Sleeping very little and yet feeling more energetic?

[Annemarie]

I've been reading these forums for a while now and I know a lot of you have a vast knowledge about how the human body works so maybe someone could explain the following situation to me.

I've been a 9+ sleeper for most of my life, sometimes even 10-12 hours a day and I've always felt very tired during the day. I've tried several strategies, like going to bed early-waking up early on a regular basis, sleeping in 1.30h increments and so on, but things have not really changed.

Now, for the last month or so, due to personal projects, work, etc, I have very limited time to sleep. Basically I now sleep between 3 - 6 hours a night on average (monophasic). Guess what? I never feel tired during the day anymore and I'm full of energy until 3-4 am when I go to bed. I don't even have much use of coffee and no other side effects have been noticed. It's like too good to be true, which probably means it is.

Has anyone experienced this and what would be the explanation? Also, any idea what it might mean on the long term to keep a schedule like this?

[Aleksander Krstic]

Originally Posted by Annemarie

Has anyone experienced this and what would be the explanation?

I have experienced this myself. I started from here: How to Become an Early Riser
You can also fight a shallow expanation of it in the article.

Also, any idea what it might mean on the long term to keep a schedule like this?

No negative effects, just more energy, better health, so on. And more time, of course.

[Beuford]

I've noticed it myself, sleeping seven and a half hours or six hours leaves me feeling awake, but going to bed late and waking up and it's almost afternoon after sleeping 10-12 hours, I just feel tired. I guess there is such a thing as too much sleep. If you're very healthy you could get away 6 hours a day and feel good, though I wouldn't sleep less than that regularly.

[MasterD]

Originally Posted by Beuford

I've noticed it myself, sleeping seven and a half hours or six hours leaves me feeling awake, but going to bed late and waking up and it's almost afternoon after sleeping 10-12 hours, I just feel tired. I guess there is such a thing as too much sleep. If you're very healthy you could get away 6 hours a day and feel good, though I wouldn't sleep less than that regularly.

There is no such thing as too much sleep.

There is, however, a thing as too little activity.

Rest fully, or engage yourself fully, don't be in between.

[Lena Carpenter]

I do think that there is such thing as too much sleep. I firmly believe that human body doesn't require more than 6 hours at a time. My schedule change wasn't as dramatic as yours because I take a nap. I sleep about 5.5-6 hour at night with 30 minute to an hour nap, and feel loads better than when I slept 8.5-9 hours a night. More passionate activity has something to do with it, but I do believe that sleeping less is actually more productive. It's kind of counterintuitive, but you can't argue with personal experience. I always thought a nap, even for 20 minutes, helps a great deal, but some people find they don't need it, so that's OK too.

[ttt]

One explanation for feeling tired after a lot of sleep is that during sleep the body detoxifies and when you sleep longer you get side effects.