How much sleep do you need for optimal functioning?

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SUMMARY

This discussion centers on the varying sleep needs of individuals, particularly among students with early morning classes. Participants report an average of 6 to 8 hours of sleep during weekdays, with some catching up on weekends with up to 10 hours. Key insights include the importance of REM sleep, with some users noting that quality can outweigh quantity. Fragmented sleep patterns are common, with many expressing the challenges of maintaining a consistent schedule due to academic and social commitments.

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  • Understanding of sleep cycles, particularly REM sleep
  • Familiarity with sleep hygiene practices
  • Knowledge of the impact of sleep on cognitive function
  • Awareness of personal sleep needs and variations
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Students, educators, and health professionals interested in optimizing sleep for better academic performance and overall health.

How many hours do you average per night?

  • < 2

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Between 2 and 4.

    Votes: 2 3.4%
  • Between 4 and 6.

    Votes: 15 25.4%
  • Between 6 and 8.

    Votes: 35 59.3%
  • Between 8 and 10.

    Votes: 6 10.2%
  • > 10

    Votes: 1 1.7%

  • Total voters
    59
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Since I have an 8am class 3 days per week, I get about 6 hours on the previous nights. The other nights I average about 10 hours, so my sleeping schedule is really polar, and it's annoying. Next semester I'll be waking up every day at the same time. What about you all?
 
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I wake up about the same time everyday, 7:30-8:30. I usually get at least 7 hours of sleep.
 
Between about 6 and 8...on average. Some nights it's closer to 1 or 2, and others I get more like 12, but usually about 6 or 7 weekdays and a few extra hours on weekends. Even if I can't sleep for a solid block of 6 hours, some fragmented naps will help me remain functional.
 
I get about 4-7 hrs depending.
 
Between 4 and 6 for me, I have 8am classes and don't go to bed until 12:30 or 1 on a good day which I always come to regret in the morning.
 
I try to limit my sleeping to 6-7 hours a night, but catch up on weekends with a good 9 hour doze.
 
I was once told that the number of hours of total sleep is not as important as actually how many hours of REM sleep you get. The faster you get to REM can mean you don't need as much sleep, like 5 hours can make you feel plenty rested if you are in the REM stage most of the time. I usually sleep 6 hours and feel pretty good in the morning.
 
I voted 4-6, but it varies. I go to bed sometime between 11 and midnight, and the alarm is set for 7:30. Unfortunately, W insists upon waking me up every time she wants to move. If we're lying on our left sides, she'll shake me awake and say 'Roll over, honey'. This is simply so that I can then put my arm around her rather than the other way around. That goes the other way if we start on our right sides. She can't seem to sleep without physical contact. All in all, I would far prefer that she just forcibly roll me over without waking me up.
 
I need 10 hours of sleep a night and I don't get it.
 
  • #10
5 hrs is pretty standard, but weekends up to 8! Funny... sometimes before exam you think "after this is over, I will sleep my head off, just let me hit a bed"... and then after the exam sleeps disappears somehow... does anyone have this experience...?
 
  • #11
The day is pretty much worthless unless I get a solid 7-8 hours.
 
  • #12
My sleep schedual is quite variable. Normal work days (nights) I get to bed by 7:30am and sleep as long as I can, usually some time after noon and before 2pm. Around 6hrs.

Weekends, I stay up as late as I can, 2-3am then sleep as late as I can.. 10am-noon.

I try to keep the 7am -10am as a consistent sleep block.
 
  • #13
On regular days i get 6-8, on vacations i get solid 10s and on finals, i get solid 1-2 hours if possible.
 
  • #14
5-6 weekdays, 13 weekends.

That comes with working until midnight several days out of the week.
 
  • #15
sleep = 2:30am to 8 am.

weekends, 2:30am to 12pm.
 
  • #16
what does it mean?
8am class 3 days
 
  • #17
You young buggers are starting to piss me off.:-p
I used to go by anywhere from 0 to 6 hours, and (as mentioned elsewhere), my record was 142 hours awake, with a couple of 1 & 2 hour naps. Now, it really doesn't seem to matter whether or not I sleep. Either way, I'm exhausted all of the time. I assume that due to the emphysema, I can't get enough oxygen to properly enervate my body. I should really make a resolution to quit smoking when I'm 80.
 
  • #18
enricfemi said:
what does it mean?
I have a class at 8 o'clock in the morning three days per week.
 
  • #19
This thread inspired me to try to get 6 last night. After letting some cold air into my room I set my alarm for 6 hours and dozed off in about 10 minutes. Once I woke up to the alarm I couldn't convince myself to wake up and went back to bed and slept another 2 hours. lol
 
  • #20
Wake up: 4:30am
Sleep: 10:00pm

Yawn: all day
 
  • #21
In my 20s it was 10 hours a day. Now in my 50s it's 6 hours a day. At this rate, I expect to stop sleeping altogether sometime before the age of 100.
 
  • #22
WEEK : up at 7 30 am - go to bed at midnight
WEEKEND : up at 1130 am - go to bed at 02-03 am

Actually, i need a lot of sleep and i HATE getting up early. My ideal situation would be : get up at 10 am and go to bed at 0100 am...I need 9 hours of sleep to feel completely rested...


marlon
 
  • #23
As I voted, 6-8 is an average. I had a long period where 3-4 was my average, which pretty much made me 'tough', because in general I can function pretty good for about 20-21 hours with 3-4 hours of sleep. Of course, the key to that is a 20 minute (not longer) afternoon nap. :wink:
 
  • #24
last night I was so tired I went to bed at 8:30. Bad Idea. my internal clock rebelled and I woke up at midnight, drifted in and house of sleep for another two hours and finally got up and last minute studied for my test. Which is at 9 this morning. ugh.
 
  • #25
I get between 6-7 a night once you factor in unwinding usually takes an hour or so for me. Really though, it doesn't matter what time I go to bed because I'm yawning all day through classes either way (sleeping disorder maybe?)
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #26
About 8.

(Neglecting all-nighters out of bed and the following all-dayers in bed :wink: )
 
  • #27
Where is the "as much as I possibly can" choice?
 
  • #28
On average ,only about 4 hours of a true sleep or even less.
I definitely used to sleep more in my teen days.
Probably I got to cut back on a black coffee.
 

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