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Sleep regularity is a stronger predictor of mortality than sleep duration (2023)

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Re: Sleep regularity is a stronger predictor of mortality than sleep duration (2023)

#91

I wonder how this translates if the irregularity is by choice . I can certainly see why people working back to back night and day shifts, or otherwise frequently being at a sleep debt that was compensated for later, would die younger. But as a freelancer, my sleep schedule is more or less my own. I go to sleep when I'm tired and usually try to sleep as long as I want to. Sometimes that's 11pm-10am, sometimes 6am-11am…

After I quit my day job and started freelancing, I actually saw my sleep schedule worsen. It partly had to do with the initial lack of projects and clients, and other challenges of freelancing itself, but what I observed was that my day job's grind or regular schedule also helped my sleep schedule.

However, I eventually overcame those challenges and created my own schedule to work with, and my sleep cycle became better then onwards.

Re: Sleep regularity is a stronger predictor of mortality than sleep duration (2023)

#92
post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree - an obvious connection would be "Lower income jobs tend to have less control over their schedule", be it shift workers, hourly service jobs or similar. There also may be links to worse healthcare due to lack of insurance in those jobs. It might just be another "Poorer people don't live as long" correlation.

They at least tried: "Results were adjusted for age, sex, ethnicity, and sociodemographic, lifestyle, and health factors."

I wonder if lifestyle or sociodemographic includes having specifically young children. That seems like a specific known temporary sleep disruption.

Re: Sleep regularity is a stronger predictor of mortality than sleep duration (2023)

#93
post #79

Sleep is like drinking water. No one says, "I'm gonna get dehydrated right now and then drink a lot more water later so it's OK." But people do this for sleep. You need to sleep right when you're tired, because being tired is a stress that will need more time to heal the longer it goes. Sleep timing is underrated but it is just as important as quality and amount.

> No one says, "I'm gonna get dehydrated right now and then drink a lot more water later so it's OK."

Err yeah they do? That's 'a night out', 'going out for drinks', 'night on the town', etc.

Sort of get the point, but not a brilliant analogy ;)

Re: Sleep regularity is a stronger predictor of mortality than sleep duration (2023)

#94
post #87

I found the best way to ensure sleep regularity is by having a fixed wake-up time. If you don’t have one and you begin to set your alarm clock to early hours, the first weeks doing so will feel like hell. But eventually all will be worth it. The sleepiness during the day will disappear and, at night, your body will naturally want to get some rest early. Another strategy is to fill your day with deep work and exercise…

I did that for years with jobs that required it and didn’t find that worked for me.

That’s a bummer! Have you found out why that didn’t work? Perhaps something like caffeine or allergies was interfering with your sleep?

If haven’t found out, I wholly recommend doing a sleep study if you can. It can shed some light on any obstacles you may be experiencing. I’ve never done one myself, but I know people who got enduring benefits from the insights of their studies.

Re: Sleep regularity is a stronger predictor of mortality than sleep duration (2023)

#95
post #60
post #49

After having a kid Ive wondered how all these sleep disruption means you'll die studies could actually be true. You'd think evolution would have taken care of it at some point

As far as evolution is concerned, you've already had the kid - you passed on your genes. If you survive long enough to make sure your kid reaches maturity, that's all that matters there. Evolution can't select for anything that happens significantly past the birth of your progeny.

As a parent, you’re underselling the impact of the help of grandparents and siblings on fertility

Re: Sleep regularity is a stronger predictor of mortality than sleep duration (2023)

#96

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Hah. I've often thought that my actual rhythm is for a 25-26 hour day. I was going to write that but it seemed like too much to explain. As I go to bed later and later, eventually I find myself awake past sunrise, which is usually the day when I'll intentionally have a short sleep and snap back to an early bedtime that night. Kids would definitely screw up this aspect of my lifestyle lol. But kids give you immortalit…

Just as a secondary data point. Without medication I have about a 32:12 hour cycle. Up for at least 30 hours and sleeping for about 12. I can function on 5 but I'm grumpy about it for a while. Always been that way. Completely inverted as well. Up all night and my body tries to convince me to sleep during the day but I'm just not able to for another twelve hours. I got fired from several jobs because of it. My folks w…

I relate so much. I'm on some heavy hitting medication to manage it which no doubt will have their own consequences for me. Feels like there's no winning.

Re: Sleep regularity is a stronger predictor of mortality than sleep duration (2023)

#97
post #87

I found the best way to ensure sleep regularity is by having a fixed wake-up time. If you don’t have one and you begin to set your alarm clock to early hours, the first weeks doing so will feel like hell. But eventually all will be worth it. The sleepiness during the day will disappear and, at night, your body will naturally want to get some rest early. Another strategy is to fill your day with deep work and exercise…

I do a version of this where what I have is a fixed wake-up time WINDOW.

The window is 90m, to account for 90m sleep cycle. I set the alarm to whichever multiple of 90 falls within the wake up window.

As a result, I sleep somewhere with 7h to 7h30 consistently, with the odd ~6h sleep day or ~9h in special circumstances (being sick).

Re: Sleep regularity is a stronger predictor of mortality than sleep duration (2023)

#99
post #46
post #7

Does anyone else consistently get 6 to 7 hours of sleep no matter what? It doesn't feel optimal and I feel great on the rare days I get 8 hours, but I can function just fine on less. Also cannot easily fall back asleep if woken up which is really frustrating.

I usually get 6 hours dead on. Rarely 7 or more. I'm asleep less than a minute after going to bed, and have such a regular sleep duration that I never have to set an alarm. In fact, I haven't used an alarm clock at all in 20+ years. Well perhaps, less than a dozen times. I am fully awake and ready to go a few minutes after waking up, too. No coffee needed. I do occasionally take an hour nap here and there, but that i…

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Re: Sleep regularity is a stronger predictor of mortality than sleep duration (2023)

#100
post #94

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I did that for years with jobs that required it and didn’t find that worked for me.

That’s a bummer! Have you found out why that didn’t work? Perhaps something like caffeine or allergies was interfering with your sleep? If haven’t found out, I wholly recommend doing a sleep study if you can. It can shed some light on any obstacles you may be experiencing. I’ve never done one myself, but I know people who got enduring benefits from the insights of their studies.

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