Sleep science debunks 8‑hour myth: Technological advancements are to blame, says an expert

Sleep is undeniably important, with scientists entirely in agreement. It enables our bodies to regenerate and acts as a period of energy accumulation for the upcoming day, positively affecting the functioning of all major systems and organs in the human body. So, where does the belief that we need to sleep for eight hours originate?

Dr. Daniel Lieberman, a paleoanthropologist at Harvard University, argues that the eight-hour sleep dogma is a myth he's been trying to disprove. He has presented evidence to support his argument, including intensive research and observations conducted over an extended period.

He studied the behaviour and sleep amount of randomly chosen participants from the Western world, comparing it with others living in drastically different environments, free from most 20th and 21st-century advancements. His findings indicate that electronic devices, such as televisions and phones negatively influence our sleep.

How? By radiating white light that energizes the brain, making it harder to fall asleep. According to Lieberman, the notion that we require eight hours of sleep likely arose in the 19th century, likely tied to the changes brought about by the industrial revolution.

"Edison destroyed sleep, right?" - Dr. Daniel Lieberman argued.

The research conclusions are quite intriguing. Those living without contemporary conveniences sleep less but regenerate within six to seven hours. Confronted with an array of stimuli in technologically advanced societies, we tend to sleep for extended periods, often up to eight hours, which presents detrimental effects on our bodies.

The artificial light from our devices stimulates the brain, complicating the task of falling asleep. Hence, it's advisable to avoid smartphones, computers, or television in the evenings. The artificially stimulated brain needs considerably more time to relax, leading to increasing fatigue levels.

Moreover, a comparative study of sleep duration and the likelihood of cardiovascular disease concluded that the disease risk is lowest when we average about seven hours of sleep. Both undersleeping and oversleeping increase the risk.

Clearly, factors such as lifestyle, age, daily activities, physical activity, and diet play a significant role. There is no universal consensus on the optimal sleep duration as it varies from person to person. Nevertheless, one thing is certain: excessive sleep can also be detrimental.