How can certain people get by on such little sleep?
I’v heard of a few people through history that have gotten by on 1-2 hours of sleep each night, how is this possible?
It works for me. I sleep about 3 hours a night. Any more than 4 and a half hours of rest makes me extremely groggy the next day. I can go to school and remian alert until I get home about 9 hours later. Then I take a quick nap, usually only 30 minutes. I try to work out every day after my nap. Next, I go home and go to sleep at about 3:30 in the morning. It works for me. Maybe it’s because I exercise. I don’t know. I’m just a nocturnal person and I have so much trouble sleeping at night. Too bad the world doesn’t usually cater to nocturnal people. During the summer, when I don’t have school to worry about, I stay up until 7am or so, wake at about noon or 1 and go on with my life.
Cornflakes, that is the worst answer Cecil can give, that book is outdated and overrated. Crispy, what drove you to start sleeping that way? Does anyone know of any other resources?!?!
I was going to post pages and pages on this riveting topic but ::yawn:: it’s 6am and I’ve ::yawn:: been up for ::yawn:: hours…
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
I am also envious of those who can sleep very little…maily becuase their are so many productive things thatr can be done if you dont need to sleep.
I go through phases where I need only four hours a need to feel absolutely solid the next day, with an occaisional half hour nap every other day. I put it down to a very healyth diet (heaps and heaps o vegies and fruit,) and a lot of exercise, and the ability to prevent my self from getting stressed out.
Also, forcing your self to focus on “good” things as soon as you wake up, often excites you to get up and live right then and there.
At the moment I am a bit run down, as
d have been getting about 5-6 hours a night…but I am on the way to less, which I am looking forward to.
Benno
No need for a sig line…ahh shit!
Also, check out one of my own:
http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=61264
I don’t think Cecil’s answer’s too bad, though its easier said than done (for me anyway).
I believe most of it has to do with what you’re used to.
I’m in my third year of uni though and have now reached a stage where generally if I get less than 10 hours a night I feel tired, though sometimes (if required) I get 4-5 hours and don’t feel as bad as I should.
I’m obviously an expert on sleeping as I spend so much time doing it. In fact it’s one of my favourite pastimes.
In relation to Cecil’s answer though I’m not stressed, I don’t exercise or have regular sleeping patterns either.
This answer’s almost certainly no use to you unless the realization that someone out there has more messed up sleeping patterns than you causes your stress levels to drop thus allowing you to sleep less.
Jonny
I kind of concur with Cecil’s theory, based on personal experience. I typically sleep 4-5 hours a night. For the first two hours, I CANNOT be woken up, I’m like a dead ferret.
I also get a lot of physical exercise, & eat very well. Perhaps there’s something to that, too.
There’s a DSM-IV diagnosis called “Hypo-Mania” which is basicly a mini form of the manic part of Bi-Polar Disorder. Someone who is hypomanic can get by with very little sleep, and still function remarkably well.
Not surprisingly, not too many people report to the clinci with this as their presenting complaint…
“Doc - I feel great! I get sooo much done! I need so little sleep…”
Al.