4 hours of sleep is probably not enough depending on your individual sleep needs.
The solution is quite simple. The best avenue you can take to boost your sleep quality immediately is to invest in a new sleep surface - aka buy a new mattress. This short term cost is unequivocally one of your best long-term investments. Check out a brand we came across called Saatva - they seem to do a great job with blending premium materials and a high-quality, durable sleep surface.
As a one-off? Sure, sleeping for 4 hours doesn’t do any substantial harm. The body does a great job coping to short term stresses. But it’s not a good habit to develop.
Exceptions are few-and-far between. Only a very small % of the population needs 4-5 hours of sleep (or less) per night. Such chronic sleep deprivation leads to severe health issues, including obesity, hallucinations, and even premature death.
Your age & lifestyle impacts whether 4 hours is enough for your overall happiness (which is a measured of your sleep quality).
Quality over quantity is especially true for sleep.
Regardless of the anecdotal evidence you might find online, sleep quality and quantity are not the same. Anyone that brags about their latest sleep hack to boost their productivity by 900% is either grossly exaggerating or intentionally misleading.
Your age and lifestyle affect your sleep quality demands.
Are you a teenager or adult? Do you have a desk job with little physical movement? Or do you frequently hike, lift weights, travel, and live actively? All these factors help you determine whether you’re getting the right amount of sleep for your body and mind.
Medical needs and quality of sleep are also intertwined. Our physical, psychological and mental wellness are direct results of regularly good (or bad) sleep.
What defines quality sleep? The frequency and caliber of your REM sleep. Here, quantity of sleep comes back into play as enough time asleep is needed to experience the REM cycle. Where your brain needs enough time for the REM cycle, your body needs enough comfort to stay asleep. Feeling energetic and fit after sleeping is a cornerstone of what it means to get legitimately great sleep.
Sleep deprivation can exist if you sleep 4 hours per night. Ultimately, this can lead to mild to severe physical, psychological & mental ailments if you continue on this sleep schedule (without maintaining a long stretch of 7-9 hours to fully restore your mind & body).
Keep in mind consistent 4 hours of sleep or less every 24 hours is linked to the following serious complications:
If you are concerned about sleep deprivation, it is worth mentioning this to your doctor.
It’s also possible that an inadequate sleep surface isn't accommodating your sensitive pressure points (and unique body shape + needs) well enough.
Check out Saatva - they're a premium mattress brand we found. Visit their site and read their objective measures of comparison. We believe they're a smart investment to improve your overall happiness.
Keep it simple when you think about the pros and cons of sleeping a certain number of hours. Your current 4 hours is likely not at the standard it could be with changes - like a better sleep surface.
Chances are most of the 'evidence' out there about a new sleeping fad is anecdotal. Sleep hacks and words like 'risk' and 'unproven' are major red flags that a method likely doesn't work well.
Even getting the recommended 7-9 hours of sleep won't help if you don't sleep well.
Find out how you feel after 4 hours. Whenever you think about 'well rested,' 'energetic,' and 'happy,' you're in the right place! That means you're making progress with both sleep and quality.
Everybody has a certain number of sleep hours they need to avoid being tired. To figure out your personal pros and cons, you may have to experiment a little. You might do better on 5 hours vs. 7 hours; or vice versa.
It depends.
Your body can adapt to a lot, but it can’t adapt sustainably to only a few hours of sleep per night. Our bodies can bounce back after the irregular late night spent working or out with friends, but establishing that as a habit doesn’t mean that your body is adapting.
Eventually, those lost hours of sleep catch up to you in either the short or long term.
There is no evidence that your body can adapt to chronic sleep deprivation. None at all. Do not risk your health and happiness to eek out a few extra hours of ‘productivity.’ 8 productive hours on healthy sleep easily trumps 10+ hours of productivity on inadequate sleep. Always.
Focus more on adapting your habits to positively impact your sleep; not an arbitrary number of hours per night.
We believe the #1 variable to improving your sleep quality is purchasing a new mattress.
Whether your productivity increases on 4 hours of sleep per night can vary.
Your body can adapt to a lot, but it can’t adapt sustainably to only a few hours of sleep per night. Our bodies can bounce back after the irregular late night spent working or out with friends, but establishing that as a habit doesn’t mean that your body is adapting.
Eventually, those lost hours of sleep will catch up to you in either the short or long term.
There is no evidence that your body can adapt to chronic sleep deprivation. None at all. Do not risk your health and happiness to eek out a few extra hours of ‘productivity.’ 8 productive hours on healthy sleep easily trumps 10+ hours of productivity on inadequate sleep. Always.
Focus more on adapting your habits to positively impact your sleep; not an arbitrary number of hours per night.
We believe the #1 variable to improving your sleep quality is purchasing a new mattress.
Short answer? Probably not.
Your body needs adequate time in REM sleep to fully repair and reset your hormones. Without it, you'll reduce your ability to gain muscle and fully recover.
There is no shortcut to a full night's rest for muscle recovery.
Maintaining a sleep schedule that is reasonable and realistic will increase both your self-respect and that of your peers. Sleep is the most important habit to build, since it will help you live a healthy, happy life.
A good mattress (such as Saatva's) is the most significant factor in helping you develop productive sleep patterns.
It depends on how much you prepare for a big test/exam.
The college experience of cramming and staying out too late has its downsides. In those years, our bodies can more easily recover from sleep deprivation. The consequences, however, can be more severe.
Facts crammed into your head at odd hours while only sleeping 4 hours only gets you through your exam, not your future.
The occasional all-nighter isn't necessarily harmful. Consistent all-nighters or shortened sleep cycles occur. During this time, develop skills you need to succeed at work and in society. While it may sound lame, getting enough sleep is crucial to your success.
Make sure you take into account your age when determining the amount of sleep you need. 4 hours is not enough.
According to age-appropriate research, you need:
- Infants 4 months to 12 months: 12 to 16 hours a day, including naps
- 1 to 2 years: 11 to 14 hours per day, including naps
- 3 to 5 years: 10-13 hours every 24 hours, including naps
- 6 to 12 years: 9 to 12 hours every 24 hours
- 13 to 18 years: 8 to 10 hours per 24 hours for
- Adults: 7 or more hours of sleep per night
- Senior citizens: 7 to 9 hours per 24 hours
Your age and physical needs will dictate the type of mattress that will give you restful and energizing sleep. Mattresses are an investment in your health and well-being.
There are many factors that affect how long your body needs each night.
You should aim for 7-9 hours of sleep each night and pay attention to the way you feel during that time. This means 4 hours won't cut it.
Are you motivated and in a great mood when you wake up? Great!
Are you depressed, irritable, and overly negative? You need to take a look at where your sleep quality is lacking.
This is where a new mattress that supports your major pressure points and allows you to enter deep REM sleep quickly can make all the difference.
Determine whether your mattress is contributing to better or less restful sleep. If you are unexpectedly sore or restless, your easiest remedy is to invest in a high-quality mattress that suits your unique needs. Once you’ve chosen the most supportive and comfortable mattress, everything else will fall into place.
Your schedule will become much easier to manage if you have the right mattress. Be resolute with friends and family that you intend to sleep at a certain time. It may sound childish to have a “bedtime,” but when taken seriously, it can only improve your quality of sleep.
Examine your sleep "hygiene." Find activities or healthy foods that make you feel comfortable enough to sleep.
