Expert reveals the 'most important' thing about sleep and it's not getting your eight hours
The experts say that getting enough sleep every night is the key to feeling our best, well-rested selves.
The sweet spot, they say, is around seven to nine hours of sleep depending on the individual.
This is true, but according to one sleep expert, there is something even more important than the amount of time we spend horizontal each night.
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One sleep expert says there's something more important than our sleep duration. Getty
Professor Simon Smith from Queensland University's Child Health Research Centre tells 9honey that going to bed and waking up at a regular time every single day is crucial.
"Regular sleep is the most important thing," he says.
Smith explains that quality sleep is tightly linked to our body clock, also known as the circadian rhythm, and jumping around between different bed times can push it off kilter.
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Smith says regular sleep is crucial. Getty
"The duration of sleep is really important, how many hours you get, sure," Smith concedes.
"But the time of day you get that [sleep], the regularity of your sleep and the predictability of that sleep are also really important."
But with so many Aussies leading busy lives, how can we get consistent sleep?
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Smith says the key is to try to wake up at the same time every day. Nine
Well Smith says the key is to set your alarm at the same time every day – yes even on the weekends.
"We don't want people sort of burning the candle during the week and then catching up on [sleep] on the weekend as a habit," he explains, adding that it is much more beneficial to get consistent sleep throughout the week rather than squeezing it in with a Sunday sleep in.
Sticking to a consistent wakeup time every day can help your body naturally fall into a rhythm where you feel tired at the same time every day and in turn have better, more regular sleep.
But, of course, life happens and it's not always possible to get in those much-needed hours of sleep especially for those who may work shifts or have children.
"There's lots of reasons why we can miss sleep and you know we're flexible," Smith explains.
He says in the scenario where someone has missed out on sleep, there's nothing wrong with catching up on some Zs but he says it's best to try to do so in a way that doesn't throw your sleep schedule out of rhythm too much.
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Smith says it's OK to have a nap when needed but it shouldn't become a habit. Getty
"We never say, 'don't have a nap' if you need it, particularly if you're driving or anything like that," Smith explains.
"But the problem is you don't want to then start a new sleep habit which is sleeping in on the weekends or having lots of naps during the daytime, if you can help it, because that can then lead to further sleep problems."
"So, for me one of the best ways to catch up [on sleep] is if you can keep your wake up time much the same and then if you're really tired just let yourself go to bed a bit earlier when you feel tired rather than sleeping in."
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