A recent study conducted by the University of British Columbia has found that the optimal amount of sleep required for good health varies significantly across different cultures. The research analyzed sleep data and health outcomes for nearly 5,000 individuals in 20 different countries, challenging the common belief that everyone needs the same amount of sleep.
Lead author of the study, Dr. Steven Heine, a professor of social and cultural psychology at UBC, emphasized the importance of adjusting sleep recommendations based on cultural norms. The study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, found that there is no one-size-fits-all amount of sleep that works for everyone.
The research confirmed that average sleep time can vary widely from country to country. For example, individuals in Japan slept an average of six hours and 18 minutes, while those in France slept an average of seven hours and 52 minutes. In Canada, the average sleep duration was seven hours and 27 minutes.
Despite previous studies linking shorter sleep durations to poor health outcomes, this collaboration between UBC and the University of Victoria found no evidence that individuals in countries with less sleep were less healthy than those in longer-sleeping nations.
Lead author Dr. Christine Ou, an assistant professor in the school of nursing at UVic, noted that people who slept closer to their own culture’s norms for sleep duration tended to have better overall health. This suggests that the ideal amount of sleep is the amount that aligns with what is considered appropriate within one’s cultural context.
Interestingly, the researchers found that individuals in all 20 countries were sleeping at least one hour less than what was considered optimal for their culture. This highlights the importance of considering cultural context when making recommendations about sleep and public health guidelines.
The study included data from individuals in North America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and South America, further emphasizing the need for tailored recommendations based on cultural norms. By understanding and respecting cultural differences in sleep patterns, public health initiatives can better promote positive health outcomes.
For more information, the study titled “Healthy sleep durations appear to vary across cultures” can be found in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. This groundbreaking research sheds light on the importance of cultural context in determining the optimal amount of sleep for individuals around the world.
