Three common health ideals – how closely do we really need to stick these recommendations?

We are all inundated with health targets, which got me thinking about how precise are they?  And can we fall short of the mark but still live long, healthy and happy lives?

Ruth Clegg BBC Health and wellbeing reporter along with various experts examined the three big ones – sleep, hydration and exercise, to get an idea of why they are important and how precisely they should be followed.

She questions is sleep so important that we have to spend so much of our lives doing it? How much exercise is enough? What about drinking water? How much do we really need?

Water (6-8 glasses a day)

According to the NHS, the average grown-up should be drinking between six and eight glasses (1.5-2 litres) of water a day.

Prof Neil Turner, kidney specialist at the University of Edinburgh, says as humans we existed for thousands of years without knowing what a pint or a litre was! “I mean, mice don’t need flashing water bottles telling them how much to drink – why do we?” he says. “Our bodies are set up to do things just right – we eat when we are hungry, we breathe when we need to breathe, and we drink when we are thirsty.”

Is it really that simple? According to Prof Turner, who has seen a lot of kidneys in his time, that rule applies to the vast majority of us. Those with specific conditions, like a kidney disorder, may have to drink more.

He says if our urine is dark, in the general healthy population, we shouldn’t panic that we haven’t drunk enough – that is the kidney doing its job. It is reserving water in our body, he explains, and our body should tell us that we feel thirsty and then we will get a drink.

Dr Linia Patel, a performance nutritionist, disagrees. We might drink different amounts, she says, due to factors like our size, how warm we are, whether we’ve been drinking alcohol, but she feels having a target of 1.5 to 2 litres is a good thing – especially for women.

“I would definitely say from a women’s health point of view, where I work, what I see is a lot of the symptoms [associated] with being dehydrated. It might be fatigue, constipation, brain fog, feeling hungry [or] cravings.”

She says that if the problem is related to hydration, then it’s “an easy one to get right, if you’re consistent with it”.

It does make sense to follow the guidelines, without going overboard.

Sleep (7-9 hours a night)

Moving on to sleep – the NHS recommends seven to nine hours a night, for the average adult, and the experts suggest that there is not much wriggle room to be had there.

Prof Ama Johal, a specialist in sleep disorders from Queen Mary University of London, says sleep is vital; without it we are beginning to shave years off our lives.

“The evidence is there; there are huge bodies of research which show that the health benefits are multiple. A good night’s sleep – that’s at least seven hours of quality sleep – reduces the risk of obesity, diabetes, depression and finally, it lowers mortality rates.”

He points to a study which used 10,000 British civil servants – those that slept for fewer than five hours a night had an increased risk of early death.

Does a catch-up nap count?

“Unfortunately, not,” he says, “Our bodies have very different reactions to naps through the day, and eventually if we tried to make up the hours we were missing overnight by sleeping through the day, we would struggle to fall asleep at night.”

There are studies that suggest a short snooze in the day can keep the brain youthful and even compensate for poor or broken sleep the night before.

Prof Johal suggests that for those who struggle to get the recommended amount, try to target a few nights of good sleep a week, and just being “more aware that sleep is so important” should help.

So sleep is an important one to really try to stick to the recommendations.

Exercise (a MINIMUM of 150 minutes a week)

The Chief Medical Officer recommends doing 150 minutes of exercise a week and two strength training sessions.

Dr Sinead Roberts, a sports nutritionist who trains elite athletes, is pragmatic in her approach. “While moderate strength training and physical activity are vital for maintaining muscle mass”, she says, “as well as resistance to injuries and supporting our immune systems, you have to adapt the recommendations to fit with your life.”

“Rules are for the obedience of fools and the guidance of wise people,” she says. “This phrase really does apply here.”

“I have friends who do nothing – and that really does show. I say, ‘You’re walking like an 80-year-old!’”

“But if you are doing one strength session a week and some moderate exercise then that is definitely a good thing, just try and do more if you can.”

She uses an analogy of a highway – the more things we can do to stay healthy the wider the road, which, in turn means we can go off course sometimes without careering up a grassy verge.

“All those benchmarks are interlinked – you can’t just do one healthy thing and ignore the rest. Equally you don’t need to put so much pressure on yourself to achieve them all.”

Mindfulness (10 minutes a day)

Through its Every Mind Matters campaign, the NHS recommends 10 minutes of mindfulness a day.

Which basically means that instead of pondering the future or thinking about the past, you pay attention to the moment, noticing what is going on inside and outside ourselves, letting our thoughts pass by without judgement.

Some studies suggest activities like mindfulness can have a positive effect and also help change the structure of the brain.

Psychologist Natasha Tiwari, founder of The Veda Group, says 10 minutes is a good start to “give the mind time to settle, and the brain enough time to truly benefit” from the process of mindfulness.

But many of us lead busy lives, and to carve out 10 minutes in the day can be a luxury.

In some respects, could having these targets make life more stressful? Ms Tiwari disagrees – it’s less about the time spent and more about the awareness of mindfulness and bringing it to our everyday lives. “Even brief pauses,” she explains, “can still have a positive impact”.

Summary

The consensus among experts is clear: while benchmarks are vital for setting a standard, fixating on the “perfect number” can be counterproductive. By incorporating a healthy outlook into your everyday routine, you can find a balance that supports your long-term wellbeing without the pressure of perfection.