[STUDY] People Sleeping Less Than Five Hours More Likely To Have Depression—Here's What Experts Reveal

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A student naps in a lecture hall at the Freie Universitaet January 13, 2003 in Berlin, Germany. The German university system is facing cuts of EUR 75 million in state funding over the next four years as the German government pushes through financial reforms.

A new study revealed that people with less than five hours of sleep are more likely to develop depression symptoms.

For the past years, mental health issues and poor sleep have been linked to one another. But, it is unclear if poor sleep leads to mental health problems or if it's the other way around.

Now, this new study finally answered that question. Here's what scientists revealed.

Less Than Five Hours of Sleep Can Increase Depression Risks

According to The Guardian's latest report, the new study analyzed the health and genetic data of over 7,100 individuals, who were recruited by ELSA (Engish Longitudinal Study of Ageing).

Based on the research's findings, individuals who inherited poor sleeping habits were more likely to develop depression symptoms; around 2.5 times compared to those with complete sleep.

During the study's earlier period, around 10% of the participants slept for less than five hours at night. By the end of the study, these individuals with incomplete sleep increased by over 15%.

Scientists concluded that having less than five hours of sleep is linked to depression because participants having depressive symptoms at the early stage of the research were only around 9%. They also increased by the end of the study, reaching 11%.

"My advice would be to prioritize sleep and to avoid sleep procrastination. There's this common saying in genetics that genes load the gun and environment pulls the trigger," said Odessa Hamilton, a UCL PhD candidate and first author of the study.

"You might be genetically predisposed to this, but you can take steps to mitigate the risk," she added.

How Long Should You Sleep Daily?

[STUDY] People Sleeping Less Than Five Hours More Likely To Have Depression—Here's What Experts Reveal

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A couple sleep on the sand at Bondi Beach on January 01, 2020 in Sydney, Australia. New Years's Eve celebrations went ahead in Sydney despite Australia's bushfire crisis continuing, with The New South Wales fire commission saying it is the worst fire season on record in the state.

The National Institute of Health (NIH) provides the recommended amount of sleep that a person needs every day. But, the sleeping period you need still depends on your age. Here's the list:

Newborns 4 to 12 months = 12 to 16 hours a day
Children 1 to 2 years old = 11 to 14 hours a day
Children 3 to 5 years old = 10 to 13 hours a day
Children 6 to 12 years old = 9 to 12 hours a day
Teens 13 to 18 years old = 8 to 10 hours a day
Adults 18 years or older = 7 to 8 hours a day

Nowadays, many people no longer value sleep, especially those who are very busy with their lives. But, little did they know that having enough sleep offers a lot of benefits, such as the following: