1) Myth: Your brain rests during sleep.
Fact: Your body rests while you snooze, but your brain is pretty busy consolidating memories and cognitive function. Sleep is also thought to give neurons used while we’re awake a chance to shut down and repair themselves so that they can continue to function normally. But awake or asleep, the brain is on the job. You’re still breathing, aren’t you?
2) Myth: The more sleep, the better.
Fact: Getting too much—or too little—slumber is linked to higher rates of diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease, reports Harvard Medical School’s Division of Sleep Medicine. Also concerning is a 2009 study from Spain, which found that adults age 65 or older who typically slept nine hours or more (including naps) were at higher risk for dementia. And other research has suggested that habitually sleeping nine hours or longer is associated with depression, illness and accidents. Conversely, regularly snoozing less than six hours a night is a risk factor for obesity, which in turn can lead to a long list of health risks, including diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease. For optimum health, aim for 7 to 8 hours of sleep.
3) Myth: If you can’t sleep or you wake up during the night, it's best to relax until you fall asleep.
Fact: Not being able to fall or stay asleep is a symptom of insomnia. Sleep experts say your best bet is to get up after 15 or 20 minutes, go into another room and listen to music or read until you feel drowsy.
4) Myth: Taking prescription sleeping pills is a path to addiction.
Fact: According to the National Sleep Foundation, today’s sleeping pills taken as directed are safe and effective treatments for insomnia and present a lower risk of dependency than yesterday’s medications. (Exception: individuals with a history of addiction or alcohol or drug abuse.) Just be sure that you can sleep for 7 to 8 hours before you swallow the pill.
For the rest of 4 myths(is there such thing as beauty sleep? Is it good to read or watch TV before sleep?) go visit source via Yahoo! 8 sleep myths by Lisa Collier Cool on Dec 08, 2011
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