Are you one of the roughly one-third of Americans who sleep less than seven hours each night? If so, I’ve got some bad news for you: you’re probably not getting enough Zs.
While you sleep, your body and brain undergo several important changes. Gradually, you get cooler. Your breathing and heart rate slow down. Chemicals that decrease your appetite are released so you don’t wake up for a midnight snack. In your bloodstream, growth hormones ramp up. Meanwhile, memories are formed, and other thoughts are forgotten. Brain fluid washes over your neurons, clearing away debris built up throughout the day.
Not getting seven hours of sleep is bad for you because it may interrupt these processes. But how much sleep is enough? Sleep experts have a good, but not perfect, guess.
