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What's the right amount of sleep to get?

Page last modified on: October 16, 2008
Question from CecilleS: Good day, thank you for giving me a chance to ask this question. Is 6 hours of sleep without a nap enough for a breast cancer patient?
Answers —Helena Schotland, M.D.: It's interesting, everyone asks me what is the right amount to sleep. The answer is really dependent on the person. A typical range is from usually 7 to 9 hours. Some people can get by on less sleep, and some people need 10 or even 12 hours of sleep every day to feel refreshed. The right amount of sleep is whatever you need to feel rested and on top of your game. I suspect 6 hours of sleep for you is probably not sufficient.
Marisa Weiss, M.D., president and founder: What happens if you get a good night sleep but you still "crash" after lunch each day? And your body is DEMANDING a time out? What do you do? And how do you manage that if you have a lot of work to do?
Helena Schotland, M.D.: That's actually a well-known phenomena, feeling sleepy after lunch. It's actually called the circadian dip. It's the time of day when we feel most drowsy. The only other time when we're more drowsy than this is when we fall asleep at night. I suspect the circadian dip is the reason that siestas came into existence. I think if you have the luxury or opportunity to take a nap at that time and you don't have difficulties with insomnia, take advantage of it.

On Wednesday, January 17, 2007, our Ask-the-Expert Online Conference was called Sleep Well: Healthy Habits for Good Rest. Helena Schotland, M.D. and moderator Marisa Weiss, M.D. answered your questions about ways to improve your sleep.

The materials presented in these conferences do not necessarily reflect the views of breastcancer.org. A qualified healthcare professional should be consulted before using any therapeutic product or regimen discussed. All readers should verify all information and data before employing any therapies described here.

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Meet the Experts

Helena SchotlandHelena Schotland, M.D. specializes in sleep medicine and is the director of the Pulmonary Diagnostic and Wellness Center and the co-director of the Sleep Laboratory at Bryn Mawr Hospital in Pennsylvania.

Marisa Weiss, M.D. is a radiation oncologist specializing in breast cancer and the founder, president, and guiding force behind Breastcancer.org.

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