How Does Seven to Eight Hours of Sleep Affect Your Body?

People who can get by on four hours of sleep sometimes brag about their strength and endurance. But recent scientific studies show that a lack of sleep causes many significant changes in the body and increases your risk for serious health concerns such as obesity, disease, and even early death.

Sleep is an important function for many reasons. When you sleep, your brain signals your body to release hormones and compounds that help:

decrease risk for health conditions
manage your hunger levels
maintain your immune system
retain memory

But you can’t catch up or make up loss of sleep. In fact, consistently sleeping more than six to eight hours a night can negatively impact your health. Read on to learn why seven to eight hours of sleep a night is ideal.

Written by The Healthline Editorial Team and Rachel Nall
Medically Reviewed by Debra Rose Wilson, PhD, MSN, RN, IBCLC, AHN-BC, CHT on October 17, 2016