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Everyone needs eight hours of sleep a night, right? Not necessarily. A new study shows that the amount of sleep you need for good health might depend on where you’re from. The idea of needing eight hours of sleep is suggested by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, but researchers from the University of British Columbia and the University of Victoria looked at nearly five thousand people across 20 countries in North America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and South America. They found that sleep needs vary by culture.
For example, some cultures thrive on less sleep, like Japan where the average was six hours and 18 minutes, while others need more to stay healthy, like the just over seven hours in the US. The study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, suggests there’s no one-size-fits-all rule for sleep. This could change how doctors and experts give advice about sleep, making it more personal based on your background and lifestyle.
Source: Pyschology Today