How much do we actually need to sleep?
How much do we actually need to sleep?
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JRewing

Original Poster:

17,549 posts

208 months

Monday 16th December 2013
quotequote all
This seems strange, but I'm just posting because people are telling me that it's unhealthy.

I haven't slept since Saturday night, when I slept roughly 3 hours.
Last night I simply didn't feel the urge to go to bed, so I didn't. At 6am I simply had a shower and got dressed and went for breakfast and work. It's now 00:46 local time and I still feel no urge at all to sleep. I feel as alert as ever.
I rarely sleep more than 3 hours per day, and this seems to irritate my family and in laws, for some reason. At this moment I'm planning to finish the bottle of wine I opened about half an hour ago and then read or browse the internet until 6, when I'll shower, go for breakfast and go to work again.

I tend to only sleep because I think that I should, not because I feel like I should.

I've searched the internet but there was nothing helpful. Most of it was talking about why we don't/do need to sleep for 8 hours per day.

So is there something weird with me or am I just fine? I tend to find that if I sleep, I feel worse than if I don't, which I mentioned in a thread here a while ago (maybe last year, I'm not sure).

Steffan

10,362 posts

257 months

Monday 16th December 2013
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Sleep requirements Vary enormously between individuals. Generally reduces as individuals age. If you are functioning and comfortable then you are probably getting enough sleep. But generally less than 5 hours of sleep is considered not sufficient for most people.

cheddar

4,637 posts

203 months

Monday 16th December 2013
quotequote all
JRewing said:
This seems strange, but I'm just posting because people are telling me that it's unhealthy.

I haven't slept since Saturday night, when I slept roughly 3 hours.
Last night I simply didn't feel the urge to go to bed, so I didn't. At 6am I simply had a shower and got dressed and went for breakfast and work. It's now 00:46 local time and I still feel no urge at all to sleep. I feel as alert as ever.
I rarely sleep more than 3 hours per day, and this seems to irritate my family and in laws, for some reason. At this moment I'm planning to finish the bottle of wine I opened about half an hour ago and then read or browse the internet until 6, when I'll shower, go for breakfast and go to work again.

I tend to only sleep because I think that I should, not because I feel like I should.

I've searched the internet but there was nothing helpful. Most of it was talking about why we don't/do need to sleep for 8 hours per day.

So is there something weird with me or am I just fine? I tend to find that if I sleep, I feel worse than if I don't, which I mentioned in a thread here a while ago (maybe last year, I'm not sure).
So, you'll have slept for only 3 hours in 3 days, drunk a bottle of wine, felt fresh and worked everyday?

Crikey, that's amazing.

prand

6,244 posts

225 months

Monday 16th December 2013
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Cut down on the coffee/red bull/ ritalin maybe?

Doing a bottle of wine in 30 mins can't be too good for you either!

I read somewhere that mentally and physically you need to allow your body and brain to properly sleep, your deep sleep cycles release hormones for rest and regeneration, and your mind can clear itself down and sort itself out ready to take on more stimulation. Or else you get sick and go mad, or something.

Try to get some rest. Browsing the internet is a complete waste of anyone's life, so unless you are putting in some heroic overtime or studying for an MBA while holding down two jobs, you may as well try some meditating and trying to give your body and mind a break.

Or do some exercise to wear yourself out.

JRewing

Original Poster:

17,549 posts

208 months

Monday 16th December 2013
quotequote all
I've had a fair bit more than a bottle of wine in 3 days.

And to clarify, the bottle of wine will not be drunk in 30 minutes. It will be over several hours as I do other things. Ie reading, or cleaning the house (which are my plans for the next few hours).

I feel healthy and alert. I'm not drunk and I eat normal meals, but I have no desire to sleep. The strongest drugs I've touched in the last decade or so are alcohol and tobacco.

JRewing

Original Poster:

17,549 posts

208 months

Monday 16th December 2013
quotequote all
prand said:
Cut down on the coffee/red bull/ ritalin maybe?

Doing a bottle of wine in 30 mins can't be too good for you either!

I read somewhere that mentally and physically you need to allow your body and brain to properly sleep, your deep sleep cycles release hormones for rest and regeneration, and your mind can clear itself down and sort itself out ready to take on more stimulation. Or else you get sick and go mad, or something.

Try to get some rest. Browsing the internet is a complete waste of anyone's life, so unless you are putting in some heroic overtime or studying for an MBA while holding down two jobs, you may as well try some meditating and trying to give your body and mind a break.

Or do some exercise to wear yourself out.
I agree with this. I had a coffee this morning with breakfast, but that's my entire caffeine intake in the last week or so. I've been doing this for several years and I feel better than I did when I was trying to follow prescribed sleep timetables.

My only issue is that my family can't accept it. I don't just sit around browsing the internet! I drop in to PH when I'm bored, but that's my only random internet browsing. My main uses for the internet are related to work (correspondence) or reading news etc.

prand

6,244 posts

225 months

Monday 16th December 2013
quotequote all
Ah, so it's not a short term thing, so it may well be just the way you are made. Have you thought of a way to make best use of this, like 2 full time jobs or so? Or doing something that requires a lot of time we normal sleepers don't have?

Just seems to be a bit of a waste of your life spent moping around at night when everyone else is alseep.

BoRED S2upid

21,035 posts

269 months

Monday 16th December 2013
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That's pretty extreme how long can you go until you have to sleep? I used to suffer from insomnia and got by on a couple of hours a night but only for a few days.

Jenny McCarthy (round the world sailer) got by on 10 min power naps for days / weeks so it can be done.

JRewing

Original Poster:

17,549 posts

208 months

Monday 16th December 2013
quotequote all
To be honest, I don't really have the desire for more work!
I quite like sitting around overnight relaxing with wine and a book. Besides, around here the choices for an extra job would be 24 hour McDonalds and road sweeping hehe

Especially since I could be double as productive in my own work if I did it in my free time, but I try to keep my work life and free time separate. I'm nearer to 30 than 40 and I'm not a waster. My only problem is that people around me get angry by it, which I find unreasonable!

prand

6,244 posts

225 months

Monday 16th December 2013
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Ellen Mcarthur surely? I know who I'd rather be stuck, sleepless on a boat with tho! smile

Vladimir

6,917 posts

187 months

Monday 16th December 2013
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Well if you ever get captured and they try sleep deprivation, you can laugh in their faces.

BoRED S2upid

21,035 posts

269 months

Monday 16th December 2013
quotequote all
prand said:
Ellen Mcarthur surely? I know who I'd rather be stuck, sleepless on a boat with tho! smile
Yes that's the one wink I knew that didn't sound right.

texaxile

3,752 posts

179 months

Monday 16th December 2013
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Tried having wk? Works for me. idea

OH works on 4 hrs sleep a night, bright as a button in the morning, the longest she's ever slept to my knowledge is 7 hours.

Sadly Jr takes after her, 8 hours and she's thumping me in the melon to play football at 0600...yeah I really need that.

Edited by texaxile on Monday 16th December 21:59

JRewing

Original Poster:

17,549 posts

208 months

Monday 16th December 2013
quotequote all
BoRED S2upid said:
That's pretty extreme how long can you go until you have to sleep? I used to suffer from insomnia and got by on a couple of hours a night but only for a few days.

Jenny McCarthy (round the world sailer) got by on 10 min power naps for days / weeks so it can be done.
I don't know, to be honest. I go to sleep if I'm really bored and have nothing practical to do. That usually happens at least every other day. I've never tried to test it as I just sleep if/when I have nothing to do. I also don't really want to test it as it works fine as it is!

Vladimir said:
Well if you ever get captured and they try sleep deprivation, you can laugh in their faces.
I like the idea of that, but I'm far too boring/corrupt/average to be arrested/kidnapped/abducted for bum rape.

Juanco20

3,352 posts

222 months

Monday 16th December 2013
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I'm the opposite at the moment. Not sure if it is the stress of work or something else but as soon as I get home I feel like falling asleep. When I wake up for work in the morning I feel like I could sleep for another 8 hours

MrsThatcher

3,775 posts

224 months

Monday 16th December 2013
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You'll be dead before you're 30 on so little sleep!

Then you'll have all the time in the world to sleep.

Streps

2,457 posts

195 months

Monday 16th December 2013
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Juanco20 said:
I'm the opposite at the moment. Not sure if it is the stress of work or something else but as soon as I get home I feel like falling asleep. When I wake up for work in the morning I feel like I could sleep for another 8 hours
I'm also in this category.
Sadly i feel most alert when I'm supposed to be going to sleep though frown I'm just grinding through the day on 3 cylinders at the moment. (I think being stressed does not help)

Steffan

10,362 posts

257 months

Monday 16th December 2013
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Streps said:
Juanco20 said:
I'm the opposite at the moment. Not sure if it is the stress of work or something else but as soon as I get home I feel like falling asleep. When I wake up for work in the morning I feel like I could sleep for another 8 hours
I'm also in this category.
Sadly i feel most alert when I'm supposed to be going to sleep though frown I'm just grinding through the day on 3 cylinders at the moment. (I think being stressed does not help)
Given all your comments I would suggest a trip to your GP to review the inability to sleep asap. Your inability to sleep suggests to me further investigation is advisable. Three hours really is a lot less than most people require. I would expect your GP to have concerns. Stress could well be a contributing factor.

Terminator X

20,458 posts

233 months

Monday 16th December 2013
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I get by on 5-6 hours sleep a night but need a "power nap" every so often to compensate. Strange that others are iritated by the OP, surely he can do as he pleases?!

TX.

Steffan

10,362 posts

257 months

Monday 16th December 2013
quotequote all
Terminator X said:
I get by on 5-6 hours sleep a night but need a "power nap" every so often to compensate. Strange that others are iritated by the OP, surely he can do as he pleases?!

TX.
He does not irritate me, Each to their own personal choice.