Sleep Myth Monday: Right Amount of Sleep

This is the latest installment of a regular feature here at SleepBetter.org: Sleep Myth Monday, where we bust sleep myths wide open, or verify that they’re true.

Myth or Truth: The more sleep you get, the better off you’ll be.

MYTH

Sleeping like a baby is great, but you should sleep LESS than a baby.  The optimal amount of sleep for most people is six to eight hours. If you consistently get more than that, it can lead to many of the same problems that lack of sleep can cause.  Studies show that sleeping more than nine hours a night is linked to an increased risk of heart disease, cognitive issues, and other problems.  Interestingly, recent research indicates that more and more people were getting too much sleep.