Julius Caesar and Leonardo Da Vinci slept for two hours a day. Salvador Daley went without sleep altogether when he created his surrealistic masterpieces, while Winston Churchill slept for three hours at night and one hour after lunch. American scientists claim they have found the reason why the elite can do without sleep and they now plan to shorten the period of sleep for the mere mortals. Physiologists of the Californian University have discovered in their study of one family that some of them – a mother and her daughter preferred going to sleep at 12 midnight and wake up as the cock crows. DNA tests have revealed that women have the hDEC2 gene mutation, which enables them to sleep for four hours a day without damaging their health. But what are the norms. Traditionally, 8+8+8-for sleep, work and rest is the universal recommendation for healthy living. A person who sleeps fewer than the recommended hours and still feels alright is classified as a light-sleeper and a person who sleeps for more than 10 hours a day is called a deep-sleeper. An individual genetic disposition is responsible for the long duration of sleep. It is not due to any gene mutation. For example, the child’s long duration of sleep is inherited from the parents. It is a reflection of the current lifestyle. Mutation occurs only in 1 or 3 out of a hundred people, mainly the insomniacs. Not only do they sleep less, but they are usually thin as well, they are optimists and feel pain less than normal people. American scientists plan to study their DNA in more detail in order to to develop a drug capable of altering their lifestyle, especially sleep. But is it necessary?
Actually, I'm also a so-called “sleepyhead”, on weekends I prefer to go to bed at 3 or 4 a.m. and wake up at 14:00 or even later. But as a student, I don't have any possibility to do it every day, so, normally I sleep only for 4,5-6 hours a day. Once I've read an article about sleep phases. It was said there that if you want to feel OK every morning, you don't have to sleep 8 or 9 hours a day. The number of hours you sleep should be multiple of 90 minutes. So, you'll be more satisfied with 4,5- or 6- or 7,5-hour sleep than 8-hour sleep. Now, when I set the alarm clock, I usually try to count the number of sleep-hours and make it multiple of 90 minutes. May be it's just “autogenic therapy”, but now I don't hate mornings))))))
I often feel I really waste my precious lifetime on sleep. Yes, we may see interesting dreams when sleeping but they may be horrifying and vague as well. When we sleep, we are socially, mentally and physically passive because we do nothing and learn nothing. Of course, our body continues working and uses this rest for filling up energy needed for efficient wake. Still I would be happy if scientist invented pills that help to do without sleep.
I sleep from 5 till 6 hours a day now. I know that I personally need 8 hours to be happy and beautiful, but getting ready for seminars and lessons takes too much time… However I’m quite satisfied with the present state of affairs. When I was on the 1st course, I used to sleep 3 hours a day. I went to bed at 3 a.m. (because it was hard to memorize hieroglyphs at the beginning) and woke up at 6 a.m. (because PE lessons started at 7.45 and I live far from the Uni). That was awful, I should say…
I can't do anything about my sleeping habits, unfortunately. No matter how hard I try, I still need 9-9,5 (!) hours of sleep. Probably 2 months ago I tried to change it for 8 hours and am still practicing it today but I feel I do get enough sleep. So I'm pretty irritated with my set of genes that doesn't allow me to stay awake as long as I want. ___ Grammar Link: http://groupa.ucoz.co.uk/forum/31-291-1#3084
This is an interesting article. Man's desire to have more active time and less sleep has always been a tempting factor. Haviing more time for a more active lifestyle will definitely make one an unbeatable winner who manages to do and have more. I remember experimenting with sleeping hours when I was a University student. I was in my 3 and 4 year of studies and shortened my sleep to 4-5 hours. I went to bed at about 12 and woke up at about 5 for almost two years. I did two study programmes, I read a lot more books than the others... I am happy I was able to do it. Since then, I have always tried to avoid might work or studies, but I am able to stay awake if it really necessary. Tanya, please find a few videos on Sleep Deprevation and upload to our site.
