10 sleep myths in check
1. we need more sleep in winter than in summer
In summer it stays light for longer, so we feel awake and active for longer. However, the need for sleep does not actually change and remains roughly the same in summer and winter.
Leila Tarokh, neuroscientist at the University of Bern
2. the time change acts like a kind of jet lag
That's right. If the external clock is changed by one hour, the internal clock has to adjust accordingly. This can lead to slight jet lag - a disruption of the biological day-night rhythm. It is said that it takes about a week per hour of time change for the body to get used to the new time. The easiest way for children to overcome this phase is to consistently adopt the new time. They may be a little more tired temporarily, but after a week the body has usually got used to the new time.
Bigna Bölsterli, neurologist and head of paediatric sleep medicine at the Eastern Switzerland Children's Hospital in St. Gallen
People with an irregular sleep rhythm often have sleep problems.
Albrecht Vorster, neuroscientist
3. a regular sleep rhythm means always going to bed and getting up at the same time
Yes, that's exactly how it is, plus/minus 30 minutes. The sleep rhythm is one of the most central aspects in the sleep consultation, because 90 per cent of people with sleep problems have an irregular sleep rhythm. This is a very significant risk factor for sleep disorders.
Albrecht Vorster, neuroscientist, author and head of the Swiss Sleep House at the Inselspital in Bern
4. if you sleep with the window open, you sleep better
Yes, cool and fresh air is good and beneficial for healthy sleep. So as long as it is quiet outside, it makes perfect sense to leave the window open overnight. If it is noisy outside, however, the window should remain closed, as loud noises are very disruptive to sleep.
Rabia Liamlahi, specialist in paediatrics and adolescent medicine and senior consultant in developmental paediatrics at the University Children's Hospital Zurich
5. a midday nap can compensate for a lack of sleep
Yes, that is definitely the case. However, if schoolchildren regularly need an afternoon nap, this is most likely also an indication that they are not getting enough sleep overall.
Albrecht Vorster
6. fragrances such as lavender or sleep sprays help you fall asleep
Lavender is said to have a calming effect and can be a good idea as part of a bedtime ritual, but the child should like the scent. It is probably the feeling of calm that children associate with this scent that is most effective. I can therefore imagine that other scents that are pleasant for the child can also have a calming effect.
Bigna Bölsterli
7. hearty food in the evening disturbs your sleep - a glass of milk helps you to fall asleep
That's right, eating too much fatty food is certainly a hindrance, but more of a problem for adults. A normal evening meal, on the other hand, is not a problem. A glass of milk can be a ritual for falling asleep, just like a goodnight tea. Both have a psychological effect. There is an assumption that the tryptophan contained in milk - a precursor of the dark hormone melatonin - could have a sleep-promoting effect. However, a glass of milk contains so little of it that it is unlikely to have any effect. But it can't do any harm either."
Albrecht Vorster
8. sleep can be «brought forward»
So to a certain extent, yes. If you know that you will get very little sleep in the coming week, you can try to get plenty of sleep beforehand and thus build up a kind of protective factor against the impending sleep deficit. Catching up on sleep is also possible to a limited extent. For example, you can try to get up later after a long night. However, our internal clock usually throws a spanner in the works because it almost always wakes us up at the usual time - despite a massive sleep deficit.
Leila Tarokh
9. we sleep worse under a full moon
No, that's not true. This was scientifically proven by a large-scale study conducted by the Max Planck Institute in Munich in 2014. According to the study, a total of 1265 test sleepers did not experience any moon effect on their sleep. Admittedly, it is a little brighter outside when the moon is full, but you can protect yourself well with a curtain or roller blind. An effect of the moon on sleep beyond this cannot be scientifically proven.
Albrecht Vorster
10. children get the sleep they need
This is generally true for small children if you let them sleep the way they want to. However, when the children have to go to school, this is no longer necessarily the case because the school day dictates the times. So there are definitely children of school age who don't get enough sleep during school hours.
Bigna Bölsterli
