Sleep Duration Linked to Cognitive Function, Study Reveals
A study analyzing UK Biobank data found that "short sleepers" who sleep less than 6 hours daily without experiencing daytime sleepiness tend to have larger brain volumes compared to short sleepers with daytime sleepiness and individuals who sleep longer durations. However, short sleepers generally have slightly lower cognitive functioning than those who sleep the recommended 7-8 hours. The study highlights the importance of sleep for brain health and cognitive function, but also notes that there are individual differences in sleep needs due to genetic and environmental factors, making general recommendations about sleep duration challenging.