If you are very busy, sometimes you may want to spend less time sleeping. While sleep deprivation in the long term is a bad idea, there are some methods that can help you get your body used to sleep less for a short time. Take the time to prepare your mind and body to gradually reduce your sleep time, but return to normal resting rhythms if you notice any adverse effects on your health or well-being.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Preparing the Body and Mind
Step 1. Exercise
If you want to keep your psycho-physical abilities intact without getting enough sleep, then you will need to improve overall body strength. Try to train three or four times a week to build endurance and stamina, this way you will need less sleep.
- Concentrate on aerobic activities, such as running or jogging, without neglecting a few sessions of weight training, bodyweight (push-ups and abs) and Pilates.
- It is best to work out in the afternoon to improve the quality of your night's sleep in general. This means that a better quality of rest allows you to sleep less time.
Step 2. Eliminate the consumption of certain substances
Alcohol, nicotine and caffeine alter the sleep-wake rhythm. If you want to always be at your best while sleeping less, you have to do everything to ensure that the few hours you allow yourself are of excellent quality.
- Alcohol helps you fall asleep faster. However, the resulting sleep is much worse and you will eventually need to spend more hours in bed. Get rid of alcohol, drink it only on certain occasions and in moderation.
- Caffeine remains in the body for up to six hours after ingestion. If you drink it in the late afternoon, it will prevent you from sleeping at night. You should limit yourself to just morning coffee without going overboard. One or two 240ml cups of American coffee is more than enough to energize you throughout the day.
- Nicotine, in addition to causing many health problems, is also a stimulant. If you smoke cigarettes throughout the day, you will have some difficulty falling asleep in the evening. All this without mentioning the fact that tobacco weakens the body and the immune system, forcing the body to sleep more to regain strength. If you have decided to sleep less, quit smoking.
Step 3. Develop a "bedtime ritual"
Work on improving your evening routine before cutting back on your sleep time. Practice actions to make sure you fall asleep quickly and wake up refreshed.
- Always lie down and get up at the same time, every night and day. The body has a natural circadian rhythm that adjusts to a regular sleep and wake schedule. If you go to sleep and wake up at the same time every day, you will start to feel tired in the evening naturally and, likewise, you will wake up fresh and rested in the morning.
- Do not use devices with electronic monitors in the hours before bedtime. The blue light emitted by smartphones and computers has a stimulating effect on the human body, in fact it interferes with the ability to fall asleep.
- Create a bedtime ritual. If the body associates certain activities with resting, then it will begin to feel tired in response to these practices. Choose a relaxing activity, like reading a book or solving crosswords.
Step 4. Make the bedroom help you rest well
Remember that if you want to sleep less, the few hours of rest must be of the best possible quality. For this reason, make sure that the environment is suitable for the purpose.
- Check the mattress and pillows. They should be firm and support your body so you don't feel sore in the morning. Pillows and bedding should not have allergens, otherwise you will experience some irritation and will not be able to sleep.
- Keep the room cool. The ideal temperature for sleeping is between 15.5 and 19.5 ° C.
- If you live in a noisy neighborhood or apartment building, consider purchasing a white noise machine that "cuts out" unwanted ones.
Part 2 of 3: Gradually Reduce Sleeping Hours
Step 1. Reduce your sleep time a little at a time
If you try to spend 9 to 6 hours a night, then you won't be able to keep up the pace. Gradually commit to going to bed later and getting up earlier.
- During the first week, go to bed 20 minutes later or get up 20 minutes earlier each day. In the second week, reduce your sleep by another 20 minutes. During the third, move the alarm one hour or go to bed one hour later.
- Continue reducing your sleep time by 20 minutes each week.
Step 2. Be patient
In the first few weeks it is very likely that you will feel tired. If so, try modifying your diet by integrating it with healthier, more energetic foods, and try exercising more to improve sleep quality.
Step 3. Try to get six hours of sleep a night
This should be your ultimate goal, thanks to which you should keep your psycho-physical abilities relatively intact, as long as the rest is of quality. Less sleep puts your health at risk.
Part 3 of 3: Know the Risks
Step 1. Do not sleep less than five and a half hours a night
This is the absolute minimum limit. Studies monitoring the effects of sleep deprivation on the brain have shown that those who sleep less than five and a half hours suffer from severe fatigue during the day and reduced psycho-physical abilities.
Step 2. Monitor health effects
Sleep deprivation can be very dangerous. If you experience some of the symptoms described here, you should immediately return to a normal sleep-wake rhythm:
- Increased short temper;
- Body weight changes
- Short-term memory loss
- Impulsive behaviors;
- Poor motor skills;
- Skin changes
- Blurred vision.
Step 3. Remember that it is difficult to get little sleep for a long time
Although it is possible to reduce the hours of sleep for a certain period, it is not recommended to rest less than 8 hours for many months. Eventually your body's functions will fail and you will suffer from falling asleep.
- The number of hours of sleep needed varies according to the individual's lifestyle. However, most people need at least eight hours of rest every night. If you consistently stay below this threshold, you will have problems concentrating.
- If you just rest for only six hours for a long time, then you will create a situation called sleep deficit or lack of sleep. The body will need more rest than you give it and it will eventually collapse. If you want to try to sleep less in the long run, then remember to only do it for a few weeks each time, before returning to eight hours of rest per night.
