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How to Sleep Less Yet Feel Rested & Energetic
People often wonder whether there's a sleep hack like 'How to sleep less' or 'How to sleep 8 hours in 3 hours'. The intention behind this to look for ways to feel more rested even after soending few hours in bed.
The catch here is you need to focus on your sleep quality. The better it is, the more rested and productive you feel the next day.
However, sleeping for less than the hours recommended, even if you feel rested, can lead to sleep inertia and cause detrimental effects on your health. After all, sleep decides your judgement, memory and the overall mental performance.
With World Sleep Day round the corner, let's delve into strategies for minimizing sleep duration while maintaining alertness and highlights the potential side effects of insufficient rest.
How to sleep less and feel rested
While the notion of compressing eight hours of sleep into four is appealing, it's essential to approach this goal with caution. How many hours of sleep is necessary?
The human body requires adequate rest for optimal functioning, and consistently reducing sleep can have adverse effects. However, certain practices may enhance sleep efficiency, allowing you to feel more rested in less time:
• Prioritize sleep quality: Focus on creating a conducive sleep environment. Ensure your bedroom is dark, quiet, and cool. Invest in a comfortable mattress, the correct room light colour and pillows to support restful sleep.
• Establish a consistent sleep schedule: Going to bed and waking up at the same times daily helps regulate your body's internal clock, improving sleep quality.
• Limit exposure to screens before bedtime: The blue light emitted by electronic devices can interfere with melatonin production, disrupting sleep patterns. Aim to turn off electronic devices at least an hour before bed.
• Avoid stimulants in the evening: Caffeine and nicotine can disrupt sleep. It's advisable to avoid these substances several hours before bedtime.
• Incorporate short naps: Brief afternoon naps of 10 to 20 minutes can enhance alertness without affecting nighttime sleep.
How the sleep cycle works
Understanding the sleep cycle is crucial when attempting to modify sleep patterns. Sleep comprises four stages, each playing a vital role in restorative rest:
- Stage 1: Light sleep: This initial phase is the transition between wakefulness and sleep, lasting several minutes. During this stage, heartbeat, breathing, and eye movements slow, and muscles relax. It lasts for about 1 to 5 minutes.
- Stage 2: Deeper sleep: In this stage, body temperature drops, and eye movements cease. Brain wave activity slows with occasional bursts of rapid waves, known as sleep spindles. It lasts for 30 to 60 minutes.
- Stage 3: Deep sleep: Also called slow-wave sleep, this stage is essential for physical restoration and growth. Breathing and heartbeat reach their lowest levels, and muscles are fully relaxed. It lasts for 20 to 40 minutes.
- Stage 4: REM sleep: Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep is when most dreaming occurs. Brain activity increases, approaching levels seen when awake. REM sleep is vital for cognitive functions like memory consolidation and learning.
Completing multiple cycles of these stages each night is essential for overall health. Attempting to condense sleep may disrupt these cycles, leading to inadequate restorative sleep.
Explore 10 tips to sleep better at night naturally.
What not to do for a good sleep
To enhance sleep quality, it's important to avoid certain habits that can interfere with restful sleep:
• Consuming heavy meals before bed: Eating large or spicy meals can cause discomfort and indigestion, disrupting sleep. Aim to finish eating at least two to three hours before bedtime. Check the list of best and worst foods for sleep.
• Engaging in stimulating activities late at night: Intense exercise or emotionally charged discussions can elevate adrenaline levels, making it difficult to wind down.
• Using electronic devices in bed: The light and mental stimulation from screens can hinder the ability to fall asleep. So, turn your mobile off and reserve the bed for sleep and relaxation.
• Irregular sleep schedule: Frequently changing your sleep and wake times can disrupt your body's internal clock, leading to poor sleep quality.
A sleep friend in your pocket
We all know the feeling. You're tired but can't sleep. Your mind keeps going when all you want is rest.
Level SuperMind takes a different approach to sleep. Instead of just telling you what to do, it becomes your nighttime buddy.
It offers sleep meditations, calming music, and sleep stories in different genres to help your mind relax. Whether you prefer guided meditations, soothing melodies, or bedtime stories, there’s something for everyone.
Think of it like having a friend who knows exactly what story to tell when you can't sleep. Some nights you might need a gentle voice guiding your breathing. Other nights, you might want to hear a story about faraway places.
What makes this app special is how it fits into your life. You can mix and match what works for you - maybe a short meditation followed by gentle rain sounds. And you can hear these in Hindi, English, or Marathi - whatever feels most like home to you.
Create a personalized sleep playlist. Choose the order of sleep stories, music, or meditations that suit your mood. Try this Beginner's sleep course and see the changes within 7 days.
Instead of tossing and turning, you can use the app to create a soothing nighttime routine that works for you.
Side effects of not getting enough sleep
Chronic sleep deprivation can have significant negative impacts on both physical and mental health:
• Cognitive Impairment: Lack of sleep affects attention, alertness, concentration, reasoning, and problem-solving skills.
• Increased Risk of Health Issues: Insufficient sleep is linked to a higher risk of conditions such as hypertension, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and obesity.
• Weakened Immune Function: Sleep is crucial for immune system function. Sleep deficiency can lead to a reduced ability to fight off infections.
• Emotional Instability: Sleep loss can result in mood swings, irritability, and increased susceptibility to stress and anxiety.
• Decreased Productivity: Fatigue from inadequate sleep can lead to reduced efficiency and increased errors in daily tasks.
Also read: How to sleep instantly in 40 seconds
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the 10-4-2-1-0 rule for sleep?
The 10-4-2-1-0 rule is a guideline to improve sleep quality:
• 10 hours before bed: Avoid caffeine.
• 4 hours before bed: Avoid heavy meals and alcohol.
• 2 hours before bed: Avoid work or stimulating activities.
• 1 hour before bed: Avoid screen time and begin winding down.
• 0: The number of times you should hit the snooze button in the morning.
Learn ways to bounce back quickly if you slept badly last night.
How can I get through the day if I've slept for a short duration?
If you've had limited sleep, consider the following strategies:
• Take short naps: A 10 to 20-minute nap can boost alertness.
• Stay hydrated: Dehydration can worsen fatigue, so drink plenty of water throughout the day. (See how many glasses of water to drink before bedtime)
• Get sunlight exposure: Natural light helps regulate the body's circadian rhythm and boosts alertness.
• Use caffeine wisely: A small dose of caffeine in the morning can improve focus, but avoid it in the afternoon to prevent sleep disruption later.
• Engage in physical activity: Light exercise can help combat drowsiness and increase energy levels.
How to sleep 8 hours in 3 hours?
While it is not scientifically possible to truly replace 8 hours of sleep with only 3 hours, some people attempt polyphasic sleep schedules, such as the Uberman or Everyman schedules. These involve multiple short naps throughout the day. However, these methods are not suitable for long-term health and may lead to loss of sleep effects, such as cognitive impairment and mood swings.
How to fall asleep quickly?
• Follow a relaxing bedtime routine, such as reading a book or meditating.
• Use the 4-7-8 breathing technique: Inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 7 seconds, and exhale for 8 seconds.
• Keep the bedroom cool and dark for optimal sleep conditions.
• Avoid stressful thoughts—try journaling or listening to calming sleep music before bed.
Why can’t I fall asleep?
Difficulty falling asleep can result from stress, anxiety, poor sleep habits, or underlying health conditions such as insomnia. Lack of sleep effects can also be caused by caffeine intake, screen exposure before bed, or an irregular sleep schedule.
Final thoughts
While the idea of learning how to sleep 8hrs in 4hrs is intriguing, it is important to prioritize sleep quality over quantity. Sleep plays a critical role in physical and mental health, and attempting to significantly reduce sleep can lead to long-term issues. Instead, focus on how to sleep good by following proper sleep hygiene practices, maintaining a consistent schedule, and avoiding stimulants before bedtime.
If you frequently experience loss of sleep, consider consulting a healthcare professional to address potential underlying issues. Is 4 hours of sleep enough? The answer is generally no—while some individuals may function on minimal sleep temporarily, long-term health and cognitive performance will likely suffer.
Rather than trying to force how to sleep 8 hours in 4 hours, it's best to optimize your sleep habits to ensure you wake up feeling refreshed and energized every day.
Read next: Find the best time to sleep as per your age
