May 7th, 2025 | Medical Xpress via UVic News
New research from the University of British Columbia and the University of Victoria shows that the ideal amount of sleep for good health isn’t one-size-fits-all—it’s shaped by cultural norms. Analyzing data from nearly 5,000 people in 20 countries, the study found that sleep duration alone wasn’t a reliable predictor of health outcomes. Instead, individuals who slept in line with their culture’s expectations reported better overall well-being. These findings challenge the blanket “eight hours a night” advice and suggest that public health guidelines should account for cultural variation in sleep habits.
Dr. Christine Ou, an assistant professor in the University of Victoria’s School of Nursing, led the international study examining how cultural norms shape the relationship between sleep duration and health. Drawing on data from nearly 5,000 individuals across 20 countries, Dr. Ou and her team explored whether deviations from culturally typical sleep patterns impacted well-being. Their findings revealed that people who slept amounts closer to what was considered normal within their culture tended to report better overall health—highlighting that the “ideal” amount of sleep is not a universal benchmark, but one deeply rooted in cultural context.
At UVic, Dr. Ou also leads the Parent-Child Lab, where her research explores how sleep, mental health, and family dynamics intersect—particularly during the perinatal period. With a background in pediatric nursing and advanced degrees from the University of Calgary and UBC, she combines clinical experience with academic inquiry. Her work uses mixed methods to examine the social determinants of health and advocates for relational autonomy in caregiving. Beyond academia, Dr. Ou serves as a board director for the Pacific Post Partum Support Society and is a member of the Canadian Perinatal Mental Health Collaborative.
Want to read the Dr. Ou’s article? Check it out here. To explore more research, visit her profile on UVicSpace, the University of Victoria’s institutional repository.
