Myth Busters: Sleep Edition

There are a number of “old wives tales” that people swear by when it comes to sleep. A new report from MSNBC Health points out some of these beliefs that actually turn out to be myths. The 5 myths about sleep include:

1) Napping only makes us more tired.
In actuality a quick 10 to twenty minute nap is said to make you more energized for the rest of the day.
2) Exercising too close to bed time keeps you up at night.
Research shows that this is not true in most cases. Even a hard workout right before bedtime does not affect your ability to fall asleep at bed time.
3) Skipping a little sleep isn’t that bad for you.
It was found that missing just an hour and a half of sleep in one night can reduce your alertness the next day by as much as 32 percent.
4) You have to be in bad shape to take sleeping pills.
Sleeping pills have actually been found to be more effective if they are taken before a serious sleep problem occurs.
5) It doesn’t matter when you go to sleep.
It has actually been found that those who stay up until late hours at night are more likely to suffer from depression

Source: MSNBC Health