Sleep is something we all need, but many of us are guilty of not getting enough sleep or erroneously believe certain things about sleep (or a lack of it) that simply are not true. The problem is we often either talk ourselves into believing something others tell us without really looking into it.

If you’re a person who works odd shifts or you simply struggle to get a restful night’s sleep, avoid resorting to prescribed medications and opt for a natural solution, such as a deep sleep pillow spray. A sleep spray can calm the mind and body enough for you to be able to drift off into a restful slumber.

Let’s now look at some sleeping myths you must ignore.

#1 – Your Body Adjusts To a Lack of Sleep

This is a common belief that simply isn’t true. The human body never adjusts to having a lack of quality sleep. It doesn’t matter who you are; a regular lack of sleep will eventually start to take its toll on both your body and your mind.

It may feel like you’re adjusting to a lack of sleep, but that’s more your mind and body growing accustomed to feeling in a state of lethargy or haziness. Quality sleep is essential whether you’re young or old, and nobody adapts to not having enough of it.

A lack of sleep can affect your decision making, compromise your immune system, and lead to poor health. 

#2 – Adults Only Need 5 Hours of Sleep Or Less

This is another common misconception. While it’s generally true that adults won’t require as much rest as a growing baby or young child, it’s still recommended that adults get at least 7 to 8 hours of quality sleep per night to be functioning at their very best. While there are always exceptions, most people need at least 7 hours of sleep to feel fully rested.

If every adult only had 5 hours of sleep or less per night, you would discover a population that’s walking around in a daze most of the time and under-performing in everything they do. That’s just the result of a lack of decent sleep. Unless you’re a rare individual, poor sleep catches up to everyone no matter how old you are.

#3 – Your Brain Switches Off When You Sleep

The simple truth is, your brain never really switches off when you go to sleep. It’s been proven over and over again through tests and studies that the brain remains very active when a person sleeps. While going through the different stages of sleep, brainwave patterns do change and vary, but the brain never turns itself off. During REM sleep, it’s believed the brain is as active at this point as it is when you are fully awake.

Of course, the brain works a little differently while you are sleeping, but this brainwave activity during sleep helps to improve memory and critical thinking.

#4 – Sleep Quantity Counts More Than Quality

Another sleep myth that needs to be busted is the idea that more sleep is better than the quality of your sleep.  Even if you achieve a full 8 hours of sleep, unless it was quality sleep, you’re not going to feel rested and refreshed.

Let’s say you slept for 6 hours straight, but it was an unbroken quality deep sleep. You will likely feel better than if you slept for 8 hours of interrupted sleep, where  you found yourself waking up constantly during the night because you couldn’t get into a deep sleep. Those 8 hours were lower in quality than the 6 hours of deep sleep: both quantity and quality count.

#5 – When You Sleep Doesn’t Matter

Some believe that it doesn’t matter what time of the day or night you sleep, so long as you get your 8 hours in. However, quality sleep is about having a routine as much as anything else. If you can maintain a sleep routine, where you generally sleep each night simultaneously, better sleep quality will result.

If you want to enjoy the benefits of decent sleep, stop believing the sleeping myths and focus on getting a good night’s rest every single night.