It seems like many manage on just 5 hours of sleep, but anything less than 8-9 hours leaves me unable to cope. I feel lost and can’t comprehend what I’m doing or remember anything I read when I’m tired. I also have chronic anemia, which might be affecting my sleep needs.
It doesn’t matter if you’re the only one. The key is to consistently get good sleep. It reduces your risk of health issues and improves your life quality.
Chin said:
It doesn’t matter if you’re the only one. The key is to consistently get good sleep. It reduces your risk of health issues and improves your life quality.
I’m just wondering if it’s unusual because my colleagues and acquaintances seem to cope well with occasional sleep shortages, but I just can’t function well at all even rarely.
I could handle sleep deprivation during school but not anymore.
Brenner said:
I could handle sleep deprivation during school but not anymore.
I totally relate!
If I get less than 9 hours, I feel terrible, which seems to be quite common!
I only managed four hours last night and I’m in the middle of a 12-hour shift. We just have to push through to make ends meet.
I’m sorry to hear you’re struggling with sleep. It’s common to have issues functioning when sleep-deprived. If you’re sleeping up to 10 hours and still feeling tired, maybe it’s more about sleep quality than quantity. Do you consume a lot of caffeine or other stimulants during the day?
@Uma
Thanks for your concern. I usually sleep well, sometimes with the help of melatonin. I rarely drink coffee and avoid alcohol and smoking due to health issues.
Sky said:
@Uma
Thanks for your concern. I usually sleep well, sometimes with the help of melatonin. I rarely drink coffee and avoid alcohol and smoking due to health issues.
When you say you sleep well, do you have any data to quantify that? Sleep scientists measure sleep quality with ‘Sleep Efficiency,’ which is the percentage of time in bed actually spent sleeping. Ideal sleep efficiency is between 85-95%. Have you ever used any sleep tracking devices to monitor your sleep quality?
Nobody can truly function well when sleep deprived. In the long term, it leads to numerous health issues, and some just rely heavily on caffeine and other substances to cope.
I rely on a mix of creatine and powdered tobacco to get through a sleepless night.
Orin said:
I rely on a mix of creatine and powdered tobacco to get through a sleepless night.
That sounds incredibly risky for your health!
Orin said:
I rely on a mix of creatine and powdered tobacco to get through a sleepless night.
That sounds incredibly risky for your health!
Actually, it’s not as dangerous as it sounds. Sniffing tobacco is only mildly carcinogenic.
Anecdotally, quitting coffee has helped me cope better with less sleep. I still only get about 6 hours, but now I can manage an afternoon nap, which was impossible before.
It’s expected to struggle when sleep deprived, especially as you get older. Some people naturally need less sleep.
You’re definitely not alone. I went through a year of barely sleeping in my early 20s and it severely affected my mental health.
I can manage one night of poor sleep, but after two nights, I’m completely out of it.
Lack of sleep makes me incredibly irritable. Have you had your thyroid checked? A malfunctioning thyroid can cause severe fatigue and brain fog.
I’m the same, feeling like a zombie if I don’t get enough sleep.