Your health: Adults need at least 7 hours of sleep, experts say

Adults need at least 7 hours of sleep

In a new recommendation published in the June issue of SLEEP, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) and Sleep Research Society (SRS) recommend that adults obtain seven or more hours of sleep per night to avoid the health risks of chronic inadequate sleep.

In addition, the AASM and SRS do not place an upper limit on the number of hours of sleep recommended per night.

The recommendation follows a 12-month project conducted by a Consensus Panel of 15 of the nation's foremost sleep experts.

“Sleep is critical to health, along with a healthy diet and regular exercise,” said Dr. Nathaniel F. Watson, incoming AASM president. “Our Consensus Panel found that sleeping six or fewer hours per night is inadequate to sustain health and safety in adults, and agreed that seven or more hours of sleep per night is recommended for all healthy adults.”

The Consensus Panel did not place an upper limit on recommended sleep duration, agreeing that sleeping more than nine hours per night on a regular basis may be appropriate for young adults, individuals recovering from sleep debt, and individuals with illnesses.

“More than a third of the population is not getting enough sleep, so the focus needs to be on achieving the recommended minimum hours of nightly sleep,” said Watson. “Long sleep duration is more likely to reflect chronic illness than to cause it, and few experimental laboratory studies have examined the health effects of long sleep duration.”

The benefits of healthy sleep require not only adequate sleep duration, but also appropriate timing, daily regularity, good sleep quality, and the absence of sleep disorders. Individuals who have or suspect they have sleep disorders should consult with a doctor. To find a local sleep specialist at an accredited sleep center, visit www.sleepeducation.org.

'Fat bombs': Fact from fad

Protein and energy “balls” have been the chosen pick-me-up for the health-conscious for a number of years now.

Fans of the little spheres — a tightly-packed mix of nuts, seeds and protein powders — say that they are perfect for wolfing down when energy levels are low, The Telegraph reports. But what would you say if someone offered you a ball of fat when you're having that 4 p.m. office slump?

That's right: heavy cream, butter and oil rolled into bite-sized portions, ready to pop in your mouth when you need a little boost.

Once upon a time, swallowing a lump of fat would have been anathema to the health food crowd — but science increasingly suggests that once-demonized fats are actually perfectly healthy. But are these bombs really the best way to ingest good fats?

Usually made from a combination of ingredients such as butter, coconut oil, nuts and seeds, fat bombs were initially designed for those following the Ketogenic diet. Devotees eat a high-fat, low-carb diet that induces ketosis, a state of starvation where the body begins to burn fat instead of carbohydrates.

But, are they good for you?

Author of “Get The Glow” and nutritional health coach Madeleine Shaw is a fan — in the right circumstances. She says: “Those following a Ketogenic diet love them, as their main source of energy comes from fat, with carbs or sugar playing a very minimal part.”

Shaw says they provide a “concentrated form of healthy fats that fill you up and keep you on a low-carb diet.” She suggests eating them before the gym or as a snack to last you through until dinner — but warns one a day should do the job.