Question of the day
Thursday, Jul 26, 2018 - Posted by Rich Miller
* NPR…
The National Sleep Foundation recommends an average of eight hours of sleep per night for adults, but sleep scientist Matthew Walker says that too many people are falling short of the mark.
“Human beings are the only species that deliberately deprive themselves of sleep for no apparent gain,” Walker says. “Many people walk through their lives in an underslept state, not realizing it.”
Walker is the director of the Center for Human Sleep Science at the University of California, Berkeley. He points out that lack of sleep — defined as six hours or fewer — can have serious consequences. Sleep deficiency is associated with problems in concentration, memory and the immune system, and may even shorten life span.
“Every disease that is killing us in developed nations has causal and significant links to a lack of sleep,” he says. “So that classic maxim that you may [have] heard that you can sleep when you’re dead, it’s actually mortally unwise advice from a very serious standpoint.”
* The Question: On average, how many hours do you sleep per night during a typical week?
- 47th Ward - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 1:11 pm:
About 8, longer on the weekends.
Donald Trump is in Illinois and this is today”s question? Is your delete key broken or something?
- Precinct Captain - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 1:11 pm:
Less than 6.5 hours for the past month.
- Spliff - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 1:11 pm:
5 1/2 on an average night 7 days a week.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 1:12 pm:
===Is your delete key broken or something? ===
Close.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 1:12 pm:
6 during the week, about 7.5-8 on the weekends
- BlueDogDem - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 1:14 pm:
4 1/2.
- asbestos in stratton - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 1:14 pm:
It depends on how many cocktails I’ve had that evening…
- tweed jacket - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 1:16 pm:
~6-6.5 during the week, 7-8 on weekends
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 1:16 pm:
For a while 4.5 hours. This last year, 6.5, and an hour nap.
These past few days, not too much sleep.
So, I’d say, hopefully back to ~7 hours by the end of next week.
Why do I feel this Post is a warning sign I need to heed right now?
:)
- 360 Degree TurnAround - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 1:20 pm:
Close to 8 during the week. Weekends more like 7. I’ve learned to make it a priority now. I’ve read about all the problems sleep deficiency can cause.
- Arthur Andersen - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 1:21 pm:
Usually, 6-8. Lately, a lot less. Insomnia is no fun.
- South of Sherman - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 1:23 pm:
They’re recommending eight hours of sleep? Every night? All in a row?
Ha, good one.
(6-7 per night, best case scenario. And I rarely have the best case scenario.)
- Saluki - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 1:24 pm:
a solid 6 every night. Dog makes sure that 5:15 is time to wake up.
- Thoughts Matter - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 1:26 pm:
6 during the week, if I am lucky enough to fall asleep by midnight. Otherwise less. 8 on Saturdays.
- Cubs in '16 - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 1:32 pm:
8-8 1/2 with the help of Clonazepam. And yes, I know it’s addictive.
- Almost the weekend - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 1:34 pm:
6-7.5 on weekdays and zero on the weekends
- VanillaMan - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 1:37 pm:
7
On nights I have to make my wife happy - 6:40
- Birdseed - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 1:38 pm:
According to my sleep machine, 8 hours average.
- Long time R - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 1:38 pm:
5-6 at most,7 days a week .
- JoanP - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 1:41 pm:
It varies, but generally 7 to 8. Unless one of the cats hacks up a fur ball in the middle of the night. For some reason, that sound wakes me up.
- A Jack - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 1:43 pm:
@VaniilaMan, you should invest in a dishwasher and get that extra sleep 20 minutes of sleep.
- Mr.Black - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 1:45 pm:
6. You’ll sleep enough when you’re dead.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 1:46 pm:
About 9 hrs. thanks to a Bupernorphine patch.
- Demoralized - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 1:46 pm:
4 to 6
- The Dude Abides - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 1:47 pm:
I average between 5.5-6.5.
- Colin O'Scopy - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 1:49 pm:
I used to be a night owl. But my significant other goes to bed at 9:00 and is asleep by 9:30. I get a solid 8 on the weeknights. A little more or less on the weekends, depending on what we are doing. No matter what, though, I am wide awake by 5:30 everyday.
- leoFromChicago - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 1:50 pm:
6 plus a nap mid-day — effect of spending a few years in Rome and living life a l’italiano.
- Nice - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 1:52 pm:
6.9
- Steve Rogers - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 1:54 pm:
A good 8. Usually in bed by 9:30/10:00 and up by 6. It’s great that I can watch all the late night comedy shows on youtube the next day now.
- Gone, but not forgotten - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 1:57 pm:
7 to 8; but asleep by 8 pm, so up around 4:30 am. Would like to break this cycle, but on the other hand, don’t like to waste any daylight sleeping.
- I FitBit - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 1:58 pm:
My fitbit shows 7 hours 9 minute average. Less than 7 on weekdays and more then 7.5 on weekends.
And not to make light …
our pres sleeps less than 4 hours which could medically explain a lot of things including his attentiveness.
- Grandson of Man - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 2:06 pm:
Metaphorically I have been asleep most of my life.
As far as actual sleep, a night’s full sleep is really great but not always attainable (periodic insomnia). I would say around 7 a night, but I don’t count. I slept really well the other night after sleeping poorly the night before. I try to get full sleep and am a big believer in its benefits.
- Wensicia - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 2:08 pm:
Most nights, 7. But there are some nights when I don’t get more than 5.5, just can’t sleep.
- Lester Holt’s Mustache - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 2:15 pm:
6.5 - 7, even on weekends and holidays. Even after a night of boozing it up. For whatever reason, that’s all the sleep my body can take at one time. Naps help when possible
- JS Mill - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 2:16 pm:
6 on a good weeknight, I have n occasion been able to manage 4 hours in a row. Those are the really good night. I usually get 8 on the weekend, and sneak in a nap too.
- Cubs in '16 - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 2:19 pm:
===7
On nights I have to make my wife happy - 6:40===
Bragger…
- Amalia - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 2:27 pm:
6. less if Trump has done something that leads to lots of communication with friends.
- Sonny - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 2:29 pm:
I prefer the Nas axiom, “I don’t sleep because sleep is the cousin of death.”
- Notorious RBG - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 2:29 pm:
6-7.
- Tommydanger - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 2:29 pm:
7+ thanks to my CPAP. Wake up rested and headache free. Now I know why Darth Vader always had such energy.
- Tommydanger - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 2:31 pm:
Rich, if Twitter used your filter for their users, we would never see another tweet from this POTUS.
- Lucky Pierre - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 2:39 pm:
Between 6 1/2 to 7 hours
Highly recommend the Fit bit which tracks sleep from week to week.
Very enlightening when you are feeling run down you know why
- @misterjayem - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 2:46 pm:
I usually wake up after six or seven hours. I’m usually up and out of bed long before the alarm goes off.
– MrJM
- Retired Educator - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 2:52 pm:
6 to 7 hours a night. I work out a lot, so you would think I would need extra sleep. I eat well, take my vitamins, and only need the sleep stated above.
- Roadypig - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 3:03 pm:
Around that 8 hours a night ever since I retired and I feel much better . When I was out maintaining the state’s roads it was more like 6.5-7, and trying to catch up on the weekends but that just doesn’t work ( scientific studies have proven it, but I knew it was hard on my body at the time).
- Res Melius - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 3:04 pm:
5.5 to 6 hours. It seems I need less sleep the older I get. Also somehow transitioned from being an evening to a morning person.
- A guy - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 3:04 pm:
You guys need to walk some precincts! It does ensure you’ll get your sleep. The nurses in my family have always stressed how important sleep is. I’m usually successful getting 8 hours, but it’s rarely any more than that.
If I read a lot from Willy, I can get an extra hour during the day! (lol, jk, my friend)
Actually a 1 hour nap is heavenly!
- A guy - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 3:05 pm:
==7
On nights I have to make my wife happy - 6:40===
V Man, nobody likes a boaster.
- Sleepless in Seneca - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 3:11 pm:
Not an exact science, but my fitbit would tell you that I am in bed for 7-8 hours but only about 3 is actual “sleep”. Too bad that and a recommendation from Pulmonary doc is not enough for my insurance to consider a sleep study for apnea medically necessary.
- Techie - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 3:17 pm:
7.5 hours is probably my average.
As for the statement, “Human beings are the only species that deliberately deprive themselves of sleep for no apparent gain,”
The no apparent gain is what’s wrong here. After getting ready for work, traveling to work, working 8+ hours, and returning home, I personally have already spent 11 hours. That leaves 5 hours for everything else in my life, which is typically enough to get a few things done, but not a lot.
The American/puritanical mindset of having to work one’s butt off to be worth anything (socially or financially) is a large part of the issue. If it were easier to earn a living wage while working 8 hours, or less, I’m sure people would jump on it. But until that happens, the sleep deprivation is likely to continue.
- Morty - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 3:28 pm:
3-4 and that’s with sleep medication. Insomnia stinks
- RNUG - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 4:01 pm:
5 to 6, but I sometimes get an hour or two nap in the middle of the afternoon or early evening.
- Langhorne - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 4:12 pm:
Solid 4 cpap hrs, til my dog and prostate wake me up.
Then another 3-4 hrs
Practice nap before dinner, if i can
- Bogey Golfer - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 4:14 pm:
6 to 7. In the last couple of months, I will wake up and will take an hour or so to return to sleep.
- Archpundit - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 4:46 pm:
After having a few years of fairly serious sleep apnea and suffering seriously from that, I go with 8-9 with a CPAP. I’m much happier and healthier and productive.
- Billinois - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 5:48 pm:
8 every night.
- Anon - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 5:51 pm:
10:30-4:30
Doesn’t matter if it’s a weekend or weekday
- Flapdoodle - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 5:55 pm:
About 6.5 at night, occasional 10 or 15 mike nap while driving
- Contract disputin’ - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 6:03 pm:
6:41 according to my sleep app thingy. About 5.5 on weekdays when I workout at 515. I’d like a doctor to tell me the trade off between an extra half hour and my workouts though.
- Mama - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 6:54 pm:
4- 5 hours
- Anonymous - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 7:13 pm:
Readers here with a sleep deficit might ask their doctors about Trazodone. It’s very old and has gone generic, so isn’t one of the pharmaceuticals that shows up in ads, but it has a good record of relaxing the brain and improving sleep. Non-addictive and the side effect is being a mild anti-depressant. I mention it in case it helps anyone here.
- Happy Retiree - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 8:30 pm:
I think we should listen to our bodies and accept that there are no *rules* for sleep. Take the anxiety out of sleep habits.
It was common for people to get there full nights’ sleep in 2 or more shifts in the 19th century and earlier. They would naturally wake in the middle of the night (as many of us do) and read, or have a cup of tea, maybe do a small chore, then go back to sleep until morning. After learning about and adopting this response to waking in the night, I now rest better and I’m less stressed for not being able to follow the “sleep rules”.
- Happy Retiree - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 8:39 pm:
I can’t believe I misused “there” for “their”…so embarrassing…
- Odysseus - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 8:55 pm:
6-7 on weeknights, more on the weekends. I’ve also become a fan of power naps, and take one at least two days a week.
- Chicago Cynic - Friday, Jul 27, 18 @ 7:56 am:
Usually 4-5. Sometimes 6. Rarely more.