Medically reviewed by Raj Dasgupta, MD — By Daniel Yetman on October 22, 2020
Getting a full night’s sleep not only feels good, but it also improves your mental performance and boosts your overall health. Most adults need more than 7 hours per night for optimal well-being. Children and teenagers need even more to support their development.
Teens should sleep 8 to 10 hours per night, grade-schoolers 9 to 12 hours, and preschoolers 10 to 13 hours.
Many people wonder if it’s possible to “hack” their sleep so that they spend fewer hours in bed but still wake up feeling rested and productive. The short answer is yes and no — but mostly no.
The quality of your sleep plays a role in determining how rested you’ll feel when you wake. Improving your sleep quality can reduce the number of hours you need to spend in bed.
However, even if your sleep quality is great, sleeping for fewer hours than what’s recommended is detrimental to your health and mental performance. You may be able to do it for a few days, but eventually, the lack of rest will catch up with you.
Keep reading to find out why it isn’t possible to feel rested after getting only 4 hours of sleep per night over a long period. We’ll also look at why some people seem to be able function off much less sleep than others.
For most people, 4 hours of sleep per night isn’t enough to wake up feeling rested and mentally alert, no matter how well they sleep.
There’s a common myth that you can adapt to chronically restricted sleep, but there’s no evidence that the body functionally adapts to sleep deprivation.
Also, people who exercise regularly often need more than the minimum recommended hours to give their bodies time to regenerate from the additional physical stress.
A 2018 study that examined the sleep habits of more than 10,000 people found that regularly getting 4 hours of sleep per night was the equivalent of adding 8 years of aging to the participants’ brains.
Getting fewer than 7 hours of sleep per night over a long period may increase your risk for developing complications like:
There’s one caveat when it comes to how much sleep you need: Everybody’s body is different, and some people can thrive off fewer hours of sleep than others.
Scientists have found a rare mutation of the ADRB1 gene in people who are able to feel rested with less than 6.5 hours of sleep per night without any apparent health consequences.
If you carry this gene mutation, it’s possible that you may feel rested even if you consistently sleep less than the recommended number of hours.
Polyphasic sleep refers to sleeping multiple times in a 24-hour period instead of once per night.
There are many different polyphasic techniques. One of the most common programs involves taking six 20-minute naps spaced equally throughout the day for a total of 3 hours a day.
Many people claim that polyphasic sleep allows you to sleep more efficiently and achieve the same amount of rest in fewer hours. However, there’s no medical evidence that polyphasic sleep is better than traditional sleep.
Sleep deprivation on polyphasic programs likely has the same negative health consequences as other forms of sleep deprivation. However, there’s limited research on these types of programs, since the vast majority of people who follow polyphasic programs only stick with them for a short time.
Chronically cutting your sleep short isn’t a good idea, but life gets busy and sometimes sleeping adequately isn’t possible for a few nights. The more nights you limit your sleep, the more “sleep debt” you’ll rack up. As with financial debt, the more sleep debt you have, the harder it is to pay it off.
There’s no magic way to increase your energy while cutting your sleep. However, the following techniques may help you get through short-term periods of sleep deprivation.
If you’re experiencing the following side effects, it’s likely a sign that you need to sleep more. It’s a good idea to prioritize rest for the next few nights until you notice your mental function return to normal.
Your body cycles through four stages of sleep throughout the night.
One cycle takes about 90 minutes.
During a typical night’s sleep, you’ll cycle through each stage four to six times. If you’re limiting yourself to 4 hours of sleep, you’ll only have time to cycle through these stages twice.
The sleep stages are:
Most adults need at least 7 hours of sleep per night to wake up feeling rested and mentally fresh.
Limiting your sleep raises your risk for developing many health problems such as diabetes, depression, or cardiovascular disease.
If you have to limit your sleep for a few days, you can potentially increase your energy by spending time in the sunlight, taking short naps throughout the day, and performing light exercise.
For more sleep support, check out our sleep shop.
Last medically reviewed on October 22, 2020
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(2020). Physiology, sleep stages.Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available.
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Oct 22, 2020
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Raj Dasgupta, M.D.
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Medically reviewed by Raj Dasgupta, MD — By Daniel Yetman on October 22, 2020
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In this day and age of overtasking and multitasking, lots of people wish they could shave some hours off of their nightly need for sleep. If that sounds like you, unfortunately, your body and brain may not agree with your wish.
Most adults feel best when they get somewhere between 7 and 9 hours of sleep a night. Less than that, and you could experience negative effects from sleep deprivation, such as irritability, a weakened immune system, and memory loss.
The amount of sleep you need varies and is based on a number of factors, including age and genetics. Some people are genetically predisposed to be short sleepers, and only require 4 or 5 hours of sleep a night. Others are long sleepers, who feel best when they get 9 or more hours of sleep.
The amount of sleep you need, and how you feel upon waking, may also be clues to your overall health. If you’re worried that you’re sleeping too much, can’t seem to fall or stay asleep, or feel tired even after a full night’s sleep, talk to your doctor.
You can’t change your genes and become a short sleeper, but you can optimize your sleep habits and routine. This isn’t quite the same thing as training your body to need less sleep, but it is an effective way to make the most out of the sleep you get. It will also help you zero in on the exact amount of sleep you need in order to feel your best.
Time spent tossing and turning is wasted time. You can shave off the hours you spend trying to fall asleep through better sleeping and waking habits. Here are some tips to try:
The goal here is to train your body to fall asleep when you’re tired. One way to do that is by giving yourself ample time to relax at night before lights out.
Try turning your home, or at least your bedroom, from a brightly lit, daytime environment to a cozy and restful nighttime one.
Around an hour before you want to fall asleep dim the lights, and begin transitioning to your sleep routine. This might include washing your face, brushing your teeth, and getting out of work clothing into pajamas.
Anything with a screen should get shut off during your winding-down time. This includes:
The short-wave emissions of artificial blue light that are generated by these devices inhibit the release of melatonin, a hormone that induces sleep. One exception to this rule are e-ink e-readers, such as the Kindle Paperwhite.
Alcohol is a sedative that can knock you out cold, or at least help you fall asleep quickly. However, it metabolizes in your system over the course of several hours, resulting in sleep disruption and poor sleep quality.
Drinking alcohol can also dehydrate you and cause grogginess or a hangover, which affect your ability to wake up refreshed.
Some people can down an espresso after dinner with no ill effects. Others can’t drink coffee after 3:00 p.m. Caffeine stays in your system from 4 to 6 hours. If you suspect that your late-day cola is keeping you up at night, eliminate all forms of caffeine from your diet at least 6 hours before you want to be asleep.
The temperature of your bed and bedroom can affect the quality of your sleep. Being too warm at night adversely affects REM sleep, the period during which your brain is most active. Try turning the thermostat down to around 60 to 68°F (15 to 20°C), or opening up a window to get a better night’s sleep.
External noise, such as traffic or boisterous neighbors, can keep you awake or jolt you awake. If you live in an area where noise is a problem, reduce it by using ear plugs, a white noise machine, or both.
Dancing till dawn on weekends can be tons of fun on occasion, but maintaining the same sleep and wake times 7 days a week will help you fall asleep faster and wake up feeling more refreshed.
Most people hold onto their pillows far longer than they should. The lifespan of the average pillow is 1 to 2 years. Longer than that and they lose their shape, becoming lumpy and unsupportive of your neck and head. This can adversely affect sleep.
Plus, they tend to fill with dust mites over time. Another good reason to treat yourself to a new one, especially if you have allergies.
Shop all expert-verified pillows in our sleep shop to work toward your best snooze possible.
If your mattress is uncomfortable, old, or lumpy, your ability to get a good night’s sleep will be compromised. The lifespan of a mattress varies based on quality and other factors. In general, most mattresses should be swapped out for a new one every 7 to 10 years.
Want suggestions? Browse our market, filled with editor-trusted and expert-verified mattress recommendations.
Eating late at night can disrupt your ability to fall asleep, especially if you eat heavy or fatty food, like pizza or cake. If you are hungry or crave a little something, reach for these sleep-inducing foods instead.
A warm soak in the evening helps your muscles relax, letting you rest more effectively and quickly. Consider soaking about 90 minutes before you hit the sheets.
A gently scented room may help you unwind and fall asleep faster. Try these essential oils, which have been linked to better sleep.
Losing yourself in a good story can help you transition from your day-to-day reality to a restful, slumbering state. Reading helps you reduce stress, letting you fall asleep faster.
If you’re addicted to your snooze button, give up those extra 10 minutes to get into a better routine.
This may be especially true if you wake up naturally before your alarm goes off. Your body may be telling you that you don’t need any more sleep. You can reinforce that by getting out of bed and starting your day.
If you awaken in a dark room, open the blinds and let light in. Natural light will help you wake up, and may reduce your need for more sleep.
Establishing a reliable morning pattern of behavior can help you feel and be more productive, making you eager to get out of bed in the morning.
Exercising has been shown to reduce insomnia and improve sleep quality. Exercising early in the day may be more beneficial than exercising at night for many people. Try experimenting with the time of day and type of exercise you do.
A cool shower is invigorating, and can help you wake up energetically. Anecdotally, some people also feel that drinking cold water first thing in the morning helps them wake up more fully.
Try having a cold glass of water before you reach for your first cup of coffee and see how you feel.
If you consistently need to sleep more than 8 or 9 hours a night, you may be oversleeping. This can be caused by a number of conditions, including depression, thyroid conditions, and heart disease. Some medications may also cause oversleeping.
Oversleeping is sometimes temporary, and may be your body’s reaction to an oncoming illness.
If you oversleep nightly for a prolonged period of time, it may be time to visit your doctor.
Everyone has a bad night’s sleep every now and then, where you wake up feeling tired or exhausted. If you rarely or never feel rested in the morning, you may be experiencing short periods of wakefulness that you’re not aware of, due to alcohol use, indigestion, or other issues.
You may also have a condition such as restless leg syndrome or sleep apnea. Try improving your nighttime routine and see if it helps you wake up feeling refreshed instead of tired.
If you are unable to change your sleeping habits, and find yourself unable to get out of bed with less than 10 or 12 hours of sleep a night, talk to your doctor.
You should also see your doctor if you always feel tired in the morning, regardless of how much sleep you had.
Chronic insomnia is a medical condition that can be treated. If lifestyle habits are not enough to improve the quality of your sleep, a doctor may be able to help.
It may not be possible to train your body to need more sleep. However, good sleep hygiene and a proactive morning routine can help you get the most out of sleep, and reduce the amount of time you spend trying to fall asleep.
In pursuit of increasing the number of hours in a standard day, I tried to save on sleep. By science! But it didn't help me.
Usually people sleep in monophasic sleep - at night. In the morning, some easily, some barely get up, stay awake during the day, sleep again at night.
But there are alternative options, four of which I experienced on myself during the week. Spoiler: for the most beautiful, you will have to move to Italy.
The method involves sleeping for 20-30 minutes every four hours. It is believed that it is very effective - people feel better, stronger and have vivid dreams. The main thing is not to skip phases of sleep.
Classical structure 6 times for 20 minutes: a person sleeps at 00.00, 04.00, 08.00, 12.00, 16.00 and 20.00. You can practice 8 times for 20 minutes, adding 2 more phases of sleep for 20 minutes: a person sleeps at 00.00, 03.00, 06.00, 09.00, 12.00, 15.00, 18.00 and 21.00.
Adme writes that such a dream is one of the creative secrets of Leonardo da Vinci and Salvador Dali. Dali practiced this dream by placing a metal tray near the bed and holding a spoon in his hands. When the spoon fell, the artist woke up with a crash: this is how he found new ideas that gave him an intermediate state between sleep and wakefulness.
(Our technical director Andrey Denisyuk used to practice the same dream, only at lunch - when his bunch of keys fell to the floor, he looked quite cheerful).
At first I wanted to take a day off for this experiment, but then I thought - time off is for wimps, you just need to sleep at dinner. In the morning I arrived at work, then I slept fabulously at lunch - it was all simple. Then I slept at 18.00, getting up already completely broken - my grandmother always told me that it was harmful to sleep at sunset, then went to bed at 22.00 and woke up ... at the beginning of the third under the alarm clock squealing, probably all these 4 hours. The manual said not to skip sleep, but there was nothing on what to do if you overslept embarrassingly.
There was nothing left but to admit that I am not a superhuman and sleep until morning.
Pros: Should free up a lot of time.
Cons: Difficult to compare time with relatives. And it gets up very badly.
It's like elephants and babies. The cycle consists of one long phase of sleep, which takes about 3.5 hours, and three short phases of 20 minutes during the day. The philistine cycle was designed specifically to counteract the slowdowns in our brain activity that are caused by our familiar biorhythms. It is believed that short phases can sometimes even be skipped.
Considering that I decided to test the philistine cycle on the train to Irkutsk, it was immediately doomed. But I persuaded myself - landing at 4.30 in the morning. I will sleep for 3.5 hours, and then three more times for 20 minutes. And the rest of the time I will read!
But have you ever tried to read on a train? I slept three times for two hours. And the rest of the time I read. It was impossible to get up again after 20 minutes. Well, I'm not a superman, but I'm not some average person either!
(In fact, it is recommended that the main phase of sleep is not in the morning, but in the evening: from 21:00 to 00:30, and the next three - at 04:10, 08:10 and 14:10.
Here it is important to consider that you cannot sleep in the early morning, for example, from 03:00 to 06:30, since it is at this time that the likelihood that sleep will be of high quality is very small, which in turn is due to the peculiarities of the circadian biorhythm).
Pros: Looks real - babies can do it!
Cons: Still very hard to stop after two hours of sleep. The working day of an ordinary person is still not imprisoned for this.
It's like in the 18th century: before the era of electricity, people used to sleep with a break of several hours with two naps. During this break, most remained in their bedrooms and beds, sometimes reading, often praying. Religious manuals even included special prayers recommended for reading between two periods of sleep. You can talk with your husband, have sex, go to visit.
The main problem is to lie down with the sunset, but if you get tired, you can fall right after work.
In general, it turned out to be no worse than a siesta.
I went to bed, of course, not at 19.00, but at 21.00, but this is much earlier than with my usual daily routine. I woke up at the beginning of three and blissfully read until half past five. From 5 to 6.45 I arranged a second dream, got up after sleeping.
Pros: Read Franzen.
Cons: It is extremely difficult for owls to go to bed early. And sorry for the evening.
The first phase is a 5-6 hour sleep, the second phase is a sleep that takes from 20 to 90 minutes. As a result, it turns out that the total sleep time can vary from about 5.5 to 10 hours a day. It is believed that this cycle is significantly more effective than the monophasic cycle, since it not only has a better effect on health, but also improves mood, stimulates the brain, reduces stress and increases the quality indicator of human productivity. Some scientists are even inclined to believe that the biphasic cycle also has a developing effect.
This is my favorite option and is consistently practiced on weekends.
Few hours on a day off is the norm, because I go to bed late the day before - tomorrow is a day off, and my body wakes me up like a fool at 6.45. Because I've been teaching him this for half my life. Therefore, I gladly lie down to sleep in the afternoon - the sun beats in the windows, the winter day squints at me, I climb under the blanket. Well Italy. It's a pity, but not every day.
Pros: Fits me perfectly.
Cons: Doesn't fit in with work schedule at all.
Ekaterina Shaitanova
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November 21 25 Productivity Health
For those who are tired of losing valuable time to sleep.
Evgeny Dubovoy is an adherent of polyphasic sleep. While still a student, he realized that he was sorely lacking time. Therefore, Eugene decided to follow in the footsteps of Leonardo da Vinci and Salvador Dali and began to practice polyphasic sleep. He sleeps for a total of 4.5 hours a day.
Evgeny Dubovoy
Time is the most valuable resource in our life. I have about two months of extra time every year.
It is believed that the norm of sleep for a person is 8 hours a day, preferably without breaks and at night.
The idea of polyphasic sleep is that instead of a long 8-hour sleep, rest is divided into several periods during the day.
As a result, its total duration is reduced, but the quality of sleep improves, you feel a surge of strength, and creative ideas are born.
The structure of human sleep includes two phases - slow-wave sleep (Non-REM) and fast sleep (REM). The slow-wave sleep phase occurs immediately after falling asleep, includes 4 stages and lasts about 90 minutes (75-80% of all sleep).
REM sleep is characterized by increased brain activity and dreams. It lasts 10–20 minutes (20–25% of total sleep). During the entire rest, the phases of slow-wave and REM sleep alternate with each other.
It is possible to almost halve the duration of sleep by reducing the non-REM sleep phase. According to supporters of polyphasic sleep, a person does not really need slow sleep, because the main energy recharge occurs during REM sleep.
The task of polyphasic sleep is to learn how to enter REM sleep as quickly as possible.
It is believed that at night non-REM sleep is longer (a person goes through all its stages), while during the day it is easier to plunge into REM sleep.
There are several polyphasic sleep modes:
Read more about the first four sleep patterns in this article.
The fifth technique is named after Nikola Tesla. It is believed that the famous physicist and inventor practiced just such a sleep pattern. Its peculiarity lies in the fact that the body immediately enters the phase of REM sleep, without wasting time on a slow one.
Evgeny Dubovoy sleeps 4.5 hours a day (3.5 hours at night and an hour for 20 minutes during the day).
At the same time, in his opinion, it is important to correctly switch from normal to polyphasic sleep without compromising health.
Based on personal experience, Eugene recommends the following transition mechanism:
It took Evgeny about three weeks to get used to polyphasic sleep.
If you are not used to sleeping during the day and do not know how to fall asleep quickly, it will be difficult. The first couple of days I had difficulty falling asleep, despite the fact that the total duration of sleep decreased significantly. But in the end, the body got used to it.
Evgeny Dubovoy
In the 21st century there are more and more supporters of polyphasic sleep.
This is really a very attractive life hack, because time is now the most valuable resource.
Evgeny Dubovoy
However, polyphasic sleep has not been studied at a fundamental scientific level. In this regard, many doctors express concerns. In some diseases, such as those associated with the cardiovascular system, reducing the amount of sleep is contraindicated. Polyphasic sleep is also not recommended for teenagers.
Besides, man is a social being. Will such a ragged schedule interfere with others?
According to Yevgeny, at first his relatives worried about him. We made a compromise: polyphasic sleep with a monthly trial period. If any health problems occur during these 30 days, the experiment will be terminated immediately. Several years have passed. Eugene claims that he is full of strength and energy.
As for everyday life, Evgeny sees no problems here either: he carries a mask, earplugs, a pillow and a smartphone everywhere with him - a set that allows you to doze off right in the office chair.
