Here are some interesting sleep facts that a lot of people don’t know about:

Sleep fact #1: Doctors & sleep training
Doctors receive an average of LESS THAN 1 HOUR of training on sleep problems throughout their entire medical education. (Jacobs, 1998) This means that with so little training on the matter, their tendency is to just prescribe pills, which isn’t the best approach to handling the issue.

Sleep fact #2: Sleep medications don’t always help
Sleep medications can help under certain circumstances, but they come with many side effects and can quickly lose their effectiveness if overused.

Sleep fact #3: People need varied amounts of sleep
Adults vary widely in the amount of sleep they need. A very small number of individuals are able to function on as little as 3 hours of sleep per night. (Jacobs, 1998) Some get by on six or seven. Most of us need around eight, and a few individuals may require 9 or 10 to feel refreshed. There is no universal answer for everyone, and sleep needs can vary from one individual to the next just like hair color or other personal traits.

Sleep fact #4: Sleep is a cycle
Sleep follows a biological rhythm, and many sleep problems occur because this rhythm is thrown off. (See our Family Sleep Handbook) Even during sleep, we cycle through a repetitive pattern of various stages of sleep, and problems in various stages of this pattern can give rise to sleep disorders.