Can you function with only a few hours sleep a night?

[Vakz]

Personally, it really depends on how long term we're talking. I can easily go for a week or two with 5-6 hours of sleep per day and have no reduced "performance" during the days. A few days with less than 4 hours is usually no trouble either, but I do get.. well.. slower? I usually used to aim for 7-8 hours back when I was in school, but since I graduated last summer and it's impossible to find a job (at least where I live) I simply go to bed, and get up when I feel it's about time.

 

[Zanakanishi]

I am cursed with allways needing large amounts of sleep, even if I had 12 hours sleep, I can eat food and sleep straight afterwards for another 9-10 hours (I would say 12, but I think I have a little less on my 2nd sleep) so as I allways sleep around/over/just under 12 hours, I make the most of it and stay up for as long as possible, since I don't have a job I might as well make the most of my curse right?

 

[Samuel Cook]

During the last few years of school, I was going to sleep at around 2-3 in the morning, then waking up at 5.30 to look after my ferret, then wash. I never felt tired or had any side effects from it. Now I need 7-8 hours of sleep a night, strangely, I feel more tired if I have more, rather than less.

 

[Kouryuu]

Kinda off-topic, but since you are a biologist, can you tell me what the fuck a platypus is?

It's one of the five extant species of monotremes( mammals who lay eggs)
the other are 4 species of echidna.
there are some visuals, but basicly it is a species that took a different turn on the road of evolution, not long after Birds and reptiles left the mammals.

if you do not believe in evolution it's your loss.

for in-depth discussion PM me, always willing to help understand.
kouryuu

 

[spartan231490]

I try to get 8 or more, but i can function on 4-6 a night for a very long time if pressed.

 

[SinisterGehe]

6hrs is my standard amount of sleep per night. 8 If I am being fancy. But the smallest amount of sleep I need is 4½. But I have always, ever since I was 2, I have always slept 7hrs a day, Example me and my brother used to drive our parents to bring of madness because we slept both only 7 hrs day - in total - and we both slept and different times. If we slept 2 hrs during day we slept 5 during night.

 

[Vonnis]

I like to sleep a lot (8 hours), but I noticed that the optimal amount of sleep for me is about 3-4 hours per night. At least then I have some energy, when I stay in bed longer (which is nearly always) I tend to be just as tired when I get up as when I went to bed. I can function on just 2 hours a night for weeks, but at some point that starts to fuck with my head.

 

[Kouryuu]

During the last few years of school, I was going to sleep at around 2-3 in the morning, then waking up at 5.30 to look after my ferret, then wash. I never felt tired or had any side effects from it. Now I need 7-8 hours of sleep a night, strangely, I feel more tired if I have more, rather than less.

The sleep cycle is 90 min long, so if you are near the and of a cycle or at the beggining of a new one it is easier to get up.
for more info on sleeping tricks and tips visit:

http://www.helpguide.org/life/sleeping.htm

 

[Kouryuu]

Feeling tired, no?
just test it for fun
BBC sleep test game
http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody/sleep/sheep/

 

[Brandon237]

Not well. I have tried and when I get too sleep deprived, My body does not take it well. At all.
Also, getting up fast screws with me a little. I went to go brush my teeth this morning, as I'm standing up my vision get blurry, I can only see straight forward, I get really dizzy and the back of my head tingles. And this happens damn often

Are you tall?

I have the same problem, but it happens whenever I've been lying down and I get up quickly.

I am tallish, 178cm and 16 years old (tomorrow anyway). And yes, whenever I get up fast it does happen. or even if I lean my head back sometimes.

 

[CommanderKirov]

I once conducted an experiment when I slept only 1.5 hour per 24 hour period.

After the third day i began to have something that I could only percieve as halucinations.


Was fun though. Was fun.

 

[LightningBanks]

Considering I never felt better on a day where 2 hours sleep was my only energy tank, I think I can function

 

[Dieter Meyer]

I can function with 3 hours of sleep for periods of time.

I try to get 5-6 hours on weekdays and 6-10 in weekends regularly though

 

[Toaster Hunter]

I can function, just not very well and It takes a long time for me to become fully alert on anything less than 7 hours

 

[DragonBorn96]

I only really get a few hours, darn you Escapist for making me forgot to sleep and do other things us squishy organics need to stay alive,aaaanyway I function normally but sometimes I just get really stupid and fall asleep standing up sometimes xD. So no, I can't usually...

 

[darthotaku]

I once stayed up till 1 and got up again at 5 to go to work.
granted I dipped my hand in acid that day but still, I can function good on 4 hours of sleep

 

[Rofl-Mayo]

I sleep roughly three hours a night and I operate fine, probably because I've been doing this since I was seven so I'm used to getting very little sleep by this point.

 

[standokan]

Barely, the whole day I´ll be in the state of sleepdrunk.

 

[Dogstile]

I aim for 6 a night. Normally get about 5. I have a habit of sleeping for 10 on weekends