Got up late for work again the day before (again!!). This got me thinking - is there any way I can ‘teach’ myself to get by with just 4 or 5 hours of sleep in a day? I’m a very heavy sleeper and generally need to sleep at least 8 hours to get proper rest. What’s the straight dope on this?
Search for polyphasic sleeping. (Haven’t tried this myself, but I looked into this quite a bit some time ago, take this FWIW) There are a number of systems whereby you sleep in little 20 (or so) minute bursts every couple of hours and manage to maintain a full level of activity in the other times. IIRC, this particualr method was developed by Bucky Fuller and was something he indulged in quite often.
Unfortunately, if you aren’t able to get the full amount of sleep on schedule, you quickly burn out and be a lot worse for the wear. I’ve most often heard the recommended timeframe being two weeks of this activity before it really kicks your ass.
The downside is that you need to train youself for a couple weeks and then need to take a couple weeks to “decompress” as it were, so it’s of limited utility for everyday life.
Other polyphasic sleepers have found other systems that work for them, so I think that term will get you looking in the right place.
Me, I found that if I wake up slightly earlier and get some exercise each morning, I’m the hell of a lot more productive, which is just as good.
Then again, learning how to prioritize your tasks is probably going to be the most helpful thing you can do.
After joining the army, I am able to go for two week stints on as little as 4 hours of sleep a night.
So, join the army 