AlbertoDelMuerto
Kingfisher
^^ Actually alcohol helps me sleep really well, in fact I stopped drinking too much on night outs, because if I'm drunk I'm too sleepy and I can't game.
8 Hour sleep is a myth
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One odd/interesting thing I've noticed in the past, is the more strict I go on Paleo, the more often I'll be able to have a natural biological alarm clock.
If my body was used to waking up at a certain time by an alarm, I would often wake up anywhere from 5-15 mins. earlier
It even got to the point where there were days when I had to wake up at diff. times than usual, and if I focused and thought about that just before falling asleep, I would generally wake up within a decent range of the different time.
I have no way of proving this, other people may have similar experiences or know about some studies, but my theory is that as you regulate your insulin spikes, your energy level becomes less erratic, and you have more natural control over your body.
If my body was used to waking up at a certain time by an alarm, I would often wake up anywhere from 5-15 mins. earlier
It even got to the point where there were days when I had to wake up at diff. times than usual, and if I focused and thought about that just before falling asleep, I would generally wake up within a decent range of the different time.
I have no way of proving this, other people may have similar experiences or know about some studies, but my theory is that as you regulate your insulin spikes, your energy level becomes less erratic, and you have more natural control over your body.
Wayout said:
You may benefit from this:
http://justgetflux.com/
It has been recommended on the forum recently.
Robb Wolf had a response to that BBC piece some might find interesting.
http://robbwolf.com/2012/02/23/sleep-sleep-sleep-how-artificial-lighting-and-cortisol-impact-zzzs/
http://robbwolf.com/2012/02/23/sleep-sleep-sleep-how-artificial-lighting-and-cortisol-impact-zzzs/
I recently stumbled upon this idea quite accidentally.
A few weeks ago I only managed to get about two hours of sleep so I was understandably exhausted the next day at work. Anyway, I finished work at 2pm, forced myself to the gym, cooked a late lunch and went straight to bed. After waking up about midnight I got up and spent a few hours reading and doing some chores before heading back to bed at 4am for 2 hours sleep. I woke up completely refreshed whereas I am usually a zombie in the morning.
The next day after gym and eating, I once again felt sleepy so I did the same thing - woke up naturally around midnight and had a final couple of hours sleep.
I've been doing this pretty much every day now for the past few weeks, having a 4 hour sleep starting early evening and the a couple of hours before getting up for work, and I've never felt better sleep-wise. I've had sleeping problems for as long as I can remember, but this has completely taken the anxiety out of getting to sleep. And the bonus is that I am especially creative and productive after my first sleep.
And it doesn't necessarily have to impact on my social life. If I am meeting friends or a girl in the evening, I can tweak it by having a short first sleep before getting up to go out. The times I've gone back to a girl's house, even if we stay up late, I don't need to worry about lack of sleep before work because I can leave in the early hours of the morning to go home and have a few final hours of sleep.
A few weeks ago I only managed to get about two hours of sleep so I was understandably exhausted the next day at work. Anyway, I finished work at 2pm, forced myself to the gym, cooked a late lunch and went straight to bed. After waking up about midnight I got up and spent a few hours reading and doing some chores before heading back to bed at 4am for 2 hours sleep. I woke up completely refreshed whereas I am usually a zombie in the morning.
The next day after gym and eating, I once again felt sleepy so I did the same thing - woke up naturally around midnight and had a final couple of hours sleep.
I've been doing this pretty much every day now for the past few weeks, having a 4 hour sleep starting early evening and the a couple of hours before getting up for work, and I've never felt better sleep-wise. I've had sleeping problems for as long as I can remember, but this has completely taken the anxiety out of getting to sleep. And the bonus is that I am especially creative and productive after my first sleep.
And it doesn't necessarily have to impact on my social life. If I am meeting friends or a girl in the evening, I can tweak it by having a short first sleep before getting up to go out. The times I've gone back to a girl's house, even if we stay up late, I don't need to worry about lack of sleep before work because I can leave in the early hours of the morning to go home and have a few final hours of sleep.
Some of these strategies sound good, but I've never been able to nap. If I know that my sleep is limited to less than two hours, it isn't happening. Would fix this if I could.
ElBorrachoInfamoso
Kingfisher
As some commenters have already suggested, our screwed up sleep cycles have a lot to do with all the artificial light we bath in throughout the day. I've always instinctively avoided artificial light. It is often unavoidable but I do my best.
I always sleep about 6-7 hours, within an irregular sleep pattern (as in week vs weekends). Never had much trouble with it. On weekdays I go to bed around 1 a 1.30 at night, in weekends at 4-5 or so.
Also drink alcohol often, and to me it makes me sleep better (especially red wine).
Also drink alcohol often, and to me it makes me sleep better (especially red wine).
I find that my sleep requirements depend largely on what sort of activities I'm doing. When I was working at the gold mine, we worked 12 hour days, relatively physical work and would typically hit the gym after work for an hour. Not a lot of mental work involved. I would get by just fine with 6.5 hours a night. Now, I'm back in grad school and I work on a computer all day and have a very mentally demanding job. I find that I need 8 or 9 hours of sleep to feel refreshed.
I need a solid 8-9 hours a day to feel fully rested. Conversely, my mum, her siblings and pretty much her entire maternal family require 4 hours of a sleep a day maximum.
I really wonder how people in committed LTRs or those with children manage to get sufficient sleep. Sleep is vital though I do often wish I could do away with it altogether. Imagine having 8 hours (or even just 4-5 more, as my mum does) in a day.
I really wonder how people in committed LTRs or those with children manage to get sufficient sleep. Sleep is vital though I do often wish I could do away with it altogether. Imagine having 8 hours (or even just 4-5 more, as my mum does) in a day.
Working shifts seems to be one of the worst thing regarding sleep. My dad worked 4 on 4 off for years(12 hour shifts, two days two nights), and he sleep patterns are really messed up. He sleeps best between 1 and 4 PM. I have a potential career lined up but it would involve shift work. I'm not sure if willing to risk my health for my job.
JimBobsCooters
Woodpecker
Sleep is a weird one for me. I think I probably oversleep more often than anything. 4-6 is hard to get out of bed I find but once I do I have a ton of energy, I generally only do this one when I was working 9-5 (I'm a night owl so would stay up to 2-4am regularly) or when I travel. When I get 6-8 I'm kind of in no mans land, sometimes I'm productive and sometimes just lethargic. When I get 8+ I find myself being very lethargic throughout the day, like I never really join the living.
I genuinely find that being active and getting less sleep actually works better for my energy levels. I think part of it is that the activity forces me into a better sleep and I'm naturally a 4-6 hour sleeper that's just really good at falling asleep so can and will sleep longer.
I've also found that siestas are super powerful. A quick 30-45m nap in the afternoon is better than any amount of caffeine for me. When I was party traveling I basically used to go until 5am or later, sleep 4 hours, do a day activity, nap for 30 minutes around 4pm and could power on, I could go weeks on this schedule feeling fresh as a daisy (you know, relatively given the drinking that goes along with it!).
Sleep is one of those fascinating areas that I think one day they will work it all out and we'll all have been doing it wildly wrong...
I genuinely find that being active and getting less sleep actually works better for my energy levels. I think part of it is that the activity forces me into a better sleep and I'm naturally a 4-6 hour sleeper that's just really good at falling asleep so can and will sleep longer.
I've also found that siestas are super powerful. A quick 30-45m nap in the afternoon is better than any amount of caffeine for me. When I was party traveling I basically used to go until 5am or later, sleep 4 hours, do a day activity, nap for 30 minutes around 4pm and could power on, I could go weeks on this schedule feeling fresh as a daisy (you know, relatively given the drinking that goes along with it!).
Sleep is one of those fascinating areas that I think one day they will work it all out and we'll all have been doing it wildly wrong...
From what I've read and researched, sleep works in cycles of 90ish minutes. When you wake up in the middle of one of those cycles, you will be groggy, tired, and will likely want to sleep more. When waking up at the end of these cycles, you will feel refreshed, and will not need to sleep anymore, even if it was only for 3 hours. Now, one thing that I really want to try in 2018 are the polyphasic sleeping schedules, the everyman sleep schedule looks like it could be interesting. Sleeping 4.5 hours at night, with a nap or two during the day could allow for huge productivity spikes.
Anything that is mainstream knowledge (ie. 8 hours minimum) seems to be less than healthy. Something that is so personalized like diet, sleep, exercise, or what have you shouldn't be generalized advice.
Anything that is mainstream knowledge (ie. 8 hours minimum) seems to be less than healthy. Something that is so personalized like diet, sleep, exercise, or what have you shouldn't be generalized advice.
It’s cool to see it made a difference for you Horus.
I'll take 6 hours of sleep and a hour workout then 8 hours of sleep with no workout anytime of the week. Sleep is overrated, working out is underrated.