A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor’s book.  ~ Irish Proverb

Tight schedules. Stress. Artificial light. It’s harder than ever to get a good night’s sleep.

Truth is, however, that a lot of sleep won’t necessarily equal to a long life – the risk of death actually increases with both too little and too much sleep.

One study found that the average person’s risk of death increased if they slept more than eight hours a night or less than seven. The optimal amount of sleep one should get should therefore be around 7 hours and 30 minutes – that is, if you get quality sleep. There are a number of factors that can reduce the quality of your sleep:

• Artificial light
• Caffeine
• Alcohol
• Lack of exercise
• Stress

These factors are often interwoven, and it might be hard to give advice on how to prevent single factors from disturbing that precious beauty sleep of yours.

The major sleeping problem today is lack of sleep rather than getting too much sleep. What then are the downsides of sleeping too much? The main disadvantage is actually a reduction in the quality of your sleep, resulting in lower energy levels. Since sleeping too much also reduces the time you are awake, you’re more likely to get stressed, which in turn may lead to heart problems.

Also watch

Human Longevity Secrets: Sleep — powered by eHow.com

Read more

• Experts claim sleep to be the best indicator of longevity – Pravda

• Sleep Duration and Longevity – About.com: Longevity

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