The difference between 7.5 and 8.5 hours of sleep is actually kind of scary

Seeking Help
41

I sleep around 6 hours, then wake up for a bit, then usually fall back asleep for another hour or so. That extra sleep makes all the difference.

42

Same.

43

Meanwhile, I’m lucky if I get more than 5.5.

44

Imagine trying to get through each day on just 4 or 5 hours of sleep. It’s rough.

45

Sorrell said:
Imagine trying to get through each day on just 4 or 5 hours of sleep. It’s rough.

Or imagine how much you could get done if you didn’t have to sleep that long.

46

For me, 6 hours is the sweet spot. If I get closer to 8, I stay drowsy all day. My sleep is often split into chunks, though, like 4 hours and then another 2.

47

I average about 6.5 hours most nights, according to my Fitbit. Can’t seem to sleep more than that.

48

When exactly do you wake up after those 8.5 hours? And what about when you get 7.5?

49

Whitney said:
When exactly do you wake up after those 8.5 hours? And what about when you get 7.5?

I usually wake up after around 7-7.5 hours. If I manage to fall back asleep for another hour, it’s a great day. If not, I feel drained.

50

@Bryce
I mean, what specific time? 7 AM? 8:15?

51

Good for you!

52

I feel like I’m always playing catch-up with sleep. If I don’t get enough, I carry that sleep debt around for days.

53

For me, it depends on what time I sleep. If I go to bed around 2 AM, I feel out of it even if I sleep until the afternoon. But sleeping from midnight to 9-10 AM feels much better.

54

You won’t notice the difference if you stop using a clock. Learned that trick back in college.

55

I used to feel that way, then I started getting only 6 hours. It’s surprising how quickly you can adjust.

56

I’m lucky to get 6 hours max. Short naps, like 10-20 minutes, help me get through the day.

57

I’m the opposite, actually. An extra hour of sleep makes me feel groggy. I do best on 6-6.5 hours.

58

9 hours feels like too much for me. I feel great with 7.5-8 hours, anything below that is tough, but 5 hours or less? Forget it.

59

It really varies. I’ve had phases where 8 hours feels like too much and others where 10 hours feels amazing.

60

Matthew Walker talks about this in Why We Sleep. I definitely relate.