Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Why Some People Can Run on Little Sleep and Get So Much Done

online.wsj.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

71–80 of 131 posts

Re: Why Some People Can Run on Little Sleep and Get So Much Done

#71

Post by ghshephard »

de90 wrote: post #65
cynicalkane wrote: post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For me, If I get all the sleep I want, I'm lethargic and unenergetic, but if I get less sleep I'm tired all day (but strangely more energetic). It's like there's no happy medium. I wonder if anyone else has this problem, and if there's a solution.

Do you exercise most days? Do you at least a similar wake up\sleep time for a month? And another obvious about drink enough water\food? All have a huge impact for me. I can go on much less sleep when I do hard exercise that day.

Re: Hard Exercise - Bizarre. I work a mostly sedentary silicon valley lifestyle, with the addition of 2-3 miles walking a day, and typically get 5-6 hours of sleep a night, going to bed around 2:00 - 3:00 AM and getting up around 9:00 AM.

Recently, though, I started a linear progress novice strength training program (Squats, Dead Lift, Bench Press, Overhead Press) - three times a week for 40 minutes. My sleep patterns immediately shifted, and I am incapable of waking up without at least 8 hours of sleep on off days, and 10 hours of sleep on the days that I lift heavy.

For the first time in my life, ever, I'm finding myself going to bed at 10:00 PM at night so that I can get up by 8:00 AM the next morning.

Re: Why Some People Can Run on Little Sleep and Get So Much Done

#72

Post by mironathetin »

I am 46 now and I still need more than 8 hours a night. I tried less, but that does not work: thinking is a torture then, sports too.

If I get enough sleep, I feel great, I get 3 times as much done and I run and swim like a champ (still).

I love to get enough sleep!!!! It simply feels great.

Re: Why Some People Can Run on Little Sleep and Get So Much Done

#73

Post by nollidge »

achompas wrote: post #66
silverbax88 wrote: post #3

I think it's obvious what we must do next. According to every science fiction film or book I've ever read, we must capture them, confine them and study them in an attempt to learn their secrets and duplicate it in everyone else.

As a bit of a lesson from someone with HN experience to the new HNers downvoted below: your jokes are (a) bad, and (b) off-topic. Parent was off-topic as well, but he was funny. Just providing feedback for the newer posters beyond a downvote.

I think you're partly right, but I also suspect they may have been downvoted to quell any "piling on". Repeated jokes on the same theme have diminishing returns.

Re: Why Some People Can Run on Little Sleep and Get So Much Done

#74

Post by jarin »

Vivtek wrote: post #42

Candidate number two for gene surgery (my current #1 being that color vision y'all talk about so much).

Could you maybe get some kind of approximation of color by holding up different colored filters in front of your eyes to filter out all but that color? It works for space probes :)

Re: Why Some People Can Run on Little Sleep and Get So Much Done

#75

Post by kenjackson »

I think I could sleep 20 hours if given the chance, but I routinely will sleep until 7am regardless of when I go to bed. If its 10pm or 4am. I just wake up at 7am, I'm super sleepy still, but more hungry. So I have to wake up, make some cereal and then I'm up.

Not sure what that is, but I've never met anyone else who shares this trait.

Re: Why Some People Can Run on Little Sleep and Get So Much Done

#80

Post by killerdark »

ebiester wrote: post #67
GrangalanJr wrote: post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have used total sleep deprivation to kick myself out of persistent low mood. So far it has worked every time. Not a method to use too often, of course.

Would you mind elaborating on this? That usually throws me into a very bad mood.

I sometimes do it too. If I consistently sleep for about 4 hours max for 3 or 4 days, my mood will start improving. If I then take a mild stimulant like caffeine (or music with a high BPM) I reach a state that is close to euphoria, lasting several hours. My guess is that there is some genetics involved.It's never been hard for me to become manic for a short period of time.
Post reply on HN