Cutting Down On Sleep.

[DimmedBulb]

Sleep takes up a lot of time. A lot. For me personally, I need a minimum of 9 hours to not avoid a "destroy everything on the face of this earth" kind of grumpiness, as well as being able to focus, avoid migraines, etc. Are there any healthy ways to cut down on the amount of shuteye needed to function? I'd love to have an extra hour to build a routine into, like yoga.

[SFRL]

@DimmedBulb dont do it. Sleep is one of the most important things. 

There are probably plenty of other things you can cut out. The video on lifestyle minimalism is very good. Basically it comes down to cutting out a lot of time waisting habits and then keeping a few high quality habits that you start spending more time on. Sleep I would categorize as a high quality habits. So I would say sleep more not less. Although 9 sounds enough. But let's say 9 and a nap. Or just keep it at 9. 

Edited November 21, 2016 by STC

[DimmedBulb]

Makes sense honestly. Sleep is great. It just takes up a lot of time. I reckon that because I relatively take in a lot of stimuli that I have to rest for longer than average. It's just a shame that I know people who work perfectly well on 5 hours of sleep, which, if you say that they'd do that until they retire starting at age 18, they'll be awake 73,000 hours longer, which means they can for example fully master 7 more things in life (I'm still working on envy if you couldn't tell from this impossible comparison).

[SFRL]

@DimmedBulb eventually something got to give for these people. May it be health, happiness, etc. 

Also I don't think they can get to master 7 things more. Who in life do you know that masters 7 things to begin with? Like truly masters them. 

Another example: An Olympic athlete who wins the gold medal. Well that person does master it's discipline right? But do you think that person sleeps less or more to get to that point? They probably sacrifice a lot of things in life, but sleep won't be one of them. If anything they sleep more. To restore the body from all the workouts. Sleep is very much vital for top performance. 

Edited November 21, 2016 by STC

[DimmedBulb]

@STC Eating also takes up a boatload of time, but I ain't cutting down on that any time soon

[ajasatya]

 

[Schulzy]

Maybe in future we wont need to sleep. For now stick to how much you need to function properly. 9 Hours is normal range.

[hedge]

You want 1 extra hour? Chip away at it. Wake up 15 minutes earlier and work your way to the 1 hour. Or if 5 minutes earlier works for you do that. Try it out and if it works for you. Sure, take in other people's advice but also find your own formula.  (Although it could be for certain things, maybe someone's advice is so good you should follow it exactly!)

Maybe when you wake up you don't just wake up. Note that as something else to work on, or decide if you should at all. Maybe slowly waking up is right for you.

Or... google it and gather the perspective of The Internet and spend days, months (years?) mulling it over before you come to a conclusion.

Edited November 22, 2016 by hedge

[Siim Land]

It's not the quantity of your sleep that matter but the quality of it. I'm physically very active and workout basically every day. I also spend the majority of my time doing difficult cognitive and creative tasks. Despite that, I'm able to function at my peak with 6-8 hours of sleeping, without abusing caffeine. 

Here are a few quintessential things you have to do to improve your sleep. Once you try them out, you'll go through a massive shift in your energy levels and sleep.

• Adjust to the circadian rhythms - get up early at about 6-8 AM, go to bed between 9 and 11 PM
• Block out blue light in the evening - the brain doesn’t tell the difference between light coming from the Sun or an artificial source. Wear sunglasses or special blue blocking glasses at night. Install a software called F.lux on your computer that dims the light.
• Sleep in pitch black darkness - cover the windows, wear a sleeping mask
• Stimulate the vagus nerve - The vagus nerve is located inside our skull, at the back of our head. It’s part of the parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest aka sleep like a baby). Use a tennis ball to massage the back of your neck before bed.
• Sleep in a cooler environment - the perfect temperature is 20 degrees Celsius (65 Fahrenheit). 
• Unwind your mind - don't think about your problems or the next day. Simply relax and don't go to bed stressed out.

These are just the most fundamental things you should do. To truly optimize your sleep, then check out my article about this on my blog. I give you several other strategies, starting from sleep positions, sleep nutrition and essential oils. 

May your ZZZ's be merry!
Thanks!

[MIARIVEL]

@DimmedBulb I must say 9 hours of sleep seems like a luxury to me. I have 4-5 hours of sleep and I am usually feeling okay, refreshed and energised every morning. Apart from all the million things I want to achieve in life that keeps me working hard to all hours of the night and early mornings, health and fitness is a HUGE factor into how you are feeling and your moods. I know you have probably heard it a lot but waking up each morning with a glass of cold lemon water, followed by quick exercises, even if its just a jog around the block, eating right through the day and cutting out sugar is what my secret it to doing a lot more with my time and being okay with 4-5 hours sleep. I've been fitting exercising into my schedule which is so important for energy levels too and if you are consistent with this, you will notice a huge change the way you feel and will sleep less and get more done with your time. 

[Preango]

As someone who's been sleeping only 6-7 hours a night for years, I reckon I'm pretty skilled at finding ways to stay functional on less sleep.

My key is - water. 

I've found being well hydrated  makes you feel so much more refreshed and satisfied when you wake up.  You feel a lot less of that grogginess, or as you describe as: "destroy everything on the face of this earth" kind of grumpiness. 

The reality is most people barely reach their daily water intake and it means they miss out on this benefit.

Seriously, try adjusting yourself to 2.5 - 3 litres of water a day (I recommend getting a water app to monitor intake) and I promise you that you will notice the difference. You can sleep less while still feeling good.

Stay hydrated. 

[DimmedBulb]

@Preango I love my water. I drink that 3 litres easily.