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

How much can an extra hour's sleep change you?

bbc.co.uk

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

31–40 of 90 posts

Re: How much can an extra hour's sleep change you?

#31

Post by gte910h »

peacemaker wrote: post #5
joonix wrote: post #4

Doesn't matter for me. I hardly get much deep sleep due to anatomical issues essentially blocking my airways. I can't afford the surgery (even though I have insurance) nor will my government contribute to it (even though it would increase my productivity multiple times over, meanwhile they throw trillions at universities offering useless degrees). But yes, we have a culture that doesn't value sleep. I know of people…

You can really feel the anger in your comment and it resonates with me. I am a light sleeper and constantly amazed at what we as a society deem acceptable when it comes to noise at certain hours. Why does the fire truck needs to blast its horns at 3am on a Tuesday going down a large empty street? There is no need and in some countries that would be against noise pollution laws. Doesn't seem to matter here. Leaf blowe…

My city cites noise rather reliably (Atlanta). 12am grinder during the week? ticket

8am chain saw on the weekend? ticket.

Re: How much can an extra hour's sleep change you?

#32

Post by gaius »

makeset wrote: post #12
AndrewDucker wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Particularly when aircraft noise is correlated with heart disease risk: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/10/131009100602.ht...

That said, there is a special place in hell for people who move next to an airport and then complain about the noise. The special place next to hell's airport.

Or move to the country and complain about roosters crowing!

Re: How much can an extra hour's sleep change you?

#33

Post by drzaiusapelord »

joonix wrote: post #4

Doesn't matter for me. I hardly get much deep sleep due to anatomical issues essentially blocking my airways. I can't afford the surgery (even though I have insurance) nor will my government contribute to it (even though it would increase my productivity multiple times over, meanwhile they throw trillions at universities offering useless degrees). But yes, we have a culture that doesn't value sleep. I know of people…

Sleep apnea? I have it too and couldn't stomach the CPAP machine. I read my sleep report and it turns out I didn't have any symptoms on my side. So I trained myself to sleep on my side and the symptoms went away. I wish my doctor told me that was an option before spending thousands on treatments, not to mention the time and stress of it all.

If side sleeping doesn't help, I know there are DIY oral appliances you can buy. They're usually marketed just for snoring, but have the same effect on SA. You need to boil it, put it in your mouth so it gets an impression of your teeth, let it cool and wear it at night. It keeps your mouth open enough to help with airway issues. Might as well try it. I think its $20.

Re: How much can an extra hour's sleep change you?

#34

Post by drzaiusapelord »

grannyg00se wrote: post #20
joonix wrote: post #4

Doesn't matter for me. I hardly get much deep sleep due to anatomical issues essentially blocking my airways. I can't afford the surgery (even though I have insurance) nor will my government contribute to it (even though it would increase my productivity multiple times over, meanwhile they throw trillions at universities offering useless degrees). But yes, we have a culture that doesn't value sleep. I know of people…

To me it seems we have a culture that doesn't value well-being in general. People might say that they do, but the entire culture is set up against it. Sleep is just one more neglected aspect of well-being. We also have ridiculous working hours, insane commutes, pathetic diet and exercise habits, and a health record to show for it. Keeping busy at one's job is valued above most else.

>Keeping busy at one's job is valued above most else.

I also hate how our smalltalk starts with "What do you do for a living?" That's a fair question, but its depressing when that's the first one and all we really talk about.

Its a puritan's overworked culture serving the elites. This shutdown is about this as well. We really need to have European-style vacation time and healthcare. I hope my generation gets it right and the status quo of the baby boomers is seen as the horrific thing that it truly is.

Re: How much can an extra hour's sleep change you?

#35

Post by cliveowen »

Mithaldu wrote: post #29
cliveowen wrote: post #24

I don't believe all of this claims about sleep. I sleep 10 to 12 hours a night and I always feel like shit. Even when I had to go to school, I used to sleep 8 hours a night and I was drowsy for most of the day.

Have you talked to a doctor about that? Specifically an expert in respiratory issues might be able to help.

I have no trouble breathing whatsoever.

Re: How much can an extra hour's sleep change you?

#36

Post by cliveowen »

skizm wrote: post #25
cliveowen wrote: post #24

I don't believe all of this claims about sleep. I sleep 10 to 12 hours a night and I always feel like shit. Even when I had to go to school, I used to sleep 8 hours a night and I was drowsy for most of the day.

> I don't believe it when research claims X because of personal experience. That's a horrible way to look at any research conclusion. Have you considered you are possibly oversleeping? 7.5 hours might be a magic number (exactly 5 rem cycles) as opposed to 6.5 which will put you waking up in the middle of a rem cycle. Studies can be faulty for a whole bunch of reasons but dismissing a body of work because your little…

I don't see how one can oversleep, if you don't need anymore sleep you just wake up, that's how it works.

Re: How much can an extra hour's sleep change you?

#37

Post by chrismonsanto »

esw wrote: post #10
Peroni wrote: post #2

I will. As soon as my son becomes a teenager I have every intention of remaining asleep beyond 7AM. Until then, I'm at his unlimited, energetic mercy.

I'm right there with you. Thanks to my infant and a merciless cat, it's been a couple of years since I've slept past 4:30am. I try to get to bed early as often as possible, but it's hard to simply 'give up' and go to bed at the end of a long day when you've finally got a moment to yourself.

Do you have an automatic feeder for the cat? I use the Crown Majestic (search on Amazon) and it works pretty well--my cat stopped sniffing my face at 6am...

Re: How much can an extra hour's sleep change you?

#38

Post by guiomie »

grannyg00se wrote: post #20
joonix wrote: post #4

Doesn't matter for me. I hardly get much deep sleep due to anatomical issues essentially blocking my airways. I can't afford the surgery (even though I have insurance) nor will my government contribute to it (even though it would increase my productivity multiple times over, meanwhile they throw trillions at universities offering useless degrees). But yes, we have a culture that doesn't value sleep. I know of people…

To me it seems we have a culture that doesn't value well-being in general. People might say that they do, but the entire culture is set up against it. Sleep is just one more neglected aspect of well-being. We also have ridiculous working hours, insane commutes, pathetic diet and exercise habits, and a health record to show for it. Keeping busy at one's job is valued above most else.

I've removed commuting of my daily life. I can now enjoy between 1 hour to 2 hours a night more sleep because of this... feels great to sleep 8-9 hours every night.

Re: How much can an extra hour's sleep change you?

#39

Post by pkroll »

cliveowen wrote: post #35
Mithaldu wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Have you talked to a doctor about that? Specifically an expert in respiratory issues might be able to help.

I have no trouble breathing whatsoever.

When you're awake? 'cause people who have sleep apnea don't usually have any trouble breathing whatsoever either. Use your phone to record a nights sleep, or at least SOME sleep, and you might hear: snoring, no breathing, sudden panicked gasping for breath, all without waking up. Or hopefully, just the snoring. Also, you were great in Sin City. :)

Re: How much can an extra hour's sleep change you?

#40

Post by ryusage »

dorfsmay wrote: post #16

Note that you can use it to your advantage too. Bad allergy? Sleep less, it'll raise your corti??? and reduce the effect of the allergy. Not a long term solution, but works well when you are at the pick of it.

I think it would be the opposite effect actually. Sleeping less, according to the article, seems to increase inflammatory and immune system responses, which are what cause allergies. So sleeping more, presumably, may decrease a person's allergic reactions.

Of course, this whole article is based on a really small sample size...I would take it more as a suggestion than a solid scientific result.

Post reply on HN