Sleeping only 5 hours a night and feeling awesome

[Desibaba]

Most of my life I have been an oversleeper. Partly I think it was because of laziness and I used the "Bodybuilders need more sleep" thing as an excuse. The last year or so reality hit me hard in the face and I have realized Ill never be a famous bodybuilder but in my job as a car salesman I have been great and the management wants to promote me to be a finance manager. So I have been hustling hard at work to make money and prove it that I'm not a one hit wonder and I am the right guy for the job so I can get promoted. Since the beginning of this month I have only been sleeping 4-5 hours a night. My workouts are just as good. I don't feel sleepy or groggy during the day either. Any long term effects I should be concerned about?

 

[T_verde77]

I would die only getting 5 hours every night. I pull it off sometimes but it eventually breaks me down and than I need a rest day. just listen to your body

 

[D-Ballin]

I run about 5. 6 is a good night, seven I'm overslept and groggy. But I usually get a nap or two a week to catch up a bit.

I've just been working extreme mornings (3am alarm six per week) for a long time. And wife normally gets off around seven, kid in bed by eight. Doesn't leave much adult time if you value sleep.

I've just never grown accustomed to much sleep. Gains always on par with expectations, so fuck it.

 

[Perrin Aybara]

I need about seven. Much less than that for any length of time and I'm feeling rough and getting headaches throughout the day. I'm a really light sleeper, so my sleep quality isn't the best.

 

[koolio]

I hardly ever get more than 4-5 hours a night...never have and I am 56 now...you will get what you need...there are two people you will never beat----mother nature and father time...go with it and be happy you don't live in Iraq........koolio

 

[MindlessWork]

7 hours for me at the minimum.

 

[Genghis K.]

@Desibaba, don't want to be the party pooper, but I think you are running on adrenaline. You've always needed a lot of sleep until recently, right? Your body didn't change and you will eventually hit the wall.

My suggestion, intentionally crash yourself. When life gives you an opportunity take some over the counter sleeping meds and knock yourself out for 9+ hours. Do it every 7-10 days and you'll have a fighting chance at your goals. A finance manager can't afford to not be on their game and coffee will only carry you so far. Congratulations on things and good luck!

 

[Leancuisine]

I've been surviving purely off energy drinks and hate for almost 2 years now.
Maybe 10 hours a sleep a week. Your body adjusts.
If you want to succeed in life you can't afford to sleep.
Resilience comes into play here, mind over matter!
Go get that position my man!!

 

[MindlessWork]

@Desibaba, don't want to be the party pooper, but I think you are running on adrenaline. You've always needed a lot of sleep until recently, right? Your body didn't change and you will eventually hit the wall.

My suggestion, intentionally crash yourself. When life gives you an opportunity take some over the counter sleeping meds and knock yourself out for 9+ hours. Do it every 7-10 days and you'll have a fighting chance at your goals. A finance manager can't afford to not be on their game and coffee will only carry you so far. Congratulations on things and good luck!

I am a systems administrator and even in IT we run on caffeine and adrenaline...for example so many long nights working on major systems outages with little sleep in between takes its toll eventually for me.

For people who work night shifts there's more impact of less sleep.

 

[21s]

I haven't slept for a total of 96 hours and I'm still training. Can't say I feel awesome though

 

[Leprechaun]

I'm no doctor but the long term effects (at least according to some) included:

• Increased risk of accidents (in general but with an emphasis on operating vehicles).
• Some say increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, high BP
• Decrease cognitive function
• Drop in sex drive
• Moodiness

And so on... I personally do not believe these are really a risk to lack of sleep or decreased sleep, but again I'm not a doctor. Also I have insomnia and don't usually sleep anyway. If I do get sleep it's when I take my meds and I get maybe 3-5 hours. I feel fine after a night of no sleep and even after my 3 or so medicated hours of sleep.

The only thing I have experienced that matches the above referenced is high BP. But I am sure that's due to the steroids (I have done oral cycles in the past), lots of coffee, and my genetics.

 

[pumpingiron22]

I use to work off 4 to 5 hours with my schedule 5 or 4 in the morning. Me and my wife alternate getting the kids to school in the morning. After years of doing this depending on caffeine and pre work out. My adrenal glands were drained.
We use to feel guilty sleeping during the day. As we work night shift. But the world will go on whether you sleep or not. Now I wake at 11 or 12 start breakfast and start my day I have had the biggest gains now letting my body rest and I am more productive and just overall feel better I also take a nap after my post work out meal for about an hour.

 

[iamINVICTUS]

I've been surviving purely off energy drinks and hate for almost 2 years now.
Maybe 10 hours a sleep a week. Your body adjusts.
If you want to succeed in life you can't afford to sleep.
Resilience comes into play here, mind over matter!
Go get that position my man!!

Body might adjust. Doesnt mean its healthy. Just as your body may adjust to handle alcohol better. Again, doesnt mean thats a good thing.

I can confidently tell you 10 hours of sleep a week will not do you much good.

 

[Leancuisine]

Body might adjust. Doesnt mean its healthy. Just as your body may adjust to handle alcohol better. Again, doesnt mean thats a good thing.

I can confidently tell you 10 hours of sleep a week will not do you much good.

Probably not, but I literally will lie there staring at the ceiling most nights.
Taken everything under the sun for sleep too, not an exaggeration.

 

[Flaming Dragon]

Probably not, but I literally will lie there staring at the ceiling most nights.
Taken everything under the sun for sleep too, not an exaggeration.

You need a lady-friend.. I guarantee you'll KO within minutes after 15-45mins cardio session!

 

[Leancuisine]

You need a lady-friend.. I guarantee you'll KO within minutes after 15-45mins cardio session!

I'm married lol. I wish that was the case.
I got a brain injury a while back that really messed up a lot of stuff for me, sleep being the main one.

 

[catch_me]

Do you take melatonin?

As for me, 5 hrs of sleep would kill me...

 

[Do3Gs]

Most of my life I have been an oversleeper. Partly I think it was because of laziness and I used the "Bodybuilders need more sleep" thing as an excuse. The last year or so reality hit me hard in the face and I have realized Ill never be a famous bodybuilder but in my job as a car salesman I have been great and the management wants to promote me to be a finance manager. So I have been hustling hard at work to make money and prove it that I'm not a one hit wonder and I am the right guy for the job so I can get promoted. Since the beginning of this month I have only been sleeping 4-5 hours a night. My workouts are just as good. I don't feel sleepy or groggy during the day either. Any long term effects I should be concerned about?

First off; best of luck (and skill) on the promotion! I personally seem to get going faster and have more energy throughout the day when I get 4-6 hours of sleep at night. It could be mental as the only time I typically get more than that are days off from work. I feel like it may be lack of a less pressing time schedule that just makes me tired and want to chill out. Even my workouts seem less productive when I get 7-9 hours of sleep as I just feel like I can't get out of 1st gear. As some mentioned tho after a week or so my body says ITS TIME TO REST & I just crash out early a night or two.

 

[Skull]

Most of my life I have been an oversleeper. Partly I think it was because of laziness and I used the "Bodybuilders need more sleep" thing as an excuse. The last year or so reality hit me hard in the face and I have realized Ill never be a famous bodybuilder but in my job as a car salesman I have been great and the management wants to promote me to be a finance manager. So I have been hustling hard at work to make money and prove it that I'm not a one hit wonder and I am the right guy for the job so I can get promoted. Since the beginning of this month I have only been sleeping 4-5 hours a night. My workouts are just as good. I don't feel sleepy or groggy during the day either. Any long term effects I should be concerned about?

I would die only getting 5 hours every night. I pull it off sometimes but it eventually breaks me down and than I need a rest day. just listen to your body

I run about 5. 6 is a good night, seven I'm overslept and groggy. But I usually get a nap or two a week to catch up a bit.

I've just been working extreme mornings (3am alarm six per week) for a long time. And wife normally gets off around seven, kid in bed by eight. Doesn't leave much adult time if you value sleep.

I've just never grown accustomed to much sleep. Gains always on par with expectations, so fuck it.

I need about seven. Much less than that for any length of time and I'm feeling rough and getting headaches throughout the day. I'm a really light sleeper, so my sleep quality isn't the best.

I hardly ever get more than 4-5 hours a night...never have and I am 56 now...you will get what you need...there are two people you will never beat----mother nature and father time...go with it and be happy you don't live in Iraq........koolio

7 hours for me at the minimum.

@Desibaba, don't want to be the party pooper, but I think you are running on adrenaline. You've always needed a lot of sleep until recently, right? Your body didn't change and you will eventually hit the wall.

My suggestion, intentionally crash yourself. When life gives you an opportunity take some over the counter sleeping meds and knock yourself out for 9+ hours. Do it every 7-10 days and you'll have a fighting chance at your goals. A finance manager can't afford to not be on their game and coffee will only carry you so far. Congratulations on things and good luck!

I've been surviving purely off energy drinks and hate for almost 2 years now.
Maybe 10 hours a sleep a week. Your body adjusts.
If you want to succeed in life you can't afford to sleep.
Resilience comes into play here, mind over matter!
Go get that position my man!!

I haven't slept for a total of 96 hours and I'm still training. Can't say I feel awesome though

I'm no doctor but the long term effects (at least according to some) included:

• Increased risk of accidents (in general but with an emphasis on operating vehicles).
• Some say increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, high BP
• Decrease cognitive function
• Drop in sex drive
• Moodiness

And so on... I personally do not believe these are really a risk to lack of sleep or decreased sleep, but again I'm not a doctor. Also I have insomnia and don't usually sleep anyway. If I do get sleep it's when I take my meds and I get maybe 3-5 hours. I feel fine after a night of no sleep and even after my 3 or so medicated hours of sleep.

The only thing I have experienced that matches the above referenced is high BP. But I am sure that's due to the steroids (I have done oral cycles in the past), lots of coffee, and my genetics.

I use to work off 4 to 5 hours with my schedule 5 or 4 in the morning. Me and my wife alternate getting the kids to school in the morning. After years of doing this depending on caffeine and pre work out. My adrenal glands were drained.
We use to feel guilty sleeping during the day. As we work night shift. But the world will go on whether you sleep or not. Now I wake at 11 or 12 start breakfast and start my day I have had the biggest gains now letting my body rest and I am more productive and just overall feel better I also take a nap after my post work out meal for about an hour.

Body might adjust. Doesnt mean its healthy. Just as your body may adjust to handle alcohol better. Again, doesnt mean thats a good thing.

I can confidently tell you 10 hours of sleep a week will not do you much good.

You need a lady-friend.. I guarantee you'll KO within minutes after 15-45mins cardio session!

Do you take melatonin?

As for me, 5 hrs of sleep would kill me...

First off; best of luck (and skill) on the promotion! I personally seem to get going faster and have more energy throughout the day when I get 4-6 hours of sleep at night. It could be mental as the only time I typically get more than that are days off from work. I feel like it may be lack of a less pressing time schedule that just makes me tired and want to chill out. Even my workouts seem less productive when I get 7-9 hours of sleep as I just feel like I can't get out of 1st gear. As some mentioned tho after a week or so my body says ITS TIME TO REST & I just crash out early a night or two.

Check this new sleep study out guys.National Sleep Foundation Recommends New Sleep Times

 

[Bundy55]

I guess everybody is different but I know I need at least 6-8 a night to recover properly from my day at work and in the gym. Any less than that and my appetite and general motivation to hit the gym suffers greatly. I also notice my muscles just look fuller and more dense after getting 6-8 hours consistently as opposed to 5 or less.