We all need sleep to help us function – it’s essential for giving the body strength and energy, and for helping to keep us mentally alert. As you get older the amount of sleep you can function on decreases, and we find ourselves able to get by on fewer hours than normal. Now, it is proven that the ideal amount of sleep for adult humans to have each night is eight or nine.
However, realistically most of us are not going to be able to get a full eight or nine hours in per night. As such, we have to make do with what we can, and many of us are getting as low as five hours of sleep. There is a very small percentage of the population who can get by on 4 to 6 hours of sleep per night, and they are called Short Sleepers. For the rest of us, however, 5 hours is not recommended, and here’s why.
It can negatively affect your lifestyle
It should come as no surprise to hear that having five hours of sleep (or less) per night can negatively affect your lifestyle. You lose the ability to function at the top of your game and find yourself more tired on a more frequent basis. Being sleep-deprived is the best way of turning yourself into a zombie, both at work and at home. But there are more serious conditions that can be a problem as well, such as heart disease, and high blood pressure.
You may not be a ‘short sleeper’
Yes, there are people who can get by on just a handful of hours sleeping, but this doesn’t apply to everyone. You may not be a diagnosed short sleeper, and if you’re not, you won’t be able to get by on just a handful of sleep like this. Don’t just assume you’ll be fine, and that you fall into this category. Make sure you do as much as you can to get a good amount of sleep every night so you can stay refreshed and well rested.
You are unique
Every person is different, and that means that every human body is different as well. Just because someone else can do fine on four hours sleep, it doesn’t mean that this is going to be the case for you as well. Think about yourself, and try to make sure you are getting the right amount of rest necessary to function. This is really important for helping you be at your best each day, and work toward achieving your goals.
So, the basic consensus is that your body can survive on 5 hours of sleep or less, but it’s certainly not recommend. You have to make sure you’re getting the rest you need to help your body and mind rest and recuperate, and that’s why it’s crucial that you get plenty of sleep. Ensure that you are regulating your body clock so that you get the recommended amount of sleep each night, and you can function at the optimum level. Trying to get by on 5 hours of sleep is not something that we would recommend trying if you don’t have to.
