Women tend to sleep longer than men by up to 30 minutes. Lack of sleep in just a matter of days can leave a person "functionally drunk," according to a new study.
A new study by Michigan University mathematicians revealed the sleep patterns of people from around the world. The study gathered data from participants from 100 different countries using a free smartphone app that helps with jetlag. Researchers observed how age, gender, home country and light exposure can affect the number of hours people sleep every night.
From the information submitted by users of the app called Entrain, the study showed that middle-aged men are the ones who most likely lack sleep without getting the recommended seven to eight hours of sleep a night. Women, on the other hand, are more concerned with scheduling their sleep, which is why they get half an hour more sleep every night. Women aged 30 to 60 also tend to go to bed earlier and wake up later, according to Daily Mail.
People who spend more time outdoors also tend to get more sleep compared to people who spend their day indoors. Researchers also found out that it does not take that many days of lack of sleep before a person gets functionally drink.
Unfortunately, people think they are performing tasks better than they truly are when they lack sleep, according to The Sun. In reality, performance drops, but a person's perception of his or her performance does not.
Even if a person sleeps for six hours a night, they will tend to build a sleep debt, according to Olivia Walch of the University of Michigan, Walch said that every half hour of sleep offers a huge difference in terms of its effect on cognitive function and long-term health.
Researchers wanted to prove that sleep is much more important than most people realize. The findings also point to a group of sleep-deprived people that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are increasingly becoming concerned about.
A recent study has shown that one in three adults based in the U.S. do not get the recommended seven hours of shut-eye ever night. Sleep deprivation can increase the risk of obesity, heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes and stress.
