energy on tissue repair.

This secondary metabolic activity raises internal body temperature, which is incompatible with entering deeper levels of sleep. Without a conducive environment, which includes total darkness and a cool room temperaturethe process of eliminating brain toxins is not completed, leading to a chronic fatigue.

What habits can break your rest?