How much sleep do you require to function?

[HIJACKER]

I really want to know an HONEST answer on how much sleep you need to operate a typical day. Please respond with the total hours, meaning, if you get 6hrs at night and you end up taking a 1hr nap everyday, that's a total of 7hrs.

I'm just interested to know what is the "normal average" by polling C3G since the age range here is pretty much 18-29.

Thanks.

[Jeremy]

I'm 31. Or nearly.

I need between 8 and 10 hours to operate at full capacity. Though not to complicate this—it's more about how deeply I'm sleeping when it's time to wake up. I've gotten as little as six and felt great as long as I woke up on my own terms (from sunlight trickling in, to an internal clock, whatevs).

It's abrupt disruptions in my sleep that will result in an exhausted me. But yeah, my ideal is probably 10.

[ltd]

physically speaking your body only needs 5 to 6 hours of sleep. but, alot of it depends on how and what you eat and how your day goes ie: stressful days require more veggy's and about 7 to 8 hours of rest. an average regular day without stress would be 5 to 6 hours of rest. anyways, people will always argue how much sleep you need. i just know what works for me. hope this helps.

[Tink]

To function or to feel good? I usually get between 7-8 during the week, and typically a few more hours on the weekend. I used to sleep a lot more than that on the weekend but because of my migraines I'm supposed to try to regulate my sleep. I find that I feel best when I get around 8 hours though. But I can still "function" on less, like 5-6.

[HIJACKER]

Originally Posted by Tink

To function or to feel good? I usually get between 7-8 during the week, and typically a few more hours on the weekend. I used to sleep a lot more than that on the weekend but because of my migraines I'm supposed to try to regulate my sleep. I find that I feel best when I get around 8 hours though. But I can still "function" on less, like 5-6.

Essentially - to feel good and have a normal day without being tired the entire time.

See, I'm a firm believer that the more sleep you get - the more you feel worn out and tired. Atleast in my experience, if I sleep for 12 hours or so, I feel like ass all day. The more I sit around, lay down, etc.. I naturally start to feel like shit and things slow down and I get tired.

[Jeremy]

Originally Posted by HIJACKER

Essentially - to feel good and have a normal day without being tired the entire time.

See, I'm a firm believer that the more sleep you get - the more you feel worn out and tired. Atleast in my experience, if I sleep for 12 hours or so, I feel like ass all day. The more I sit around, lay down, etc.. I naturally start to feel like shit and things slow down and I get tired.

I disagree, partially, my dear sir. I think there's a sweet spot, though I do think that everyone does hit a point where too much is simply too much.

[spydermn]

You asked two different questions. I like to get, and usually get, 5-7 hours, but I only require about 4-5 to function. I cannot do it for more than a week or so, but I can get by on 4 hours. Less than 4 I am a mess and cranky!

[quick92rs]

I can get by on about 4. I usually go to bed about 7 am and wake up about 11-11:30 or so. It's when I lounge around all day that I feel like crap

[mwessinger]

I usually get 6 or so a night, less on weekends, but whether that is enough to function, I don't know. My habit of going to bed around midnight, and up by 6, started in high school, and over 20 years later, it continues. I get sleepy after lunch though.

[cszink]

I can function with little to no sleep for about a day, but when it catches up, I'm dead freakin' tired.
If I want to function normally, I need at least 5 hours of sleep. I haven't had more than 6 hours of sleep in months, though. I would love to have a full night of sleep. No matter what I do I can't seem to sleep past 7am.

[Tearstone]

I'm in a transitional state right now. I use a CPAP machine now and I require MUCH less sleep than I used to. I'll say 8 as a safe average.

[AisoRed]

7-8 hours. Anything less than 5 and I feel like crap.

[smack682]

I'm going to say 7-8 normally. But during finals week (now) it's more like half that. I'm a terrible procrastinator...

[wiseoracle]

I need 9 hours of sleep. The Gen Y people generally need more, as we tend to go to sleep later, instead of earlier like earlier generations have.

But as long I am active and doing something, I can stay up as long as I need to w/o being tired.

[High_flier]

i only need 5-6 hours but 7 hours of sleep is my optimum anything more and i feel just as bad as if i only slept for less than 5...

[ZERK]

Really depends on my day. Usually I'm constantly going, workouts, school, and work from early in the morning to late at night so I get on average 6-7, but on my days off, I usually crash earlier and catch up on sleep. So maybe twice a week I sleep 11-12 hours.

I must say though, I am not one of those college kids who can stay up all night and cram. My mind doesn't function after a certain amount of time without sleep. Once I start getting tired I'm finished.

[raz_76]

6 hours for me, anything more or less and I will be groggy and without any energy.

[Invictus]

On most school nights, I fall asleep around 1. I have to wake up around 8.

I guess I need at least 6-7 hours of sleep to feel good for the day (although really tired the first hour after waking up).

On weekends or vacations, however, I sleep around 10-12 hours and feel much better.

[3GRaptor]

definetly need 7-8

[roary]

Most nights I get 8-10. However, I can function easily on a 3hr nap. Or I can go the opposite and go for about 36-48hrs w/o when I'm constantly going, (working) and then crash and burn for 6-8 and be good.

[wellalbedamn]

I work alot of hours and odd times. I typically get about 4-6 hours a night and feel absolutely fine. I do however tend to ''catch up'' on my sleep about twice a week. I also believe that the more you sleep the more tired you are throughout the day. Like stated before though, it really is about quality sleep more than quantity. For me, anyhow

[GTEclipse17]

Originally Posted by HIJACKER

Essentially - to feel good and have a normal day without being tired the entire time.

See, I'm a firm believer that the more sleep you get - the more you feel worn out and tired. Atleast in my experience, if I sleep for 12 hours or so, I feel like ass all day. The more I sit around, lay down, etc.. I naturally start to feel like shit and things slow down and I get tired.

Thats how I am as well. If I sleep too much I feel useless all day. But I normally sleep for about 8 hours but I can sleep for 4 and run a whole day just fine, but on average I get around 8 hours a night.

[fatal1]

i have a pretty crazy schedual, but optimally if it were up to me about a good 7-8 hr sleep is always good...i can function on less and be fine; or for that matter, none at all and be ok for about 2-4 days as long as im working or something. on these occasions i can sleep for like 12 hrs feel ok and get my stamina back. on a normal occasion if i sleep more then 9 i feel a bit disoriented for the first few hours of the day and get a bit lazy as well

[Clipse3GS]

I usually sleep anywhere between 4-6 hrs it all depends on the day/weekend. If i want to get full energy rest I am pretty much set after 8 hrs. Anythign over that will make me more tired

[aceitup1011]

im still young i can deal with 5-6 if im gonna get less than 4 hours of sleep i wont sleep......but it will catch up to me and i will crash eventually

[Slippercream]

With the right vitamins I can usually function fine with 4-5 hours of sleep. But then again I also take power/caffeine naps on an as-needed basis, so...

That said, I usually spend Saturdays asleep till past noon

[yanksball14]

It depends. Lately ive been sleeping 8 hours and i cant stay awake past 830 or 9pm. so i guess you could say i get about 10, but im still tired/exhausted during the day.

[pp_e]

7-8hours....but usually its closer to 6-7hours.

I tend to feel better when i get 7-8 though. I have a pretty set routine, im a little ocd about it. fall asleep by 11pm and up by 6am. On the weekends i tend to stay up a little later, but i sleep in a little longer as well.


i used to have a pretty messed up schedule when i was younger. But i also used to work 1pm-9pm, stay up till about 3am and sleep in till about noon the next day. i was NEVER a morning person...but i got used to it.

[Cam]

Well i get up 730 M-F for work and on Monday and Wednesday nights i work at my bar until about 2am. On nights i dont work i either go out for a bit or stay up getting things done/watching TV. I have adjusted to that little amount of sleep. Usually i am set with 6 hours. Anything more usually slows me down....takes me longer to wake up.

[FLiPMaRC]

I'm 32 and I sleep 7-8 hours during a work week. I usually turn off the TV at 11:00pm and wake up around 7:30am. But I can definitely function with only 4-5 hours of sleep.

On the weekends, it varies from 4 hours to 12 hours of sleep It depends on how late I'm out and when my wife wakes me up Like last Friday, I didn't come home until 2:00am and my wife had work on Saturday, so I didn't get out of bed until 1:30pm

[dragonsfury05]

i do great with 7 or more hours of sleep, but have gotten by with as little as 3

[onthebox472]

im the messed up case. I work 24 hr shifts. I have gone as much as 55hrs straight with little to no sleep and was fully functional the entire time, however I slept 12hrs at the end of it. Regulary I work 24hrs with about 3 hrs of naps spread through the first 20 hrs and usually the last couple hours from 4am-6am I get a solid 2hr block. I DO NOT go to bed when I get home, I go and do my entire day and just go to bed around 10pm that night, try to keep a regular day after work.

Some nights I go to work and sleep 8-10hrs to my shock and suprise by on average work nights are about 4hrs and other nights 6.

I have found you get more functional with less sleep the more you do it, I would never have been able to fully function like this last year before I started my job.

[Sandlotje]

I'm just a baby, I need my full 7-8 hours.

[Rocky2]

5-6.

I usually get 7 though.

11:00pm to 6 am

[HomieG]

I need at least 7-8

[Mr Tyler]

I usually get 7-8 and do fine. The other night I only got 5 and felt awesome... must of been a fluke. Or lots of coffee...

[malachi]

6-7

[Xotic Eclipse]

Originally Posted by Tearstone

I'm in a transitional state right now. I use a CPAP machine now and I require MUCH less sleep than I used to. I'll say 8 as a safe average.

I'm a sleep tech and i know what you're going through with that... they have you titrated on a high level?


on a personal level, i work 3rd shift and usually just wake up whenever... on average about 8 hrs or so a day

[Tearstone]

Originally Posted by Xotic Eclipse

I'm a sleep tech and i know what you're going through with that... they have you titrated on a high level?

Titration in what regards? Like the pressure level I'm on right now? I still have it set to 6cm H20. If I can make it all the way through the night without taking it off from having an itchy nose or not realize that my daughter turned the humidifier up as high as it would go, I feel like a million bucks.

This week, I've felt dreadful due to coming down with a cold and having congestion. I haven't used it and I feel awful. Some nights, even if I only manage to use it for a couple of hours, it makes a world of difference.

[natedog_37]

10 -11 hours is what I need or I am a dick....

I normal get maybe 6/7 since I am on call 24/7 and am up most nights working.

[Xotic Eclipse]

Originally Posted by Tearstone

Titration in what regards? Like the pressure level I'm on right now? I still have it set to 6cm H20. If I can make it all the way through the night without taking it off from having an itchy nose or not realize that my daughter turned the humidifier up as high as it would go, I feel like a million bucks.

This week, I've felt dreadful due to coming down with a cold and having congestion. I haven't used it and I feel awful. Some nights, even if I only manage to use it for a couple of hours, it makes a world of difference.

6cm isn't to bad... considering we start our patients on at 5cm then work our way up from there, but i know what you mean with the humidifier thats usually the number one complaint we get... the CPAP machines can be fun... be grateful you're not one of those patients that are up to 16cm ..etc. its like sleeping in a wind tunnel.

[QiG]

26 years old. The magic number is 7 for me. When I get seven (bed at 11, up at 6) I feel good enough to wake up and work out and power through the day. Right now I'm getting 6 (12:30-6:30 most nights) and I don't have the motivation to work out. I refuse to drink coffee as well, so if I don't have caffeine on my lunch I'm really dragging ass at 2pm.

The wildcard, as mentioned before, is how I wake up. I feel shitty waking up to an alarm clock, yet on nights I'm up til 2+am drinking, I roll myself out of bed at 8am feeling fine.