How much sleep is really enough?

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fitmek
fitmek Posts: 277 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
How many hours of sleep do have to have a night for proper bodily function--including weight loss. The reason I'm asking is because apparently I dont even know anymore. :)
Pre-kids, I was the person who HAD to have 8-9 hrs a night to function. If I went several days without that, I would start feeling sick.

After kids, I usually get to sleep around 12 and wake up at 6:50-7 during the week and usually go to bed at 1230 or so on weekends and sometimes get to sleep till 830.

I know some people like my husband that have plenty energy with 6-7 hrs a night of sleep. That being said, I just assumed 6.5-7 every night was fine for me, and better than some people probably get with busy schedules and kids.

But lots of my family members have told me that I'm exhausted and feel like I have no energy all the time, because of lack of sleep.

Does 7 hours (avg) seem low? I have low bp as well, so I even get dizzy if I don't drink enough water, eat enough salt, get enough sleep.

What works for all of you?
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Replies

  • 5stringjeff
    5stringjeff Posts: 790 Member
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    I think the standard is eight hours for most adults. Try going to bed early enough to get 8 hours for a week or two and see how it goes.
  • ahoy_m8
    ahoy_m8 Posts: 3,053 Member
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    Yes, it seems low to me, but as you point out, it is individual and it might be adequate for others like your husband. How much you need depends on age, activity level and genetics. Your genetics are unlikely to change, so if you needed 8-9 before, that might be the sweet spot for you. I read a sad statistic that most Americans don't get enough and don't know what it feels like to be fully alert.

    Try to prioritize sleep. Exercise does no good if you aren't getting enough. Calorie restriction will elevate already elevated cortisol levels. You really can't do much to improve your health on insufficient sleep. Maybe DH can handle the kids morning and/or night routine to give you an extra hour?
  • MisterZ33
    MisterZ33 Posts: 567 Member
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    i get no more than 5-6 hours a night and i function fine and am losing weight. i think it depends on the individual.
  • onefortyone
    onefortyone Posts: 531 Member
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    The amount you were happy with pre-kids should be the amount you try to get with kids. You can survive on less but if you're exhausted and lacking energy, you're not thriving.

    My favourite amount is 10-11 hours, hasn't changed since I was a teenager. Don't get that much sleep these days, but at least once a week I try to wind down and be in bed by 9. No caffeine after noon, distractions off, phone away, hubby shushed (he only sleeps 10+ hours when he's sick, otherwise he's quite happy with 7-9).
  • bluestarlight19
    bluestarlight19 Posts: 419 Member
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    My sweet spot is 8-9 hours. But...I haven't gotten that except every once in a great while in about 4 years or so. I have a 2 and a 3 year old...the 2 year old took a year just to sleep through the night and then another 6 months to get to her own bed. And she still wakes up at least 1-3 nights a week, usually around 3am. zzzzzzz
  • La5Vega5Girl
    La5Vega5Girl Posts: 709 Member
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    i sleep 9 hours per night, unless something happens where i have to get up extra early for some reason (i do not adjust my bedtime, i just get less sleep) i get cranky if i get less, but then again, i'm old :smile:
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    I like to get 8-8.5 but it rarely happens. Ever since having my daughter, I've had fractured sleep. If I go to sleep at 10 I'll wake up around 1:30 or 2 and then can't go back to sleep until 4 or so. I get up for the day between 5:15 and 6:15, depending on the day. So that's not much sleep. If I go to sleep later (12-1) I can sleep straight through until 5:15/6:15.
  • brentbarrie
    brentbarrie Posts: 532 Member
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    i function just fine and have plenty of energy getting 3-5 hours a night.
  • wyattj99
    wyattj99 Posts: 454 Member
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    7 works for me...actually you have to find your own balance. I know for me if I get 7 or more I'm more tired through the day. I have lost 70 lbs too with this.
  • fitmek
    fitmek Posts: 277 Member
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    Thanks everyone!
    I'm going to try to start getting 8--hopefully that will help give me some energy! My brain wants to clean and get so much accomplished day in and day out--and if that means staying up and getting less sleep, then I will, but after I start doing what I set out to do, it's like I lose energy fast. I'm over it. I don't have thyroid issues or anything like that--so I'm down to sleep and water to try and boost to see how I feel I guess.
  • WickedPineapple
    WickedPineapple Posts: 701 Member
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    It's good that you're taking sleep into account. It seems to get overlooked in the general scheme of things quite a bit. I've been an insomniac my entire life, but when I do get good, uninterrupted sleep, 7-8 hours tends to be ideal. This definitely varies between people though. I would definitely play around with it to see what helps you feel your best.
  • Showcase_Brodown
    Showcase_Brodown Posts: 919 Member
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    How many hours of sleep do have to have a night for proper bodily function--including weight loss.

    Sleep is your friend.

    If you just want to not die then you might not need very much at all. For basic functioning, some. Things will work OK and you might feel fine.

    And then there is ideal. I think most of us have seen the general recommendation of 7-9 hours, give or take. There are many benefits to getting an ideal amount of sleep. Do you want to just function at the minimum, or do you want to function the best you can? Those advantages have a way of compounding and affecting many areas of your life.

    I'm not trying to give you a pieces of flair lecture. I don't always get all the sleep I should have, but when I do, I can tell things are working a little better.

    Try looking up some studies on the effects of sleep (or deprivation thereof) on pubmed, etc. It's... eye-opening?
  • The_Aly_Wei
    The_Aly_Wei Posts: 844 Member
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    I wish i had time to sleep more; my average is about five hours per night. I feel that it is adequate for me personally, but I do have more energy when i am able to sleep 7-8 hours.
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
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    I think if you can get 7-8 hours that is great, how do you feel?

    I get 4-6 hrs - of crappy light broken up sleep... VERY awful...but I also have a baby, can't really do much about it. I feel pretty good considering and my body still does what it is supposed to do fitness wise.

    Really jealous of all the 8-9 hours... miss those days :sad:
  • emergencyninja
    emergencyninja Posts: 26 Member
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    6 or 7 works for me. Any more and I tend to feel groggy the next day.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,547 Member
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    Rest is essential for recovery and FAT LOSS. When at rest, the body uses fat EXCLUSIVELY (unless you have alcohol in your body) for energy. The less sleep you get, the less body fat you burn. Also DEEP sleep increases natural HGH in your body which is a hormone directly related to fat loss.
    It may vary from person to person, but from my experience 6 hours minimum seems to a good target.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • fitmek
    fitmek Posts: 277 Member
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    Part of me thinks I'm a wuss for needing more than 6-7 hours, since a lot of people in this thread seem to only get that amount or even less! We have a 6 and a 1 year old and the 6 year old is a master sleeper, but the 1 year old is not. Sometimes I'm up with him, but for the most part, I find I just get in bed too late--going non stop around the house doing little things, cleaning, organizing, getting our 6 yr old ready for school the next day etc.
    But, maybe a year of having a baby and not the amount of sleep as I was used to before has caught up with me.
  • kimnsc
    kimnsc Posts: 560 Member
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    I've heard between 7-8 hours is optimum.

    I am beyond thrilled if I get 8 solid....But my average is around 5 hours per night...
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    Part of me thinks I'm a wuss for needing more than 6-7 hours, since a lot of people in this thread seem to only get that amount or even less! We have a 6 and a 1 year old and the 6 year old is a master sleeper, but the 1 year old is not. Sometimes I'm up with him, but for the most part, I find I just get in bed too late--going non stop around the house doing little things, cleaning, organizing, getting our 6 yr old ready for school the next day etc.
    But, maybe a year of having a baby and not the amount of sleep as I was used to before has caught up with me.

    There's no glory in getting by on little sleep. It's a basic biological need that we all have. I very often only get 6 hours or so of sleep but it doesn't mean I am doing my best. I'd love to get 8+ hours each night and it is something that I am working toward. So don't feel like you are a wuss at all. I mean, do you think your 6 year old is a wuss for needing that sleep? No, of course not. Afford yourself the same kindness :)
  • Shirotora88
    Shirotora88 Posts: 121
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    It depends I am a beauty sleeper I get between 8 to 9 hours of sleep a night. I know people whom are healthy with 6-9 hours but for me the more sleep I get the better.

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