one no-sleep day a week

tomatoey

so i have ^^. there's one morning a week where i have a thing and would have to get up ridic early (for me) so i stay up instead. it's like jet lag, i'm usually kind of out of it for 2-3 days afterwards. what's the best way to catch up on zzzs? nap immediately after the thing (this is what i desperately want to do)? stay up until evening and try to sleep a normal eight hours (or a bit more than that)?

Alatariel75

I can't remember the study, but I know I read something which said you can't actually 'catch up' on sleep. While you can sleep longer when you're overtired, it doesn't make up for a lost night's sleep any more than just a solid 8 hours.

I used to have a really messed up sleep schedule, for months I was studying and working graveyard shift. Work 9pm to 5am, go home and sleep for 2-3 hours, get up at 8am or 9am (depending on the day), go to class, get home around 4pm, sleep until 8pm, rinse and repeat. It was horrendous. But I noticed that on weekends I would feel better for just sleeping a normal 8 hours than if I stayed it bed and knocked out a solid 12 or so.

In your case, I reckon you'd feel better for a nap afterwards, then bed at normal, or a little earlier that night. But the nap might make you groggy.

TavistockToad

i think i'd rather go for a bit of sleep and get up really early than no sleep and crash for 3 days afterwards

tomatoey

Alatariel75 wrote: »

I can't remember the study, but I know I read something which said you can't actually 'catch up' on sleep. While you can sleep longer when you're overtired, it doesn't make up for a lost night's sleep any more than just a solid 8 hours.

hmm, ok, that's useful to know.

Alatariel75 wrote: »

I used to have a really messed up sleep schedule, for months I was studying and working graveyard shift. Work 9pm to 5am, go home and sleep for 2-3 hours, get up at 8am or 9am (depending on the day), go to class, get home around 4pm, sleep until 8pm, rinse and repeat. It was horrendous. But I noticed that on weekends I would feel better for just sleeping a normal 8 hours than if I stayed it bed and knocked out a solid 12 or so.

oh god - that honestly sounds like torture wow.

but you're saying 8 was enough, ok.

Alatariel75 wrote: »

In your case, I reckon you'd feel better for a nap afterwards, then bed at normal, or a little earlier that night. But the nap might make you groggy.

this makes sense, i think i agree. i think groggy isn't as bad as the alternative which actually feels painful

Thank you!

tomatoey

TavistockToad wrote: »

i think i'd rather go for a bit of sleep and get up really early than no sleep and crash for 3 days afterwards

i would rather do this too but i'm too heavy a sleeper. at least three times, i've just slept through my four extremely loud alarms, which are placed all over the room. it's not for much longer, it's ok.