New research suggests that aiming for precisely 6.4 to 7.8 hours of sleep per night may be optimal, but experts warn that obsessing over such granular details could be counterproductive. The study, published in Nature this month, analyzed data from the UK Biobank, which includes half a million volunteers, and found that too much or too little sleep is linked to accelerated organ aging. Women, on average, need about six minutes more sleep than men.
The Problem with Sleep Tracking
While the findings provide guidance, the lead researcher Junhao Wen emphasized they are not prescriptive. However, the rise of sleep trackers and the 'orthosomnia' phenomenon—where people obsess over achieving perfect sleep—may lead to unnecessary anxiety. Some experts worry that wearable tech could soon nudge users awake once they hit their optimal hours, potentially causing more harm than good.
Embrace the Mystery
Columnist Emma Beddington argues that for most people, sleep is best left mysterious. Beyond basic sleep hygiene, little can be done to achieve the 'ideal' amount of rest. Knowing precisely how bad suboptimal sleep is for us is unhelpful and may lead to stress. She suggests that the less we know about our sleep patterns, the better we rest. The only tracker she needs is a pillow-crease check in the mirror: a good night leaves her looking like Iggy Pop.
This article was originally published in the Guardian and has been rewritten for British Brief.
