The Ideal Sleep: How Many Hours Do You Need?
When did the need for little sleep become a trademark attribute of go-getters?
Among those who reportedly get about four hours a night: Martha Stewart, Kathie Lee Gifford, Eric Johnson, Chris Hyman, Rudy Giuliani, French Health Minister Xavier Bertrand, Kim Jong Il, and Donald Trump.
The New York Times has called this "competitive waking." Canadian inspirational speaker and writer Azim Jamal reportedly slices his week into precise wedges—45 hours for sleep, 60 hours for work, 21 hours for family, "seven for meditation, seven for family finance, seven for volunteering, and four for exercise. Seventeen hours a week are 'flex time,' " the Globe and Mail reported in 2005.
I must admit, I'm largely skeptical of people who claim to need so little sleep, particularly when it's so often a source of pride. Also: Is it really a relevant boast when we talk about ambition and success? (Full disclosure: I get between 7 and 7 1/2 hours most nights, and it never feels like enough.)
I'll be reporting more on this topic in the near future. For now, I'm hoping you'll share your own sleep schedule in the comments—and tell us whether you think it's related to your level of ambition.
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Reader Comments
Sleep
As important as how much sleep you get, is the quality of sleep achieved. Sleep can be frequently disrupted by a potential sleep disorder, like Sleep Apnea, which fools you into believing that you have slept when in fact you may have had hundreds of arousals and be totally unaware of it. Waking up unrefreshed or feeling sleepy during the day, is the indication that total sleep and or sleep quality is inadequate.
Sleep deprivation of any sort should not be worn like a badge of honor.
sleep
Like most things, the amount of sleep people need to function well falls on a continuum. I love sleeping. But I seem to function well on seven hours, while my wife needs eight. And it's not just how much time you are lying down in bed. It's also the quality of sleep. Pillows, fresh air, the diet you have, all make a difference to your quality of sleep.
I co-authored a book with Azim Jamal. It's called the Power of Giving: how giving Back enriches us all. I can attest that Azim does in fact need very few hours of sleep -- and he has amazing energy and enthusiasm when he's awake. Since we both live on the West Coast, he's always wide awake for our 4 a.m. East Coast radio interviews, while I am happily still snoozing.
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