Most of us have heard that eight hours of sleep is ideal. But a global study has uncovered a more complex truth: what counts as “enough” rest may depend more on your country’s cultural norms than on biological rules.
Sleep guidelines aren't one-size-fits-all
Researchers examined data from 20 countries and found that the healthiest individuals weren't all sleeping the same number of hours. Instead, their sleep tended to match what their culture considered “normal.”
Some countries sleep less – and still stay healthy
People in East Asian countries, such as Japan, sleep far less than the global average. Yet, these countries don't show significantly worse health outcomes as a result.
France gets the most sleep
Among the countries studied, France topped the list with nearly 8 hours of average sleep per night. But more sleep didn’t necessarily equate to better health across all metrics.
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Japan gets the least
Japan’s average nightly sleep was just 6 hours and 18 minutes. Despite this, the country maintains a relatively high life expectancy and overall population health.
Matching your culture’s norm may matter more
The study found that individuals had better health outcomes when their sleep duration aligned with what was typical in their own country – regardless of how much or how little that was.
Sleeping "too much" may be just as risky
Consistent with previous research, this study also supported the idea that both under-sleeping and over-sleeping are linked to poorer health – but “over” and “under” are culturally relative.
Many people sleep less than they want to
On average, people in most countries sleep about one hour less than their own culture's ideal – suggesting a global trend of mild sleep deprivation.
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More sleep isn’t always better
Surprisingly, the study found a correlation between longer average sleep duration and higher obesity rates – a finding the researchers described as counterintuitive but worth noting.
Health researchers call for fewer sleep rules
Experts involved in the study argue that rigid sleep guidelines might be unhelpful, and even counterproductive, if they fail to account for cultural and personal variability.
It’s time to rethink how we talk about sleep
Rather than worrying about hitting an exact number of hours, researchers suggest that sleep recommendations should be more flexible and tailored to individuals' lifestyles, cultures, and perceptions of what “enough” sleep means.
This article is based on information from Videnskab.dk
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