No, you generally can't "train" your body to need significantly less sleep, as it's a biological requirement, not a skill; chronic sleep deprivation leads to performance decline, even if you feel adapted, though some rare genetic variations (Short Sleeper Syndrome) allow less sleep, and optimizing sleep quality (not quantity) helps you feel more rested with the hours you do get.
In short, you cannot train yourself to need less sleep. It certainly may be possible for people to learn better coping strategies to minimize the risk of making serious errors while sleepy while performing certain tasks. In addition, some individuals are naturally more resilient to the effects of sleep loss.
You might be waking up early due to something in your environment, being out of sync with your body clock, or having poor sleep hygiene. Improving your sleep hygiene and getting in sync with your body clock can help you sleep through the night.
Signs You're Not Getting Enough Core Sleep
The convenience of access to social media has contributed to 93% of Gen Z admitting to staying up past their bedtime (Aloddi et al., 2023). The light weight design of devices makes it easy for individuals to stay in their beds for hours scrolling.
Koalas are thickset arboreal marsupials with a thick grey fur. Found only living in Australia, they mainly live in the eucalyptus trees and spend around 22 hours of their time sleeping (90%). They spend the other 10% of their day eating and sitting around.
While a good night's sleep is important for overall health, an occasional night of lost night does not do any harm. However, when all-nighters become a common occurrence, then sleep health can be compromised.
The military sleep method emphasizes well-researched techniques that can promote a sense of calm and relaxation to help your brain and body prepare for sleep. But it's worth pointing out that no studies have been done on the method itself.
Depending on one's age and individual needs, the National Sleep Foundation (USA) states that adults need seven to nine hours of good quality sleep per night to remain healthy and alert. School-age children require between nine and eleven hours, while older adults may need only seven to eight.
The best way to combat sleep debt is to allow yourself many days throughout the week to catch up on sleep. Reversing the effects of sleep debt does take a little time and planning, but ultimately will better your physical and mental health.
Among the most rested countries surveyed by Sleep Cycle, an app that tracks how much shuteye people are getting, New Zealand comes top with the average Kiwi clocking up in excess of 7.5 hours per night. Finland, the Netherlands, Australia, the UK and Belgium all rank highly for sleep, too, with Ireland close behind.
Whilst boomers and millennials may use the 😂 emoji, this has long since been deemed 'uncool' (or 'cheugy') by Gen Z. Instead, this has been replaced by the skull (💀) or the crying emoji (😭), dramatising the idea of 'dying with laughter'.
Some evidence suggests that high IQ is associated with later sleep patterns. However, it is unclear whether the relationship between IQ and later sleep is due to biological or social effects, such as the timing of working hours.
Across much of the world, it is no longer middle-aged adults who are the most miserable. Instead, young people, especially Gen Z, are reporting the highest levels of unhappiness of any age group.
For the other cues, the following numbers of individuals were significantly worse during sleep deprivation: swollen eyes (six individuals), dark circles under the eyes (six), pale skin (six), fine lines and wrinkles around the eyes (six), droopy corners of the mouth (six), red eyes (four), rash/eczema (three), tense ...
Core sleep is the essential part of our sleep that is necessary for physical and mental restoration. It primarily consists of slow-wave sleep and REM sleep, both of which are crucial for maintaining overall health and well-being. Research has shown that core sleep is indispensable for both physical and mental health.