5 Comments

You failed to mention naps. My granddad took a nap after lunch EVERY day. Usually it was only 10-20 minutes (not enough to get groggy he claimed), and this allowed him to be alert and productive through the afternoon. He also claimed that with this nap he needed less sleep. He always went to bed around 10:00, but would wake up between 4-5 every morning feeling rested. I was a teenager at the time and needed more. I still need more, but I take naps when I feel the need. My body knows when it needs sleep, and I try not to fight it.

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I sleep 8-9 hours a night and my productive genius husband 9-10. I sleep less in summer and more in winter. When I do hard exercise during the day I shave an hour off what I need to feel fully rested. My husband got a PhD in math with 2 accepted publications and opening a new area of study in 3 years with 3 children at home missing half his prerequisites and without a Master's. He did this by sleeping. He also has been a consistent exerciser his entire life. This is not an either/or prospect, we have organized our lives around well being. I suffer from episodes of insomnia and they devistate productivity.

One reason I prefer AirBnB to hotels is to get better sleep. I am a very light sleeper and hotel noise makes me crazy.

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Dr. Matthew Walker's "Why We Sleep" changed my life. I can't believe I've devastated my mind and body for decades on the totally erroneous belief that sleep is for the weak. I wish I could turn back the clock and favor sleep instead of all of those late nights I thought I was using to get ahead.

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I'm so glad I found this stack. Every piece is so life-changing

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I wish I could sleep nonstop for 8 or 9 hours. I have reached the age where there is a mandatory pit stop at 5 hours. Returning to bed, my mind goes into high gear and I am churning out all kinds of ideas and thesis and lectures and rebuttals. After a hour of tossing and turning I get up and read something completely off topic. Or write a bit. Then return to bed for an hour or two of sleep. Rarely can I go 7 - 8 hours nonstop (including the pit call). But then there is always the power nap.

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