# Is it actually possible to train my body to need less sleep

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-actually-possible-to-train-my-body-to-need-less-sleep/348534>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 16, 2006, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-actually-possible-to-train-my-body-to-need-less-sleep/348534 "2006-03-16T00:28:59Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\
**Post date:** [March 17, 2006, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-actually-possible-to-train-my-body-to-need-less-sleep/348534/21 "2006-03-17T05:15:29Z")

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Healthy eating and exercise are the only things I can think of. I think (but I’m not sure) that my sleep went from 8 hours to 7 after I started doing regular exercise and eating healthier.

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**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\
**Post date:** [March 17, 2006, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-actually-possible-to-train-my-body-to-need-less-sleep/348534/22 "2006-03-17T16:16:30Z")

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> [@t-bonham@scc.net](#):
>
> You can do a fair amount of ‘exercising’ (increasing your calory expenditure) by making slight changes in your daily routine.
> 
> - try to park your car _as far as possible_ from the door, at the far end of the lot, and walk to the building.
> - avoid elevators, use the stairs when you’re only going a couple of floors up or down.

Yeah I do these two. Parking far away is good unless it’ pouring rain or something. Walking won’t hurt you, plus you don’t have to hunt for a parking spot, and there isn’t as much change of your car getting dinged.

Taking the stairs is often faster than waiting for the elevator anyway.

I’d add another tip too. Drink lots of water, and when you eat try to leave a bite or two, don’t feel like you’ve got to clean your plate. Those bites add up over time.

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