So how much sleep do you 'really' need?

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - So how much sleep do you 'really' need?

Posted: 8/21/2004 12:35:44 PM EDT

I have always thought that everyone needed at least 8 hours of sleep in a 24 hour period to be healthy. 7 hours is acceptable in tight situations but will leave you feeling tired sooner.

But recently I was told that a person my age (20) only needed 6 1/2 hours of sleep 7 hours max, and that I would need less sleep as I got older.

So who is right and who is wrong?

Posted: 8/21/2004 12:37:05 PM EDT

[#1]

6 hours does me great

Posted: 8/21/2004 12:37:20 PM EDT

[#2]

I never sleep more tahn 5 hours a day, I guess it depends on your body.

Posted: 8/21/2004 12:40:41 PM EDT

[#3]

I dunno, no matter how much sleep I get my mornings still suck.

Posted: 8/21/2004 12:51:58 PM EDT

[#4]

8 hours is a LOT of sleep!

Military studies have repeatedly shown that 4 hours of sleep every 24 hour period is enough to sustain most people indefinitely without any degredation in performance. Less than 4 hours, and accident and mistake rates increase - from the planners on down to the folks carrying rifles and driving trucks.

I personally feel most comfortable with 6 - more than that and I get lethargic.

Posted: 8/21/2004 12:54:22 PM EDT

[#5]

I average about 5 hours a night during the week and 7-8 on the weekends.

Posted: 8/21/2004 12:54:35 PM EDT

[#6]

3 to 4 hours of sleep do me just fine. Sometimes less, very few times, more.

Posted: 8/21/2004 12:56:30 PM EDT

[#7]

I get by on around 4 hours of zzzz's during the work week and on my first day off I usually hit the sack for around 20 hours!

Posted: 8/21/2004 1:19:28 PM EDT

[#8]

I need at least 5 - 6 hours sleep, once in a while I get by on 4 to 5 hours sleep, but if I do it all the time I feel drowsy.

when I was a kid I needed a full 8 hours or 9 hours sleep.

Posted: 8/21/2004 3:09:20 PM EDT

[#9]

I try for 7, usually get about 6 thanks to this website

Posted: 8/21/2004 3:11:34 PM EDT

[#10]

6~7 hours, but usually I end up sleeping over that. I think it is a waste but it is hard to get up

Posted: 8/21/2004 3:26:12 PM EDT

[#11]

I know guys at school who work a 40hr week and take 17-18.5credits of engineering math/chem/physics and claim to average 3-4hrs/day. They do not look good after they get out of school.

Posted: 8/21/2004 3:31:26 PM EDT

[#12]

I like 9 hours.

Posted: 8/21/2004 3:35:13 PM EDT

[#13]

3 hours every 8 to 10.

Posted: 8/21/2004 3:36:19 PM EDT

[#14]

Quoted:
I like 9 hours.

Thats how much I get now. I try not to get less than 6.

Posted: 8/21/2004 3:42:13 PM EDT

[#15]

I'm going to call bullshit on all these self-designated Type As who claim they function on 3-4 hours a night indefinitely. There is such a thing as sleep debt.

8 hours is a LOT of sleep!

Military studies have repeatedly shown that 4 hours of sleep every 24 hour period is enough to sustain most people indefinitely without any degredation in performance. Less than 4 hours, and accident and mistake rates increase - from the planners on down to the folks carrying rifles and driving trucks.

I personally feel most comfortable with 6 - more than that and I get lethargic.

8 hours is a NORMAL amount of sleep. I'd like to see the study that says 4 hours/night indefinitely doesn't A)degrade performance and B) affect the immune system and other biochemical processes.

I certainly remember serving under officers who seemed to think that 3 hours or so was "Good to Go" under extended field conditions. It sucked. People were awake and doing their jobs, but compared to what they would have been capable of if someone had designed and executed a decent sleep plan, they (we) were walking zombies.

In WW2, they used to try to condition soldiers to not need water, too. It worked about as well.

Posted: 8/21/2004 3:44:28 PM EDT

[#16]

I'm fine on 3-4 . Many times its less , been that way all my life .

Posted: 8/21/2004 3:50:47 PM EDT

[#17]

Quoted:
...

I certainly remember serving under officers who seemed to think that 3 hours or so was "Good to Go" under extended field conditions. It sucked. People were awake and doing their jobs, but compared to what they would have been capable of if someone had designed and executed a decent sleep plan, they (we) were walking zombies.

In WW2, they used to try to condition soldiers to not need water, too. It worked about as well.

Allow myself to quote, well, myself:

Less than 4 hours, and accident and mistake rates increase - from the planners on down to the folks carrying rifles and driving trucks.

I fail to see why you act as if we are in disagreement.

I apologize that the military's emphasis on training to fight wars disagrees with your need for beauty sleep - but 3 hours a night is normal for shorter ops. Yes, your performance degrades - but learning to deal with that is part of the process - I doubt the folks kicking off OIF got much if any sleep the first few days.

Posted: 8/21/2004 3:57:20 PM EDT

[#18]

Quoted:
Quoted:
...

I certainly remember serving under officers who seemed to think that 3 hours or so was "Good to Go" under extended field conditions. It sucked. People were awake and doing their jobs, but compared to what they would have been capable of if someone had designed and executed a decent sleep plan, they (we) were walking zombies.

In WW2, they used to try to condition soldiers to not need water, too. It worked about as well.

Allow myself to quote, well, myself:

Less than 4 hours, and accident and mistake rates increase - from the planners on down to the folks carrying rifles and driving trucks.

I fail to see why you act as if we are in disagreement.

I apologize that the military's emphasis on training to fight wars disagrees with your need for beauty sleep - but 3 hours a night is normal for shorter ops. Yes, your performance degrades - but learning to deal with that is part of the process - I doubt the folks kicking off OIF got much if any sleep the first few days.

I think we ARE in disagreement - you just said 4 hours indefinitely is sustainable, and I say it's not. I didn't say, "Oops, I need a time out for a cookie and a nap or I can't fight."

Posted: 8/21/2004 3:59:26 PM EDT

[#19]

I average about 4 to 6 hrs a day - suits me just fine...

- georgestrings

Posted: 8/21/2004 4:01:04 PM EDT

[#20]

QS: I said less than four hours will degrade performance. You pointed out an example of where you witnessed this very phenomenon. NOw, if you can remember a time where everyone was able to get at least 4 hours of sleep per day and STILL witness such degredation, you might have a point.

Posted: 8/21/2004 4:02:32 PM EDT

[#21]

I get about 6 hours and do fine. 8+ hours for hangovers.

Posted: 8/21/2004 4:04:20 PM EDT

[#22]

I guess that I'm abnormal compared to you guys.

I try for 8 hours sleep Sunday-Thursday nights. I usually go to bed at 9:45PM and get up at 5:45AM.

And I try for 10 hours on Friday and Saturday nights by going to bed at 10:00PM and getting up at 8:00AM.

Weird, huh?

Posted: 8/21/2004 4:07:04 PM EDT

[#23]

On average, 6 hours a night.

Posted: 8/21/2004 4:07:05 PM EDT

[#24]

Quoted:
QS: I said less than four hours will degrade performance. You pointed out an example of where you witnessed this very phenomenon. NOw, if you can remember a time where everyone was able to get at least 4 hours of sleep per day and STILL witness such degredation, you might have a point.

Roger. I would attempt to work out a sleep plan to get my soldiers more than that if possible. Sometimes it's not, certainly.

Posted: 8/21/2004 4:25:53 PM EDT

[#25]

I get 3-5 on work nights, and up to 8 on weekends...and none of it is deep sleep anymore.

I think I got insomnia/parinoia from when I was working a full-time job, a part-time job, and going to class full-time. For over 7 months I got about 3-hrs sleep on weeknights and I found it hard to catch up on weekends. So I have yet to catch up.

I now also wake up every hour or so thinking somone is trying to break into my apartment.

Posted: 8/21/2004 4:30:47 PM EDT

[#26]

Eight is the correct answer and the correct answer is eight.

Posted: 8/21/2004 4:34:40 PM EDT

[#27]

It varies from individual to individual. Not everybody is the same.

Posted: 8/21/2004 4:37:32 PM EDT

[#28]

I usually get around six. If I turn off the alarm and allow myself to wake up naturally, then it might go anywhere from six to six and a half. Can't seem to be able to get anymore than that.

Thomas Edison used to get 3 hours a night, although it's said he used to take micro-naps throughout the day. Winston Churchill also got around 3 hours a night.

Posted: 8/21/2004 5:10:16 PM EDT

[#29]

To not feel tired all day: 12-14 hours per night.

What The Neutral Observer usually gets: 3-4 hours per night.

EDIT:

The Neutral Observer still needs an alarm to get up after 12-14. If allowed to sleep naturally, He will wake up after 16-18.

Posted: 8/21/2004 5:22:39 PM EDT

[#30]

Quoted:
To not feel tired all day: 12-14 hours per night.

What The Neutral Observer usually gets: 3-4 hours per night.

EDIT:

The Neutral Observer still needs an alarm to get up after 12-14. If allowed to sleep naturally, He will wake up after 16-18.

Think that might be a natural result of sleep deprivation early in one's career?

Posted: 8/21/2004 5:22:52 PM EDT

[#31]

6.5 is optimum for me. Sometimes I sleep more, but I know I'll feel sluggish the whole day.

Posted: 8/21/2004 5:24:34 PM EDT

[#32]

Quoted:
To not feel tired all day: 12-14 hours per night.

What The Neutral Observer usually gets: 3-4 hours per night.

EDIT:

The Neutral Observer still needs an alarm to get up after 12-14. If allowed to sleep naturally, He will wake up after 16-18.

Obviously the Neutral Observer needs something to consume more of his time so he doesn't spend 3/4 of his time asleep. Try a job or a hobby!

Posted: 8/21/2004 5:28:02 PM EDT

[#33]

If you knew what The Neutral Observer did for a living you'd laugh your ass off that you made that statement.....

Posted: 8/21/2004 5:38:18 PM EDT

[#34]

I like about 9, i can as low as 6 but i definitely feel tired come evening

Posted: 8/21/2004 6:19:42 PM EDT

[#35]

Quoted:
To not feel tired all day: 12-14 hours per night.

What The Neutral Observer usually gets: 3-4 hours per night.

EDIT:

The Neutral Observer still needs an alarm to get up after 12-14. If allowed to sleep naturally, He will wake up after 16-18.

I dont care what the nuetral observer does for a living. he should know that it has been proven that getting more than about 9 hours of sleep will actually make you feel MORE tired and sleepy than only getting 6 - 8.

Posted: 8/21/2004 6:20:56 PM EDT

[#36]

Quoted:
If you knew what The Neutral Observer did for a living you'd laugh your ass off that you made that statement.....

which is......?

Posted: 8/21/2004 6:23:06 PM EDT

[#37]

7 hours is my magic number.

Posted: 8/21/2004 6:24:36 PM EDT

[#38]

Quoted:
Quoted:
If you knew what The Neutral Observer did for a living you'd laugh your ass off that you made that statement.....

which is......?

I get about 5-6 per night and I feel run down most of the time.

If I could, I'd get 8-9 per night, but work and getting shit done , AND BROWSING WEB FORUMS make that hard to do.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - So how much sleep do you 'really' need?

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