Just 6 hours of sleep invites illness, toxins start accumulating in the brain.

News Topical, Digital Desk : A video of Bollywood actor Ayushmann Khurrana is circulating these days, in which he explains that he sleeps a maximum of six hours. This may seem normal, but medical experts consider an average of six hours of sleep a serious danger for young people. Experts say that considering six hours of sleep a day normal is a myth.

Lack of sleep acts like a slow poison on the mind and body. Its immediate effects are poor concentration, poor decision-making, mood swings, and slower reaction times, while underlying effects include weakened immune systems and impaired hormonal balance.

Increased risk of dementia and stroke

This increases the risk of serious diseases like Alzheimer's, dementia, and stroke many times over. Experts attending the 73rd National Conference of the Neurological Society of India, "NSICON 2025," held in Indore, described the lack of sleep as a cause for concern. They recommend an average sleep of seven to eight hours.

Professor Sureshwar Mohanty, who has served for 33 years at the Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, said at NSICON that the real repair of both body and mind is the only time that causes harm. When a person continuously depends on less than six hours of sleep or only six hours of sleep, the risks of heart and brain related problems increase. He believes that a healthy person must get seven to eight hours of sleep, so that his brain can function at its full capacity and the metabolism remains balanced. 

Sleep is the body's reset button 

According to Dr. VK Khosla, Director of Neurosurgery at Fortis Mohali, people believe that sleeping less increases productivity, but this is wrong. Sleep is the body's reset button. Shortages can only harm health. He suggests that seven to nine hours of quality sleep daily is both good for health and improves performance.

This is how just six hours of sleep can be harmful.

• Toxins in the brain – The glymphatic system is unable to completely clean them. 
• Poor memory: Activity in the prefrontal cortex decreases, affecting thinking and decision-making. Memory and decision-making become impaired. 
• Risk of stroke heart – The risk of stroke is many times higher in those who sleep less.
• Mood swings and stress – Serotonin and dopamine get disturbed, anxiety and depression increase. 
• Weakened immune system – fewer cytokines are produced, causing infections to spread more quickly. 
• The brain ages faster – neuron damage and gray matter loss accelerate.

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