Any way to get by with sleeping less?

[Cheese78CA]

You're experiencing the circadian rhythm (one's biological clock) at work. The cycle is adapted to the 24 hours of the day and is highly sensitive to light--which explains how people eventually adapt when traveling. Even without rest, you will always be more vigilant in the morning hours on the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th days. However, there is another apparatus at work here; namely, your sleep debt bank. Without rest, you will simply become more and more tired especially when the night rolls around.

Originally posted by: KingNothing
On a related note, the physiological effects of not going to bed at all are interesting, at least for me. I normally get 7 hours a night or so, but one night I didn't go to bed. Around 6:30 in the morning I got really tired but I forced myself to stay up, and then I got progressively more awake. By 10 am I felt like I was hopped up on caffeine and a little giddy. Wasn't tired at all the rest of the day and I went to bed at normal time that night.

 

[AnyMal]

Originally posted by: Syringer
So I sleep quite a bit compared to a lot of people I know..I usually sleep around 8 hours a night, and sometimes when I go home I might nap for another half hour to an hour...and even then I sometimes feel tired in class.

People around me tend to get by with just 6-7 hours a night, and they seem fine with that.

So are there any methods for me to start REMing (which I think is the right term) quicker?

REM stands for Rapid Eye Movement which is associated with earliest and the latest stages of sleep cycle. Meaning it's time after you close your eyes, but before you fall asleep, and right before you wake up when you are aware of your surroundings but not yet completely awake. So, "reming" will do nothing for you since there is no such thing.

On the other hand 6 to 8 hours should be plenty for the most people; if you feel tired after 8 hours of sleep then it may indicate a sleep disorder like a sleep apnea. Are you overweight? Do you snore loudly? Has anyone ever told you that when you're asleep you stop breathing and then gasp for air? If you have any of these symptoms I would higly suggest seeing your doctor and asking him about doing a sleep study.

 

[Deeko]

I sleep 2-4 hours a night.

 

[Wolfsraider]

Originally posted by: Deeko
I sleep 2-4 hours a night.

lol

you too

seriously if i get sleep, its usually reserved to two to three hours. but on a good week, i get one day where i get 6 to 9 hours of sleep

 

[AvesPKS]

Sure. Pop 3 ECA stack pills in the morning, coffee, more pills before lunch, more coffee after lunch, and then maybe a few more in early afternoon.

 

[yellowperil]

I sleep for about 3 hrs before my first class and about 2 after I come home. I'm alright most of the day but right after lunch is the worst. Sometimes I just go to the library and read by osmosis.

 

[AznMaverick]

dang, i'm 20, and if i get too little sleep, or sleep 2-3 hours later than usual for about a week straight, i break out like crazy...

 

[johnjbruin]

I get about 4-5 hrs everyday.
Used to it now.
BTW - I am 21 and in college right now.

 

[CallTheFBI]

There are pills you can take that will stave off your need for sleep for like 24 hours or something. There is no drug that offers a permanent reduction in your need for sleep though.

 

[Tominator]

There is no way to 'train yourself' to get less sleep. You might think you are, but you end up just settleing for being less alert.

I need about 7.5 hours minimum and feel much better with 8.5 to 9. I learned long ago not to fight it.

My mom and dad get by on averaging 7 and my wife gets about 6 and she carries on a fulll day.

 

[Alphazero]

Everyone has different sleep requirements. It's not healthy to try and sleep less or a lot more than you feel you need to. Short power naps can give you plenty of energy for the evening.

 

[billandopus]

On the other hand 6 to 8 hours should be plenty for the most people; if you feel tired after 8 hours of sleep then it may indicate a sleep disorder like a sleep apnea.

Exactly what I was going to say. Explore yourself and make sure you don't have any kind of sleep disorder/condition that may decrease your quality of sleep. A very good friend of mine was finally diagnosed with severe sleep apnea a year ago and is using a CPAP machine. He now feels like a million bucks is much, much more effective in life and love in general because when he sleeps he stays in REM longer and more effectively which translates to better sleep and quality of life.

 

[LeeTJ]

Originally posted by: Syringer
So I sleep quite a bit compared to a lot of people I know..I usually sleep around 8 hours a night, and sometimes when I go home I might nap for another half hour to an hour...and even then I sometimes feel tired in class.

People around me tend to get by with just 6-7 hours a night, and they seem fine with that.

So are there any methods for me to start REMing (which I think is the right term) quicker?

the best way to get the most out of a limited number of hours of sleep is consistency. to sleep the same hours EVERY night. Once your body settles down to a certain rhythm it will do better than if you get 8 to 10 hours every night but are different hours.

the key is to get to bed at the SAME time every night and get up and the SAME time every day.

 

[sciencetoy]

Sure, have kids. I call my oldest my 5-year sleep deprivation experiment - once she hit 5 and could read pretty well I could finally sleep while she was still awake.

Serious answer: never use your bed for anything except serious sleeping (obviously, have another site for recreation) and figure out what it takes to drop into deep sleep quickly, and the instant you wake up, jump out of bed. Meditation helps to recharge the brain. Get to the best physical condition you can. Avoid ANY stimulants like caffiene, sugar, alcohol, etc. Take B vitamins and magnesium.

This is from when I was working on a big programming project, trying to develop a type of computer-generated display holography hardware/software system, and one of the nerds said he learned it in the military, so we all tried it, and it actually worked pretty well. Of course, I didn't have a life back then.

The other way to get by with less sleep is to lower your standards.