The Truth Behind 7 Common Sleep Myths

When it comes to sleep, everyone has their own ideas on how to get a good night's rest. Some people swear by drinking a glass of milk, while others say you should never eat cheese before bed time.

How can you parse out fact from fiction? We delved into seven common sleep myths, and now we're here to tell you why they're flat-out wrong.

1 Myth: Everyone Needs 8 Hours of Sleep
Reality: The amount of sleep someone needs depends on variety of factors, including genetics.

“Sleep need is like height, we are all different and how much we need is to a large degree, genetically determined,” sleep expert Dr. Neil Stanley explained to The Independent. Tracking your bed time, how many hours you sleep a night, and how well rested you feel each day can help you find the ideal amount of sleep for your body, according to sleep experts at Harvard.