You and sleeping

[Ytterbium]

I see that some people in my part of the world are currently signed in here. Have you left your computers on or are you like me. Who enjoys being awake at night? What's your sleeping habits?

[AgentofGaming]

sleeping habits: 10PM-7AM Ideally... and life is so not ideal

I turn my computer off when I don't need it on for the next hour or so to minimize the waste of electricity.

[bubbles]

(ideal) sleeping habits: 9:30PM - 6:40AM...of course, that rarely happens. I usually sleep 11-8. I like being awake in the morning.

[OneBadMother]

Weekdays: 3:30 AM-9:30/10:30 AM, with a nap after about 11:55 AM. The length of the nap depends on whether I have a class at 1:30, which is the case 4 days out of 5.

Weekends: Sleep probably until 3 or 4 PM, unless there is some sort of outside influence (alarm clock, other person).

[Gonzo]

Well I have a serious sleeping problem, so I'm lucky if I sleep at all without my meds. Even then its kinda hard getting "normal" amounts of sleep. I'll sleep anywhere from 2 hours to 14. Very touch and go :undecided:

[BadMojo]

My ideal sleeping hours are from 3am to about 10am.
But because of work it's normally 10pm to 5am

[pavman]

I work far too much, otherwise I'd be sleeping.

Dam multi-billion dollar customers...dam them all.

[Colette]

I am a very poor sleeper at the best of times (largely due to chronic mental over activity and inability to relax), and my nightly average is probably around 5 hours; 6 if I'm lucky. An 8 hour sleep for me would be highly unusual, and usually only occurs if I am sick, or physically exhausted. I seem now to be able to cope just fine on this relatively low level of sleep, as I'm so used to it.

[anul]

I've switched over to a polyphasic sleep schedule. So now I sleep around a half an hour every three to four hours. The hardest part is not to sit or lay down when there is nothing to do.

[Ytterbium]

Usually I go to bed at midnight and get up slightly later than 7 am.

Weekends I go to bed when I feel like it usually between 1 and 3 am. Getting up between 10 am and 12.

I'm not tired in the evening I am however in the morning and afternoon but rarely at bedtime.

[MixISTJandINTJ]

I have a seriously problem
Ideally I'd sleep from 10pm-5or6 am every night

But it doesn't happen and I get caught up in other things and distractions like this forum right now

Remind me, good night!

[Hdier]

Ideal hours: 10:00 am to 9:00 pm. (Actually, I would ideally not need sleep at all, but I'm going to be a bit more realistic than that)


I usually don't get to sleep until 12:00-1:00. I can't get to sleep until I am so exhausted that I literally can't stay awake, so I end up getting about 5 hours of sleep per day (I wake up at 5:30)

[Santana28]

i usually sleep from 3am-8am. if i had my choice, i would sleep from 4am to 4pm. i am naturally nocturnal, it seems - this is the sleep pattern i revert to whenever i have the opportunity. i simply cannot fall asleep before 2 or 3am, no matter how tired i am or how little sleep i have gotten. and no matter whethere i get 3 hours or 13 hours - i still wake up completely exhausted anyways, so it doesn't matter....

talk about a love/hate relationship.

[Rick]

I work a rotating day-night 12 hour schedule. So, over the course of a week, I will sleep a couple of days from 9am til 4pm, work, then sleep 9pm til 4am for a couple of days, then switch again. Once or twice a week, I am up for 26 hours at a stretch adapting.

My normal sleep pattern, given no set schedule, is to sleep during the day and live during the night. I'm also nocturnal, by habit and choice.

Many years ago, I had my own business scuba diving for golf balls in lakes on golf courses. If you ever want a surreal experience, be 20 feet underwater, at night, with scuba gear during an oncoming thunderstorm. You are swimming around in complete darkness, then, all of a sudden, it's like a flashbulb goes off when lightning flashes.

[coffeeloverfreak]

Night owl trapped in a day job here. I'd stay awake till 3am and sleep till 1pm every day if I could.

Instead, I stay awake way too late anyway, curse my alarm when it goes off, and stumble around perpetually sleep-deprived. I'm also grumpy and semi-incoherent in the mornings.

[karen]

I hate sleep. In highschool I would sneak out of the house 2-3 nights a week and would be up all night and sneak back in in time to "get up" for school. During college I slept 2-5 hours a night between work, school, homework, and tutoring for extra money. It only put me in the hospital once. Now, my husband makes me go to bed around midnight (we get up at 6am) and I get so bored just laying there I end up falling asleep. I have always had this weird neurosis as far as sleeping is concerned. When I feel that there is a pressure for me to fall asleep, I have been known to flip out.. it was especially bad when I was young.

[Hdier]

Sneak out? I generally read. Sometimes I go on the forum, though.

[Dreamer]

I sleep from 2am to anywhere from 9 to 11 am:)

Needless to say I am very satisfied with my current schedule.

In earlier semesters, my sleep pattern was all over the place(I would at time spend nights in front of my computer or reading a book)... And my classes started anywhere between 8:30 and 2:30.

[thegnat]

I rarely sleep greater than 6 hours per night on weekdays. It really is probably a bad habit (I get quite tired by the end of the week). But sometimes I just can't help it. And times that I can I'm used to staying up late so it's harder for me to sleep. And then on the weekend, I'll stay up late (as I said before because I'm used to it) and then sleep in late. Even though it may be about 7.5-8 hours of sleep, I'll naturally wake up in that amount of time. I might as well stay up pretty late and pretend I got a lot of sleep because I slept in late.

[spiritdetectivegirl]

I believe I was born a natural night-owl. I function better at night, no matter how much sleep I get before daylight hits, I do my best at night time.

Other than that, my sleep habits are poor.

[rwyatt365]

Generally, I'm in bed at 10-11PM and up again at 5AM - weekday, or weekend (drives my wife crazy on weekends!)

[HarleyQuinn]

I'm normally a night owl and prefer a 1 AM - 10 AM sleep to wake schedule.

I've been trying the polyphasic sleep cycle (2, 5, and 10) but I'm finding myself failing miserably during the stretch between 10 PM and 2 AM (I'm constantly falling asleep around Midnight but I did make progress to 1 AM last night). *sigh*

Anul - That's my issue. I have nothing to do and end up falling asleep in my chair or lying in bed to read and fall asleep that way.

[King K]

I am a night owl, I usually sleep until 1:00 AM - 2:00 AM, unfortunately, that leaves me very tired for school, I have an afternoon nap at 4:00 PM but I don't know if that's good for my body.

[David]

I get 5 - 7 hours of sleep a night. Usually in bed by midnight to 1:00 AM and up by 6:30 AM

[Lei Yang]

Weekdays, from around midnight to 6. (I need to read my Nietzsche before bed.) Days off: around 0000-0800. I am utterly incapable of sleeping more than 8-9 hours, and if I sleep less than 7 I feel like not good when I wake. I also often have problems shutting down my brain, and I have problems dreaming. I don't think sleep really likes NTs.

[OmegaPsi]

I usually run pretty well 5-6 hours of sleep, anything of the range of 8-10 will make me extremely groggy in the morning. 13-14 is absolutely perfect [or at least thats when I naturally wake up] But I prefer to stay awake, there is nothing more perfect then at your computer with some music on, and your next to your computer with a soda and/or snack in your hand at 4-7am in the morning. Longest time I've had without sleep was 3 and a half days. That third day was absolutely insane. Besides, I think best when I'm tired for some reason from not sleeping, rather than the type of sleepy of waking up tired.

[lordrrr]

I like staying up I'm quite the night owl. Mainly, I have so much stuff going on inside of me that I can't turn off my brain and calm myself to sleep. So instead of laying there for hours I think "Why waste time?" and just do stuff until I can't keep my eyes open, like read, play video games, post on the internet, that sort of thing.

[schmidt]

I try to make a habit of sleeping 23:00 - 06:30 on weekdays and 02:00 - 10:00 on weekends, the problem being, I'm most productive between 22:00 and 02:00 in the evening / night... But i try :)

[burazekun]

I sleep generally 12am-6:30am during the weekdays, 1am-7am on Mondays because I stay up to watch Venture Bros. on Cartoon Network. Of course I have been sick for the past five days and haven't gone to sleep till about 4-6am.

I leave my computer on constantly as I devote my computers resources to Folding@Home. A genetic research program. I've spent allot of time making a energy efficient computer so I am worried about it's usage as much.

[Santana28]

i'm still awake....what does that tell you?

[lordrrr]

I sleep generally 12am-6:30am during the weekdays, 1am-7am on Mondays because I stay up to watch Venture Bros. on Cartoon Network. Of course I have been sick for the past five days and haven't gone to sleep till about 4-6am.

I leave my computer on constantly as I devote my computers resources to Folding@Home. A genetic research program. I've spent allot of time making a energy efficient computer so I am worried about it's usage as much.

Oh I use my PS3 for that sometimes.

[burazekun]

Oh I use my PS3 for that sometimes.

I want a PS3! *cries and whines like a baby trying to get one*

... Ok that doesn't work for me... I dont see how that'll work for others. Welp looks like I need to get to work.

And yes I want a PS3

[lordrrr]

I want a PS3! *cries and whines like a baby trying to get one*

... Ok that doesn't work for me... I dont see how that'll work for others. Welp looks like I need to get to work.

And yes I want a PS3


Oh snap, you need one.


They're beyond incredible.

My Resistence: FoM matches are da bomb and never get old, Uncharted is too cool for school, and Ratchet and Clank Future is insanely sweetness.

[IgnoranceIsKind]

I usually run pretty well 5-6 hours of sleep, anything of the range of 8-10 will make me extremely groggy in the morning. 13-14 is absolutely perfect [or at least thats when I naturally wake up] But I prefer to stay awake, there is nothing more perfect then at your computer with some music on, and your next to your computer with a soda and/or snack in your hand at 4-7am in the morning. Longest time I've had without sleep was 3 and a half days. That third day was absolutely insane. Besides, I think best when I'm tired for some reason from not sleeping, rather than the type of sleepy of waking up tired.

Believe it or not, I was just going to post a thread just like yours before your post title caught my eye.

The situation you're in is stunningly similar to mine (Carl Jung must have left out the similar sleeping patterns among INTJs). I noticed that for some absurd reason I work really well whenever I go to school without sleep the previous night. If I've slept too much, I'd wake up feeling as if I haven't slept enough and this lethargy pervades through the day's lessons, while on the other hand, a 3 hour sleep freshens me up.

What keeps me awake, strangely, is my strong conviction that sleeping is a huge waste of time. I just don't enjoy it. I'd honestly prefer to be awake in the dead of the night, playing a computer game or read on Gorbachev's economical reforms in the 80s and other obscure materials of the likes. Just revelling in the peace and solitude that is so comfortably plattered before me.
Though I must say the eye bags as a result from the sleepless nights isn't a plus point.

[burazekun]

Oh snap, you need one.


They're beyond incredible.

My Resistence: FoM matches are da bomb and never get old, Uncharted is too cool for school, and Ratchet and Clank Future is insanely sweetness.

I played FoM, I loved Ratchet and Clack Future, I loved playing Portal on the PS3. 'I'll be getting it for my computer soon seeing I have half life 2 and half life 2 episode one.

Assasians Creed looked awesome on the PS3 as well. I played that for a while. But I have to mooch off my friends system. I am waiting myself till FFXIII comes out.

[narusmummy]

After years suffering from insomnia, I now find myself fairly exhausted throughout the day whether I've had 4 hours sleep or 8 hours sleep. On the (very) odd occasion I will sleep for 10+ hours because my brain and body won't wake me. Avoid this at all cost! It steals your day and I find I feel even worse than when I under-sleep.

Full time job now means that I get just under 7 hours sleep a night; 12am - 6.45am. No chance of me functioning at full pelt until about an hour into the morning! :laugh:

:sleeping:

[thaddeus6th]

Had mild insomnia, on and off, for as long as I can remember. Usually it just means I take a little while to wake up on a morning.

I'd prefer to stay up later, but I worry about keeping my parents awake (computer room is opposite their bedroom and my bedroom is adjacent to theirs), plus we've got a dog that barks at the drop of a hat.

[Vespertine]

I am a nightowl with a day job sadly, so weekdays I try and do 11/12 pml until 7, but that doesnt always work out and its normally more towards 1am until 7 because i am pretty wired at that time. Weekends though, I can sleep my preferred hours, of 3am until around 11am, and enjoy staying up on the net, reading, or watching a film.

[Ytterbium]

Seems like a common thing here then. Being awake at night. The clock is now 23:55 that's 11.55 pm.
I have been tired all day but now I'm alert again. Must be the tranquility of the night.

[SmileyMan]

Weekdays: 11 PM - 6:45 AM

Weekends: Around 4 AM - 10 AM

[Tenacious B]

As a finishing grad student my sleep schedule is whenever I pass out at the keyboard.:p

Normally I would like to wake around dawn (hate waking up in the dark, I think it signals the body to go back to sleep) having had about 8 hours of sleep.

[Colette]

(ideal) sleeping habits: 9:30PM - 6:40AM...of course, that rarely happens. I usually sleep 11-8. I like being awake in the morning.

That's huge sleep hours! I seldom sleep more than 6 hours per night; usually between 12 and 6. Any more and I am very lucky..

[Motor Jax]

i work 7 days a week, 7am-3pm or 5pm. so, i go home, rest up during the other portion of time. but then pool league is every wednesday (i don't get home until close to 11-midnight sometimes). and i usually hit my hole-in-the-wall bar almost every thursday or friday afternoon.

yep, i rest the remainder of the time

[bubbles]

That's huge sleep hours! I seldom sleep more than 6 hours per night; usually between 12 and 6. Any more and I am very lucky..

It takes me a while to fall asleep (30 minutes to an hour) and I get up usually once during the night for about half an hour, so that kind of makes it 7.5 hours. I need lots of sleep to function normally and feel good (otherwise I get insomnia [ironically]).

[gogurtdynasty]

I usually sleep from 9:30-7:30 but some nights (like tonight) im up a little later

i love sleep... it's my favorite part of the day so usually i'm excited to sleep as soon as i can as much as i can :-P

[Tual]

I sleep 7 hours a night every night (I set my alarm), currently I'm in between jobs (starting again April 7th) so the times I go to bed vary quite a lot from as early as 10:00 pm to 3:00 am, when I do have work I usually go in early and rise early.
I always give myself 30 minutes to fall asleep (not counted in the 7 hours) because one of my favorite things is to lie in bed and think, for me it's a great way to let the mind wonder and I get a lot of my best ideas that way (yes I have pen and paper next to my bed). After the 30 minutes are over I force myself to fall asleep. I nearly never wake up groggy and I'm almost never tired.

[Lucan]

I have no pattern to sleep. I can go to sleep at 11pm wake up at 5am and wake up 10 times in between or go sleep early say 10pm and then be awake from 2am and doze off half an hour before I have to get up. Basically its a surprise each time. You get used to it though, especially if you have no other acceptable option.

[joes1788]

Go to bed no sooner than 2:30am but no later than 3:30am and wake up at 8:30am. That seems to do just fine.

[integratedvelocity]

I can usually go a few days on three or four hours of sleep per night. Any more than four or five days, though, and I am braindead. Luckily for me, I am absurdly affected by caffeine, so I don't need to worry about falling asleep in the middle of the day (or night). I usually end up with an average of 6.5 hours per night during the week and 8.5 on weekends.

[raconteur213]

Sleep is too important. I shoot for 8 hours every night.

[integratedvelocity]

So do I...

I just don't manage it very often. And you people are insane for being up at this time.

It's nice to have company :)

[sam988]

sleeping habits: 4am - 11:30am.


i let my pc on when i'm downloading some big torrent, an average of once every 5 nights.

[ShadowWeaver44]

I sleep when i sense my body needs it but that usally never works because i become occupied with something else. . . I usally go to bed around 5 and wake at 630 for school and a little different for weekends (non-consistant).

[Toby]

I am sleeping biphasic right now meaning 1.5 - 3 h in the evening (starting at around 6 PM) and 4.5 h at night (starting at 3 am).

[Danneh]

11:30Pm to 3 Am ^^ It;s horrible fun

[Alpha Prime]

Does anyone know what long term consequences the complete lack of REM-sleep can have on the mind and body?

[Danneh]

Does anyone know what long term consequences the complete lack of REM-sleep can have on the mind and body?

System failure....^^ You'd eventually pass out, and your body would go into a 'healing state'.. At least, I think that's it... I studied it a while ago, my memory might have slipped though.

[Alpha Prime]

System failure....^^ You'd eventually pass out, and your body would go into a 'healing state'.. At least, I think that's it... I studied it a while ago, my memory might have slipped though.

I believe the effects you are describing are valid for "deep sleep", not the REM-part.

[Danneh]

I believe the effects you are describing are valid for "deep sleep", not the REM-part.

If so, then you'll loose your memory. I went back and checked my notes, and that's all I've got...

'Scribble looking line 'REM Sleep Deprivation' Scribble line again. 'Impaired memory'"

^^' I think I also remember something about it increasing the chances of depression?

[Darkmist]

I live by my husband's schedule and have for twenty four years. Wake at 6:30 in the morning to share coffee with him and go to bed usually at 10 PM or so.

That said, I wake around 1-2am and think and think and toss and turn, and don't get back to sleep until 4 am or so. When I sleep I am a deep REM, remember her dreams kind of person.

If I didn't live by the steady schedule I do, maybe I'd get better sleep overall. I don't know. That thinking process is like a constantly flowing river that shifts course at every rock or sand bar. I can't stop it or change my course (though I get that advice all the time), so I appear to be stuck with the meandering flow of it all.

And I am a writer, so my computer is almost always on and the internet often follows suit.

Research is an INTJ's writer hopeful's best friend and worst enemy.

[malefide]

I'm a night owl by preference. If I had a choice, my day would be 4pm to 8am.

I have terrible insomnia. I have trouble turning my mind off. It is not that I am having negative thoughts--it's just thoughts! All kinds, whirling, ticking, going on and on and I can't make it stop easily. It takes me hours and hours to fall asleep. Often when I do I have to wake up in a couple hours. But once I am asleep I can sleep for 12 hours if you let me. But that's not very common. Some nights I get 3-5 hours; some nights I get a full 8. I can function remarkably well on about 4, but I don't really like to because I know it isn't healthy.

[Danneh]

I'm a night owl by preference. If I had a choice, my day would be 4pm to 8am.

I have terrible insomnia. I have trouble turning my mind off. It is not that I am having negative thoughts--it's just thoughts! All kinds, whirling, ticking, going on and on and I can't make it stop easily. It takes me hours and hours to fall asleep. Often when I do I have to wake up in a couple hours. But once I am asleep I can sleep for 12 hours if you let me. But that's not very common. Some nights I get 3-5 hours; some nights I get a full 8. I can function remarkably well on about 4, but I don't really like to because I know it isn't healthy.

That would be because the mind can function on 2-4 hours of sleep, it's our bodies that need the other hours worth.

[thod]

There have been numerous experiments on sleep deprivation. It has very deleterious effects on the mind. There was one case of a guy that has not slept for 30 years though. Such cases are very interesting to researchers wishing to know about the functions of sleep.

The basic theory is that sleep developed to keep us from harm. Walking about in the dark risked twisted ankles and predation. There is very little useful you can do in total darkness. Thus you stay motionless, safe up a tree. There are numerous studies of animal sleep too. A plains animal sleeps lightly and constantly awakens. One of your herd is likely to be awake to predators.

Tropical nighfalls are pretty fast and nights are the same length throughout the year. This would suggest about 13 hours daylight per day indicating 11 hours sleep. Most animals awaken slightly before dawn so say 10 hours sleep. Humans may have evolved to lesser amounts due to sitting around the campfire cooking the meal. They also tell stories to each other as a form of learning, a useful activity. The current recommendations of 8 hours a night is minimum. We can sleep 10 hours a night if you get used to it (like students). Those that survive on 3 hours a night are likely mutants. In todays world they can do useful work whenever awake offering an advantage. In the old world their activity would have lead to death. Just as the "early bird catches the worm", "the late worm gets eaten".

[escapist11]

I dunno.
I pretty much sleep from 3am - 10am

But sleep comes with a price for me.
I've got hypnopompic sleep paralysis. It doesn't hurt me physically, but it's scary as hell.
Read about it here (To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.)

I've had it for about 8 years.

[bookwormuk]

I am a night own, I love being awake at night - being completely alone and knowing that no-one wants anything from me. The night-time gives me peace.

[alien383]

From birth ( was born in the late afternoon lol). I'm a night owl.

>Currently my sleeping habbits range from 1-3am waking @ 8-9am depending on work and, or university. This pattern lasts for a few days, until i become totally fatigued and can't go on functioning normally. Whereby, afterward I sleep for like a day! lol. That is, if I have a day off.

Pretty bad. I know.

[Alida]

I have a regular sleeping pattern midnight-8am. If I go to sleep at a different time, I simply wake up 8 hours later.

If I get less or more than 8 hours of sleep, I feel very uncomfortable for a few days.

[Jenny Penny]

I have a hard time getting myself to sleep by 11:00 most of the time, but I get up at 7am and generally need about eight to nine hours to feel decent. Otherwise, I definitely have a more negative view of people and the world, and it's hard to get things done.

Sleep is the most annoying physical need because we need so darn much of it. I wish I were one of those types that can get by on five hours.

Lately, what's weird is I've been waking up more during the early morning hours and have a hard time getting back to sleep. Never used to have this problem...

[mono]

I sleep 10-12 hours a day, sometimes more.
there are days that the only daylight that I see is in the morning when I'm getting ready to sleep.

[suzyk]

I used to sleep really early when I was young, I was always stressed out about the coming day. I still have that stress, but I sleep later because the internet is in my life now. Sleeping times for me: 10:20/40PM, 9:20/40, 8:55 (school days)/10:50, 11:50, 12:50, 1:00AM (weekends/holidays).

[robolizard55]

I feel best when I sleep from 10PM until dawn, whenever that is during the year. I cannot sleep past the sun saying good morning. 8hrs or so of sleep.

[ChfMojoRising]

Sleeping is something I can't seem to do~ it just happens when I reach exhaustion. I tend to be awake for 20hrs, sleep a few hours, repeat this a few times before wholly crashing by the end of a week- I'll then sleep for 12ish.
It's rather annoying and detrimental to regular responsibilities, as well as my health I'm sure.

Anyone know a way to fall asleep reliably? Even if it's something that just works for you~ ... except pills lol I've used different meds before, and they work well but I'm anti-medicine-for-convenience. ^^

[robolizard55]

Anyone know a way to fall asleep reliably? Even if it's something that just works for you~ ... except pills lol I've used different meds before, and they work well but I'm anti-medicine-for-convenience. ^^

What I have read, and what works for me...

Define your sleeping area as the place where only sleeping happens. Seriously. In bed I only read or sleep. No video games while in bed, no internet, nothing. Not even in the same room! And if I really want to sleep, I put a really boring book next to me.

Also, I find a good set of stretching my back gets me ready to be comfortable for the next 8 hours.

[ChfMojoRising]

Also, I find a good set of stretching my back gets me ready to be comfortable for the next 8 hours.

Oooh~ that's a good idea. I have a bad back, and stressed muscles often make it impossible to feel comfortable~ some light stretching before bed is something I'll definitely have to try

[alexxq]

I sleep 10-12 hours a day, sometimes more.
there are days that the only daylight that I see is in the morning when I'm getting ready to sleep.

Haha! Same here. I've been tryng to get on a normal sleeping pattern. Hasn't worked though.

[malefide]

That would be because the mind can function on 2-4 hours of sleep, it's our bodies that need the other hours worth.

That would explain it then. It's usually my mind that I'm using all day rather than my body (apart from normal moving about and such). So perhaps this is how I have come to "accept" my insomnia...

[Frobozz]

I've always been a short sleeper, but the kids in the house make it worse. I usually get to sleep somewhere around 10pm and the kids wake me up for the day between 3:30am and 4:30am. They might sleep longer after that, but I'm up. Plus they wake me up a few times during the night, so it's not a straight sleep. I'm tired all the time but after a few years of this, I'm used to it

[searcher]

I love evenings and mornings so don't get much sleep. Usually from about 11.00-5.00, though I can easily stay awake longer or get up earlier. I get more done at night than I do in the afternoon. I would be nocturnal if I could.
I physically cannot stay in bed later than 8.00.

[Joxstrap]

When i don't have anything to be up for during the day, my sleeping schedule reverts to a purely nocturnal one. People think i'm weird because of that, and for some strange reason, i like that they think that. I am also a much more effective worker at night, probably because i'm not constantly bothered by other people (Talk about Introverted, huh?)

[Aronnax]

I "try" to sleep from 11:00 - 6:00 but I typically lay in bed, get bored, get up and start doing something (like reading or posting on forums) until I get tired around 2:00 or so.

[acrossthefourthwall]

I was decidedly nocturnal when I was younger, but that seems to have gone out with my teenage years; these days I sleep the best when I go to bed early. And it means that I get a lot more natural light than I used to.

[notoppings]

I've never been a good sleeper so usually get 4 or 5 hours sometime. I haven't been able to set a sleeping schedule so I find myself sleeping one day at 4am and the next day at 10pm and still the next at 3pm there is no fighting it though so I just go with it.

[azelismia]

nocturnal here. Ideal schedule for me seems to be going to bed at 3 and getting up at 11.

[Plane Stress]

My favorite time of day is from 5-7am; unfortunately, my ideal sleep time is from about 330am to 2pm.

[Mozzes]

I'm definitely not a night owl. I've worked 3rd shift before. I hated it intensely and it's something I'll never do again. Most nights I'm asleep by 10pm and I sleep until I wake up - usually 9 or 10 hours later.

Does anyone know what long term consequences the complete lack of REM-sleep can have on the mind and body?

Mental instability, and possibly death. It's a difficult question to answer since we don't exactly know the purpose of REM sleep yet.





Frickles added to this post, 5 minutes and 31 seconds later...

That would be because the mind can function on 2-4 hours of sleep, it's our bodies that need the other hours worth.

Could you give me an idea of where you found that claim? Everything I've read on the matter says that concentration and memory encoding impairment is nearly universal with 6 hours or less sleep per day.

[Wuchak]

For as long as I can remember my sleep patterns, I have been highly functional late at night, and I have never needed a great deal of sleep.

Even in the early grades of elementary school, I wanted to stay up late and read. I remember my parents', well-intended but clueless, attempts to get me to go to sleep when they thought I should (probably because they wanted to "mess around" but not with kids awake), all to no avail. They would catch me reading by flashlight under the covers and rant. So I would turn out the light and then just lay there thinking, waiting to drift off . . . And I have clear memories, from my 20's, of thinking that sleeping too much is a waste of time.

In my 20's and 30's, I may have averaged only 4-5 hours of sleep per night. In my 40's, perhaps 5 - 5.5. Now in my early 50's, an average of 5-6 hours per night is not uncomfortable and does not render me any less functional. Occasionally, it feels good to sleep 7 or 8 hours, but it's not necessary. And if I sleep longer than that, I wake up feeling rotten.

I drink only 2-3 cups of coffee per day (first thing in the morning). And I do not take naps. If the so-called experts in such things were correct, I should be on the brink of death. But most people think I look ten years younger than I am, and my BP is 115/72. What's up? Am I ready to baffle medical science? I've heard of this phenomenon, but I do not personally know anyone else who lives it. So, here's the question:

How much sleep do you need, on average?

[Megalomania]

I usually sleep 6 hours a night. I've read about studies that show sleeping more than 8 hours a night tends to decrease life span as well as sleeping less than 4 a night. I tend to feel like sleeping is a waste of time and that I could be doing other things. People who sleep more than 8 hours a night baffle me. I can't see how anyone can need that much sleep on a consistent basis.

[AutisticCuckoo]

I normally sleep 6 hours a night. For shorter periods of time I can get by on 4 hours a night.

[lagoon]

i tend to sleep around 7 hrs, i think part of it is diet i know that when i'm eating badly i need to sleep a lot more than i otherwise would

[zibber]

Generally 6.5 is ideal, but anything down to 4 is quite all right. It gets problematic if I go a week without one or two good nights, but that might as well be psychological. I just get annoyed easier and feel less motivated than usual. Diet may be a factor too, like lagoon suggested.

[Ossa]

To wake up feeling refreshed I need 8 hours-ish but I've had nights of insomnia where I've lived on having about 2 hours sleep for days on end. I hope I never have to go through that again cos its tough. I think regularity in when I go to bed and get up is more important than how many hours I get but I find it difficult be disciplined. I blame the internet.

[notoppings]

I sleep as needed usually no more then 5 or 6 hours in any 24 hour period I don't have any set sleep pattern but I do tend to enjoy 3:00 am to 8:am the most. I will go days with only 3 or 4 hours then go back to a single night of 6 or 8 hours for a recharge.

[vision]

I need 7/8 hours of sleep, if i don't get this i will have a very tiring day.

[44sunsets]

I need 8-9 hours of sleep, otherwise I will be very sleepy during the day. It would help if we could have a siesta at work, but alas, I live in Australia, not Europe.

I have one INTJ friend who also requires similar large amounts of sleep as me. Every other INTJ I know seems to get by on 6-7 hours of sleep and does just fine.

[OneHertz]

I can live on 5-6, but I prefer 7-8.

[Rachel45]

I need 5-6 hrs of QUALITY sleep per night. I have fought sleep since I was a child. I have always thought there was too much to discover and research to bother with sleep. I am in my mid forties and my health is very good-BP 118/72.

[ScurvyRose]

I sleep as needed usually no more then 5 or 6 hours in any 24 hour period I don't have any set sleep pattern but I do tend to enjoy 3:00 am to 8:am the most. I will go days with only 3 or 4 hours then go back to a single night of 6 or 8 hours for a recharge.

I am similar to this. If I stay up 3 nights (only a couple of hours of sleep) then by that fourth night I need to get at least 8 hours of solid sleep.

[Josh]

I need a minimum of 7 or i am really nauseated the next day

[jikin]

I always do best off of a solid 8 hours. Once it gets as low as 6, I tend to get quite irritable and feel physically ill.

Don't worry about the experts, Wuchak, my father has slept an average of 3-4 hours a night his entire life with no naps and is now in his 60's with no health problems related to lack of sleep. It probably just depends on genetics.

[Saint]

6-12 hours

I find when I eat very little I will sleep up to 14 hours in a day. But if I keep active and eat enough food I will [need?] to sleep less. I wish I didn't want to sleep so much, I think I'd get more done, but I really enjoy sleep instead of regard it as a nuisance.

[Danisty]

I need 8-9 hours of sleep, otherwise I will be very sleepy during the day. It would help if we could have a siesta at work, but alas, I live in Australia, not Europe.

I have one INTJ friend who also requires similar large amounts of sleep as me. Every other INTJ I know seems to get by on 6-7 hours of sleep and does just fine.I'm the same way.

[OperaLover]

7 - 9 hours is ideal. During weekends, I average 11hrs.

My ESTP housemate, on the other hand, pretty much sleeps full time. I'm exaggerating only slightly.

[Tabemashoo]

I really need 8 hrs. to be up-to-par. I also take 2-3 hour naps in the afternoon whenever I have time. But I don't drink coffee or tea or anything really that has caffeine in it.

I looove sleep. It just feels so good.

*wants a nap now*

[Jenny Penny]

I love sleep, too. I like 8-9 hours per night. My mind is sharp if I take care of myself. I do not regard sleep as a nuisance. I love to relax and dream away.

[NephilimAzrael]

If I go too far below 8 hours I progressively get more homicidal. But often this factor deactivates itself after 24 hours without sleep and turns to a zombie-like automation.

Estimation of average sleep requirement, with a good start in the morning: 5 hours
With a bad/invasive awakening: 6 1/2 hours.

[Aaron Burr]

I need my 23 hours of sleep to function in the day. ;)

In truth it ends up being close to 10 hours per night. But I have always been a sleeper. I can lay down anytime anywhere and be out in a half hour.

[ShadowWeaver44]

I put my self into a cycle of 1hr of sleep for 5 days and then the 6th i take 14hrs to re stabilize.

[NephilimAzrael]

I put my self into a cycle of 1hr of sleep for 5 days and then the 6th i take 14hrs to re stabilize.

You sound just like my INTP friend Mike. Is that you mike? :laugh:

[Dreamer]

I try to get not less than 8 hours of sleep per night. 6 is adequate but there is no point in having more time per day if my performance and learning ability is below-par. It's not like the damn book is not going to be there tomorrow. Maximum bang for my buck,ya?

I *know* and have put up with much less but it is simply not optimal.

[PHS Philip]

Well, used to be I could get by on 5 to 6 hours sleep fine. My increase in sleeping due to being a teenager has brought me up to needing an astounding 6 and a half to eight hours of sleep (I can't really get any more than that, either. I just wake up). I operate best, though, when I'm just a tiny bit sleep deprived (god knows why).

I can operate on as little as 4 and a half to 5 a night for a month at a time (don't ask why I discovered that), but although others only see me being a little irritable, I can tell the difference, and it bothers me. It's operating on autopilot, and nonessential stuff (like thinking, analyzing, etc) starts shutting down. By the end my Ni basically didn't work until after I spent a week recharging.

[Caucus]

anywhere between 6-10. -8 hours being ideal. If I slip to 6 hours or less sleep, then I'll have a 10-hour later on in the week to balance things out.

[JonD]

8-8.5 hours for me. Any more, I just laze around all day and then can't sleep the next night. Any less, and I feel like I want to pass out if I sit still for more than 15 minutes.

[Grace]

For as long as I can remember my sleep patterns, I have been highly functional late at night, and I have never needed a great deal of sleep.

Even in the early grades of elementary school, I wanted to stay up late and read. I remember my parents', well-intended but clueless, attempts to get me to go to sleep when they thought I should (probably because they wanted to "mess around" but not with kids awake), all to no avail. They would catch me reading by flashlight under the covers and rant. So I would turn out the light and then just lay there thinking, waiting to drift off . . . And I have clear memories, from my 20's, of thinking that sleeping too much is a waste of time.

In my 20's and 30's, I may have averaged only 4-5 hours of sleep per night. In my 40's, perhaps 5 - 5.5. Now in my early 50's, an average of 5-6 hours per night is not uncomfortable and does not render me any less functional. Occasionally, it feels good to sleep 7 or 8 hours, but it's not necessary. And if I sleep longer than that, I wake up feeling rotten.

I drink only 2-3 cups of coffee per day (first thing in the morning). And I do not take naps. If the so-called experts in such things were correct, I should be on the brink of death. But most people think I look ten years younger than I am, and my BP is 115/72. What's up? Am I ready to baffle medical science? I've heard of this phenomenon, but I do not personally know anyone else who lives it. So, here's the question:

How much sleep do you need, on average?
I feel best on 7 hours of sleep. When I was a kid I also would get into trouble for 'playing' in my bed after lights out. I frequently wouldn't be able to go to sleep for hours. I would usually have trouble waking up in the morning, though.
My blood pressure is about the same as yours and I frequently am told I look 10 years younger than I am, as well.
When my kids were babies, I suffered mightily from lack of sleep. I'm sure that was hormones, as well as the other demands on my body and psyche.
I remember that I used to go for days on end on little or no sleep in high school and college. I would be working on projects or out with friends, and sleep just wasn't a priority...Sure is now, though :)

[moon]

I sleep around 8 hours, usually going to bed and get up at the same time each day. At weekend i sleep for an hour or two longer. I was wondering is anyone of you favorites biphasic or polyphasic sleep? Most of us are monophasic sleepers as i noticed.

[stuntgp2000]

Spending one third of my life sleeping is a lot to me. I used to sleep under 8. But lately I sort of reprogrammed myself to sleep about 4 to 5 hours. I'm happy with it.

[Wuchak]

I put my self into a cycle of 1hr of sleep for 5 days and then the 6th i take 14hrs to re stabilize.

That would mess me up big time. Hmmmm . . . I saw you around here last night with a 40 oz. cup of coffee. Yeah, I'd be a disaster.

[PortInStorm]

Yep, I need a lot of sleep or I don't think properly. I'm talking 8-9 hours, maybe down to 6, but even at that I'm dazy, processing is slow, and I'm more thrown by fairly basic concepts.

I absolutely can't stand being up at night when loneliness just takes me over. I'm very introverted, but that depends on knowing that I can access people if I need to (as someone else on the forum stated). So if everyone is otherwise occupied sleeping and inaccessible, I feel too alone.

[Tenacious B]

I can get by with 6 a night during the work week if I can get 10-12 on weekends. I've gone on much, much, much less, but it was miserable and I was pretty worthless.

[Synamon]

8-9 is ideal, I cannot nap during the day at all so if I get behind on sleep it is tough to catch up.

I can survive on 6-7, but any less than that and I'm nauseous and operating on auto-pilot, feels like I'm hungover.

[PreyingMantis]

I sleep around 8 hours per night, but i think i only need around 7.5 to be really optimal - i just take ages to get to sleep. Having to sleep feels like a waste of time. I can survive on 4 hours per night for short busy periods of time and 6 hours for long busy periods of time.

When i get enough sleep, i look about ten years younger than i am.

I drink about 5 cups of strong coffee per day and about 5 cups of tea. It is a habit i see no need to shake.

[cncracer]

I sleep on average between 5 and 6 hours a day. I don’t think I have set an alarm clock in the last ten years. I fall asleep around 11:30 PM, and will be up by 5:00. I love that time of the day, it is better than the sleep.
I have noticed in my family about half of us keep this same sleep pattern. When together on family vacations we will seem to find each other on the decks waiting for the sun to rise. I wonder if sleep requirements are not only an age issue, but also a genetic factor in our makeup?

[ScurvyRose]

I am going to have to go to bed early tonight, really early! I woke up this morning with the starting feelings of a cold! If I want to stop it I will need to sleep! (and have tea!)

[simoncpu]

Uhm... do INTJs always require little amount of sleep?

I often sleep late and wake up late, and I need 10-12 hours of sleep.

[Wuchak]

Uhm... do INTJs always require little amount of sleep?


Apparently not. Quite a mix.

[schwartzie]

I sleep as needed ... I will go days with only 3 or 4 hours then go back to a single night of 6 or 8 hours for a recharge.

this fits me, too -- 3-4 per night, and maybe 6-8 once each week or two.

[athiah333]

I like to sleep a lot but normally I won't be able to get more than 5-6hrs a night, as I can never get to sleep before 12 and often later, and I have to be up at 6:15.

[Wufnu]

I love sleeping. I feel like I'm accomplishing something when I'm asleep.

I've always been a night bird; I just perk right up at sundown. When left to my own devices, I'm on a 36 hour day. I don't really get sleepy unless I've been awake for 24 hours but then I usually sleep 12 hours.

[jadefalcon]

Ahhh yes.... how much pressure can the cylinders take....


At minimum I can run on 3-4 hours, but I can't do it back to back days. My minimum to go back to back days is 6-7 hours; I ran on 6-7 hours in high school and *SHOCKER* in college, where the work is harder, I run on 9-12 hours. The maximum I have slept is roughly 25 hours.

[punkyplatypus]

It depends on what the next day is going to include. If I'm going to be laying around all day being lazy (like a day full of video games and movie watching or hanging out by the pool/at the beach), 4 hours is enough. If I'm going to have a more intense day but with chunks of free time throughout the day, 4 hours + a few hours of cat napping during those free times will do. If it's going to be a full day at work or school with little to no breaks, 6 hours will work. If it's going to be a strenuous day at work or school (including either much physical work or learning important, difficult material) with little to no breaks, up to 8 hour will be needed. On average I get about 6 hours at night and a half hour cat nap during the day.

[PHS Philip]

Ahhh yes.... how much pressure can the cylinders take....


At minimum I can run on 3-4 hours, but I can't do it back to back days. My minimum to go back to back days is 6-7 hours; I ran on 6-7 hours in high school and *SHOCKER* in college, where the work is harder, I run on 9-12 hours. The maximum I have slept is roughly 25 hours.

Twenty five? That's...a lot of sleep. I think the most I've gotten (after 48 straight without sleep) was 12 or 13.

[Anderson]

I only need 4-6 hours, but it must be uninterrupted. Typically, though I usually sleep a full 8 hours.

[BlackMita]

I need minimum of 6 hours of sleep to function normally on an engaging day (school, work, socializing) otherwise I'll want to take a nap later and screw up my cycle. If I'm just lazing though (long weekends, off school/work, etc) then I only need 5 hours, which gives me just enough energy to use the computer, make meals, communicate with family; home stuff.

I feel the most rested when I have about 7 - 7.5 hours of sleep. Any more or less by a significant enough margin and I am lazy and unfocused a large portion of the day.

Don't like coffee... tastes funny, and I don't want it to become the major incentive for morning activity.

[pottersjar]

I can get by on 4 hours for several days running, but I have a position that requires an constant analytical reasoning and more or less precise thinking and communicating, and I see a marked dimunition in my own capacity and quality if I do not force myself to get more sleep than that. I can get so focused on a project that staying up all night to complete it has not been uncommon for me.

[Brilliance]

I always want 8-10 each day... I don't like to have less than that, I can get up in 4-5, but I will always remember I lost 4 hours sleep and I will make up for it on the weekend or w/e. So I'll get 12-14+ depending on the situation.. I've had a record of 19.5 hours sleep.. At that point in time my mother believed I died.. Some people think that once you have a day of 4-5 hours, and your usual is 8 you lose the 3-4 hours.. I try to get it back. Strange I know, but I don't like knowing I missed my 56 to 70 hours per week quota.

[Fredi]

I sleep around 8 hours, usually going to bed and get up at the same time each day. At weekend i sleep for an hour or two longer. I was wondering is anyone of you favorites biphasic or polyphasic sleep? Most of us are monophasic sleepers as i noticed.

I have tried biphasic sleeping with 4.5h + 1.5h and thought it worked very well, I believe I was sharper and more productive on 6h biphasic sleep contra 6h monophasic sleep.

Never tried polyphasic though, from what ive read about it the body is made for it, and you basically just trade your creativity and sharpness for more awake hours... seems stupid to me.

However, I am on monophasic sleep now 7-8h, mostly to benefit muscle growth.

[Cassy]

i think sleep is waste of time, waste of life. but body needs this to be refreshed, so is sleep around 6 hours of a day

[jadefalcon]

Twenty five? That's...a lot of sleep. I think the most I've gotten (after 48 straight without sleep) was 12 or 13.

yeah, 25 hours. I have hypothyroidism which can cause lethargy. When I was hit at my worst (with a lack of thyroid hormone for months) I could sleep a day or so pretty regularly. Imagine a diabetic without insulin for a few weeks and ask them how they are after week 2. What is hypothyroidism like? My body was shutting down to very low activity levels- but not enough to kill me. I couldn't even muster the energy to get out of my bed to g to the bathroom.

More on Hypothyroidism (To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.)

[Jgib5328]

I get about 5-6 hours, that's all I need, the less I sleep the more time I have to do things.

[Keika]

I find that 8-9 hours is the most ideal amount of sleep, but I often get only 5-6 hours of sleep a night.

[PreyingMantis]

Maybe it just depends on your physiology, your physical and mental health and activity, in interaction with your habits and conditioning. Or something ...

[pure potential]

For as long as I can remember my sleep patterns, I have been highly functional late at night, and I have never needed a great deal of sleep.

Even in the early grades of elementary school, I wanted to stay up late and read. They would catch me reading by flashlight under the covers and rant. So I would turn out the light and then just lay there thinking, waiting to drift off . .


Describes me to a T. And thanks to the internet, my endless resource and something that can actually intellectually stimulate me more than active conversation, I now get even less sleep. Ahh, the love of knowledge..

[tacho]

Ok, so I'm jumping in late on this thread but I did a search for "night owl" because I wanted to know if staying up late (3 - 4 am in my case) is common in this group... And after reading this thread I have to admit the answer is a resounding "Yes"!

I try to get to bed by about 1am (when I'm working) and will often get around 6 or 7 hours sleep. When I'm not working, I go to bed around 4am and sleep for 7 - 8 hrs.

When I'm on a binge... An 'activity' binge (not a drinking binge), I often work like a crazy person (getting 3 or 4 hrs sleep) for anything up to a week or so and then I crash. I have made myself very sick a few times doing this so I try to avoid it when I can. A few years ago, a 'psychologist' friend told me he though I was an "adrenalin junkie". I get so 'pumped up' when my mind finds a new project to focus on, I can have an adrenalin rush that lasts for days (with short pit stops in between)! But then I crash & burn, sleeping 10 -12 hours for a couple of days/nights.

My 'perfect job' would be a work-from-home position where I could do most of my work between 8pm and 4am.

[LordMaiestas]

my brain cant stop thinking even at night ..... so i would be awake for a very long time.

[AliTree]

well, if i want to be fully awake and not need any caffeine, i need 9 hours of sleep i have found out. but i can survive on 7-8 hours if i have green tea or ice tea in the morning & chew gum throughout the day or when needed.

gum totally helps me wake up and stay focused.

[einnelsate]

3 hours. I sleep through boring periods of History & Math(i love math, its just the teacher) at school. I probably have Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome (DSPS) as well. Oh well.

[vad1981]

i noticed i need 7 hours a day averaged over 7 days (or 49 hours/week) although i can easily not sleep for 25-30 hours, sleep for 2-3 hours then not sleep for another 20 hours, but then sleep for 10-12 hours after that





vad1981 added to this post, 1 minutes and 6 seconds later...

now that i think about it i work about 71 hrs/week, sleep 49 hrs/week that leaves only 48hrs/week for everything else

[Sliderule]

I find it varies day to day usually 8++++ hours, but I'm 21 with the body of a 50-60 year old man. I wish I only had to sleep as much as one of them though... Before I got hurt/sick I used to function a lot better with less.

[Autoptic]

I used to do a 24-36 wake/10-12 sleep split. Now, I get about 4-6 hrs occasionally still doing the stretch followed by a crash. I haven't sleep well in about 15 years, so I'm used to it.

[Americano]

Wow. I seem to need 9-10 and I'm only 20! This "youthful energy" seems like a myth to me. If it gets worse when I'm older than I won't have time for anything.

[Wuchak]

An X-factor identified . . .

I recently realized that during ragweed allergy season, I feel rotten if I don't sleep 7 or 8 hours. But even if I do get 7-8 hours at night, I still spend most of the day feeling like it's nap time.

[Seppuku Savant]

6, if I remember to eat regularly and work out. 8-10 if I'm unhealthy or stressed.

[sundance]

definitely 7 - 8 hours of nice sleep... XD

[Manzana]

I need about 8 hours. However, I tend to toss and turn which makes me groggy in the morning.

[curiousjane]

Way more than I'm currently getting.
7-9 hours seems ideal, if I sleep soundly.
Lately, stress has been preventing that. I fall asleep quickly, out of sheer exhaustion, but I'm not getting all my cycles in, I think.

It's definitely taking a serious toll.

[INTJane]

I'm definitely a night owl and wish I weren't.

I feel best when I get between 6-8 hours sleep at night. I wish I could fall asleep at 11 pm and awaken at 6 am, but I've been struggling with insomnia for about 4 years now.

[athiah333]

I find very hard to get to sleep which isn't good as I have to be up at 6:15 every weekday morning.

[vanidence]

Hm, actually my Sleep-Habits change. Mostly I am nocturnal, because I work best during Evening and Night. But sometimes I change. Basically whenever I don't for so effective anymore.
I am lucky I can do that, because I have my own Online-Shop so, it doesn't really matter when I am up. Thank the Gods. I kinda hate any "Time-Scheds you HAVE to follow". ^^°

[Seraph]

I am most definitely not a night owl, especially when there is work to be done. I typically work my best in the prime day hours- 9:00 to 4:00. Outside of that time frame my mind often wanders and requires much more effort to remain focused.

[Nikita]

I function best when I stay up all night and sleep all day...but my reality doesn't allow me to do that. =(

[dogwoodlover]

Insomnia, sleep apnea, DSPS, RLS... I don't get much sleep, or that good of sleep even when I do.

[Amaterasu]

I'm a night-owl. Unfortunately college hours don't adhere to mine so I suffer. Sleeping's a bit of a shitter. It takes me ages to bed down, and then it's most likely I'll start looking at something on the net I forgot to look at earlier. Once I get down to it my partner grinds his teeth (only just discovered the joys of earplugs), and my menopausal flatmate keeps the heating on, so I'm either up to drink some water or up to pee! That's probably why I dread bedtime so much!!!!