Britomart Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 I read something yesterday that suggested (anecdotally) that if you get up at the same time every day, and go to bed when you're sleepy, eventually you'll need less sleep. I think the explanation was that since you go to bed when you're tired, your body is never having to "catch up" and so you won't sleep as long. So, your wake-up time is fixed, but your go-to-sleep time isn't. Now, I don't know if this is true, but the idea is appealing enough that I've decided to try it this week. And, being in the middle of my own little experiment, I'm wishing for more anecdotes, because this kind of experiment makes me curious. :) So, has anyone tried this? Did you like it? Did you end up feeling like you needed less sleep once your wake-up time was regular? I know this isn't a proper double-blind study or anything, but it's always fun to read about other people's experiences, and to get ideas to try. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tap Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 I don't know anything about this, but will say, that it would probably depend on what you are doing before you go to bed as well. I get up at the same time everyday and I vary what time I go to bed nightly. It could be 11pm or it could be 2am (I get up at 7am). I know that if I am up, physically doing something before bed, I don't really get tired. If I am interested in what I am doing, I can be awake until 3am and not really notice. If I am reading or doing something quiet, I will get sleepy much earlier. I am also very, very reactive to caffeine in regards to sleep. If I have caffeine after 5-7pm, I will not be able to go to sleep until 2am or later. If I am up past 1-2am, I am tired the next day. I need about 6 hours of sleep. If I get more sleep, I have more mental acuity and am more easy going. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ibbygirl Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 Well, I've been sleep deprived since my kids were born. I think I've learned to live on less sleep, and I have gotten used to it over these last 13 years, but my brain is always a little foggy and my memory is not as good anymore as it used to be. Even if I get used to functioning sleep deprived and my body can tolerate it, I don't think my brain really can. It's just never as up to par as it would be if I slept better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KidsHappen Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 I don't think that is true at all and I have not seen any studies to support the idea either. I have severe insomnia and I have done tons of research on the matter. The problem is intractable. If it was as easy as having a person good to bed earlier and get up at a set time, the problem would have been solved long ago. They have tried this approach as well as many others with severe insomniacs and have not had any encouraging results. I think that each person needs their own personal amount of sleep. Unfortunately, some people never get it. They always have a sleep deficit. For othes the only variable is when they get it. There are many things that interfere with a person getting the amount of sleep that they need. Their circadian rythyms is one very important thing. For instance, I am extremely tired right now but I know for a fact that if I laid down right now, I would nto fall asleep because this is not my body's natural sleep time. I will also still be tired tonight a 12 or 1 but I will not fall alseep until about 2 or 3. It does not matter what time I lay down, I will not fall asleep until my body is ready to do so. Getting up at the same time each morning does not make me any more likely to fall alseep earlier in the evening. It just makes me disfunctional. I have what is called delayed sleep phase insomnia and I do not believe it is uncommon. I think a great deal of the insomnia that people in this country face is that they try to force their bodies to sleep in keeping with societal norms instead of their own rythyms. If left to my own devises, I would fall asleep at about 2 or 3 and sleep until 10 or 11 and get plenty of sleep. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 (edited) It depends when I'm getting the sleep. Six hours sleep starting at 10pm is far worse for me than six hours starting at 1am. The body produces most of its seratonin between sunrise and two hours afterwards, so if the sleep I'm getting covers that time, I can sustain sleep deprivation longer before crashing than if I don't get those hours. Plus, seratonin converts to melatonin, the sleep hormone, at the end of the day so if I'm not making enough I have nothing left to convert at the end of the day, and come 9pm, I'm more awake than any other time during the day. Except it's not productive wakefulness because I still haven't had enough sleep. I just sit around waiting to finally get tired. Rosie Edited March 14, 2011 by Rosie_0801 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giraffe Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 I don't think you can really get used to it, though you can learn to manage. I've been chronically sleep deprived since DD was born and there are days when I'm just plain incoherent. Those days DH or MIL will take her and let me sleep for an hour or two. Then I can keep on trucking - not happily, but at least I can manage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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