Get Some Shut Eye: Are the New Sleep Recommendations Safe?

In recognition of Sleep Awareness Week 2015 and ahead of turning the clocks back one hour for Daylight Savings Time, attention has turned to the time we spend with our eyes shut.

The National Sleep Foundation recently released a refreshed set of sleep duration guidelines agreed upon by a multi-disciplinary group of health specialists that included the addition of two new age groups — younger adults (18-25) and older adults (65+) — as well as a new range, “may be appropriate.”

But in a world that is becoming increasingly health conscious, some health care professionals are concerned that people will interpret the new sleep recommendations too literally, forcing themselves to fit inside a sleep range that may not be conducive to their body’s natural rhythm and needs.

Neurology Advisor spoke to several sleep specialists to hear their thoughts on the new sleep recommendations, and whether they think defining appropriate sleep ranges is beneficial for the general population.

1. Karl Doghramji, MD – Thomas Jefferson University Hospital
2. Michael Grandner, PhD – University of Pennsylvania
3. Meg Lineberger, PhD, CBSM – Duke University Medical Center
4. Matt T. Bianchi, MD, PhD, MMSc – Massachusetts General Hospital
5. Khurshid A. Khurshid, MD, FAASM – University of Florida College of Medicine