Sleep is one of the most essential aspects of your overall health, without which we cannot function effectively. It not only affects our physical and mental functioning, but also our ability to fight disease and develop immunity, as well as our metabolism and chronic disease risk.
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It is generally recommended that an average adult sleep for at least seven to eight hours a day. However, Indian yogi and author Sadhguru surprised everyone when he advised Alia Bhatt during their sit-down conversation to sleep less and live more.
How many hours does Sadhguru sleep?
During a recent interaction between Alia Bhatt and Sadhguru, which was shared on Sadhguru’s YouTube channel on April 11, the actor asked him how many hours he sleeps. He revealed that for almost 27 to 28 years, he functioned on two and a half to three hours of sleep.
However, after having two emergency surgeries after he split open his head, where he was given sedatives, he now sleeps for four to five hours a day. “I got used to sleeping, and now I sleep for four and a half to five hours, depending on the day,” he confessed to Alia, which surprised the actor, who replied by sharing her own sleep routine: “I sleep for nine or eight hours.”
According to Sadhguru, his four to five hours of sleep schedule constitutes a fourth of the day. So, when Alia shared that she sleeps for nine hours, he questioned her, “When will you live?”
‘Why did you damage your body?’
The actor further questioned the spiritual guru, “All we are told is sleep, rest, it’s when your body repairs itself. That’s what we are told.” However, Sadhguru counter-questioned her and asked, “Why did you damage your body in the first place? People ask me, ‘What do you do to unwind?’ I say, ‘I don’t wind myself up’. Why do you wind yourself and why do you go and unwind?”
Alia responded, “Oh my God, that’s true, actually. Why are we so wound up? But, we are always wound up. You reach the end of the day, and you’re tired, you want to sleep. And even after I’ve slept for 8 hours, I want to sleep, but then I have to wake up. I love sleeping.”
However, Sadhguru countered her, stating that nobody loves sleeping because when you’re really asleep, you don’t exist. “What’s there to love about [sleeping]? You don’t love your existence? You may like the restfulness it creates for you. But if I teach you a way, where you sit here for 15 minutes, you will feel like you have slept for three or four hours,” he added.
What does science say?
According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, adults who sleep less than 7 hours a night may have more health issues than those who sleep 7 or more hours a night.
Moreover, sleeping more than 9 hours a night is not necessarily harmful and may be helpful for young adults, especially those who are recovering from sleep deprivation and are sick.
Recommended sleep hours according to age groups:
- For newborns younger than 4 months, sleep patterns vary widely.
- Babies 4 months to 1 year old should sleep 12 to 16 hours per day.
- Children 1 to 2 years old should sleep 11 to 14 hours per day.
- Children 3 to 5 years old should sleep 10 to 13 hours per day.
- Children 6 to 12 years old should sleep 9 to 12 hours per day.
- Teens aged 13 to 18 should sleep 8 to 10 hours per day.
- For most healthy adults,
- suggest at least seven hours of sleep.
Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.
This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.
