We’ve put together a list of 24 of the most interesting and surprising facts about sleep that you may not know. How much do you know about sleep? Here are some interesting facts about sleep you might not have been aware of.
1) Humans sleep for about 25 years
Humans spend a third of their life sleeping. That’s about 25 years.
2) New parents miss 6 months’ sleep in two years
Parents of new babies miss out on 6 months worth of sleep in the first 2 years of their child’s life.
3) The record for the longest period without sleep is 11 days
Yes, The record for the longest period without sleep is 11 days.
4) Sleep Loss can Shorten Your Life
Sleeping less than 7 hours each night reduces your life expectancy.
5) A lack of sleep really DOES make you fat
Lack of sleep can cause weight gain of 2 pounds (0.9 kg) in under a week.
6) It’s impossible to sneeze while sleeping
Yes, It’s impossible to sneeze while sleeping.
24 Interesting Facts About Sleep You Didn’t Know
7) People can only live up to 11 days without sleeping
Most people can survive for up to 2 months without eating, but people can only live up to 11 days without sleeping.
8) Japan’s Sleep at Work Culture
Sleeping on the job is acceptable in Japan, as it’s viewed as exhaustion from working hard.
9) ‘More than half’ of pilots have slept while flying
Half of the pilots surveyed in the UK admitted to having fallen asleep while flying a passenger plane.
10) Cats sleep most of their lives
Cats sleep for 70% of their lives.
11) Memories take hold better during sleep
Yes, Memories take hold better during sleep.
12) Horses can sleep standing
Yes, Horses can sleep standing.
24 Interesting Facts About Sleep You Didn’t Know
13) Bunnies often sleep with their eyes open
Yes, Rabbits often sleep with their eyes open.
14) You burn more calories sleeping
You burn more calories sleeping than you do watching television.
15) Giraffes only need 5 to 30 minutes of sleep
Giraffes only need 5 to 30 minutes of sleep in a 24-hour period.
16) Koalas sleep up to 20 hours a day
Yes, Koalas sleep up to 20 hours a day.
17) France is the most sleepiest country in the world
The average person in France sleeps 8.83 hours per day, the most in the developed world.
18) We loose weight when we are sleeping
We lose over a pound of weight during sleep by exhaling.
24 Interesting Facts About Sleep You Didn’t Know
19) Difficulty of Getting Out of Bed in the Morning is Called Dysania
Dysania is the state of finding it hard to get out of bed in the morning.
20) The Link Between Depression and Dreams
Depression can cause you to dream up to 3 to 4 times more than you normally would.
21) Somniphobia is the fear of falling asleep
Yes, Somniphobia is the fear of falling asleep.
22) It Takes 7 minutes To Fall Asleep
The average person falls asleep in seven minutes.
23) It’s illegal to sleep with your shoes in North Dakota
It’s illegal to lie down and fall asleep with your shoes on in North Dakota.
24) Trees sleep at night
Trees “sleep” at night, relaxing their branches after dawn and perking them up before sunrise.
