163. Are You a Short Sleeper?

Are four hours of sleep enough to function well? How about six? In this episode of the Joy Lab podcast, we'll dig into how much sleep most folks need, and the importance of sleep with a focus on 'short sleepers.' We'll laser in on the detrimental effects of sleep deprivation on mental health, particularly in late teens and twenties, and explore some of the research. If you need some sleep support, be sure to check out our sleep workshop to help you get the hours you need. 

Watch this episode on YouTube.

Key moments:

00:00 Welcome to the Joy Lab Podcast

00:38 Introduction to Short Sleepers

00:57 The Impact of Sleep on Mental Health

02:59 College Students and Sleep Disruptions

04:36 The Importance of Good Sleep

05:46 Research on Sleep Duration

08:25 Personal Experiences with Sleep

10:32 Resources for Better Sleep

10:59 Closing Thoughts and Wisdom

Joy Lab and Natural Mental Health are community-supported. When you buy through the links below, we may earn a commission. That support helps keep the Joy Lab podcast free for all!  

Sources and Notes:

• Joy Lab Program: Take the next leap in your wellbeing journey with step-by-step practices to help you build and maintain the elements of joy in your life. Your Joy Lab membership also includes our NMH Community!
  • NMH Community: This is where our sleep workshop lives! You'll also gain access to lots of extra resilience-boosting resources AND join a group of inspiring folks who play an integral role in keeping this podcast going.

• Stellar, J. E., Gordon, A., Anderson, C. L., Piff, P. K., McNeil, G. D., & Keltner, D. (2018). Awe and humility. Journal of personality and social psychology, 114(2), 258–269. Access. 

• Hicklin, T. (2019, September 17). Gene identified in people who need little sleep. National Institutes of Health (NIH). Access. 

• Shi, G., et al. (2019). A rare mutation of β1-adrenergic receptor affects sleep/wake behaviors. Neuron, 103(6), 1044–1055.e7. Access. 

• Pellegrino, R., et al. (2014). A novel BHLHE41 variant is associated with short sleep and resistance to sleep deprivation in humans. Sleep, 37(8), 1327–1336. Access.

• Where to shop:
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• Subscribe to our Newsletter: Join us over at NaturalMentalHealth.com for exclusive emails, updates, and additional strategies.
• Check out our favorite resilience-boosting reads at Bookshop.org. 

Please remember that this content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice and is not a replacement for advice and treatment from a medical professional. Please consult your doctor or other qualified health professional before beginning any diet change, supplement, or lifestyle program.

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