If you have 4 or 5 hours sleep regularly, how well do you function the next day?

[IComeLastInAllTheRaces]

I'm wondering this and trying to work out what is simple tiredness, and what is caused by my chronic illnesses or other stuff. I mean, in one way they are entangled completely but to see what other people are like.

After sleeping from 1am to 6am last night, I did my volunteer shift at a food bank and I've honestly been so wiped out for the rest of the day. It is just 2.5 hours long and making sandwiches, so standing up which I do find difficult so I get that but it feels COMPLETELY pathetic. I stayed an extra 15 mins to finish what I was doing.

My brain is completely blank. I cannot think properly in terms of organising or problem solving or tackling tasks - it's just a stream of consciousness of thoughts floating by. So, it's kind of easy to write this post because it's not mentally taxing, but I can't do anything productive that requires thinking through steps. I know I need to do stuff but it's so overwhelming. I l did lie down for half an hour but didn't sleep, as trying to get to bed at 10.30pm after I take last medication. Hoping to get a longer block of sleep tonight.

How do you feel energy wise if say half your week you are on 4 or 5 hours sleep? I shouldn't be this useless should I?

My ferritin and folate are really low and wondering if this is partly why.

I'd be pretty useless if I only got that amount of sleep on a regular basis. I can get by on 6-7 hours 4-5 hours just isn't enough.

I find it hard to sit at my laptop and read and stay focused some days.

I need 7-8 hours. But when DC were babies 4-5 solid uninterrupted hours were definitely able to function ok on. I think unpredictability can be hard - so if you are used to 7 hours and get woken up and only end up with 5 it’s horrific the next day but if you regularly getting 5 / waking up at the same time your body adjusts and gets used to it.

That’s how much sleep I naturally get most nights, closer to 5 than 4 usually but it’s pretty much what I need to feel rested. Some nights it’s 3. I exercise and eat well, work full time with 3dc who are old enough to not have me up early, I’ve just never needed that much sleep.
I have a fairly sedentary work life but I ensure I do some kind of workout every day; even if just a decent length walk.
You aren’t coping on the sleep you’re getting, are you taking anything for the low ferritin/folate?

Why are you only having 4 or 5 hours sleep? That’s extremely low and is linked to all sorts of medical issues including dementia.

I have 4 or 5 hours probably once or twice a month (usually I’m 7-8 hours). The whole day is a total waste of time on 4-5 hours, I just can’t function and I feel shocking all day.

4-5 hours on a regular basis must be really hard for you.

I have 9.5 month old twins and I haven't had more than 4/5 hours broken sleep since they were born.

I still manage to look after them during the day, look after my two older children, do all my housework, cook lunch and dinner for whole family (DH does breakfast) and pretty much everything else that needs done when it comes to kids. Thankfully I'm still on mat leave.

Sleep deprivation is extremely bad for the body but realistically one night of poor sleep shouldn't have that grave an effect.

I've been a nurse for 18 years though so I'm used to broken sleep from working shifts.

I work 12 hour night shifts, I'm lucky if I get 5 hours sleep between shifts. I can function, but on my nights off I catch up on sleep.

This is my now normal, and better than it was for the last 3 years. I usually find the early part of the day best for focus and getting work done. Having a routine helps because I can keep achieving stuff, even in the mid-afternoon slump. Weirdly, if I can fit in a run then this keeps the energy levels up. It's not ideal but since I can't change it I've adapted.

I hope you get to the bottom of whatever is causing this and find a solution because lack of sleep long term can really make you miserable.

I usually sleep for 4-6 hours a night (since surgical menopause). It's awful. I've sort of adjusted to it now but if I get less sleep (which I do a lot) then I get the most awful migraine like headaches

Even one night of that would wipe me out. I can’t deal with a lack of sleep - even losing an hour or so leaves me yawning all the next day. When I had small babies I basically went to sleep at 8 so I could try and rack up enough hours over the course of the night (and still struggled). Left to my own devices with nothing disturbing me and nothing to get up for I sleep for 9 hours so I’m just someone who needs a lot of sleep. I can function on 5 hours but barely. I mean, I could do the basics but all I can think of is lying down and I feel it heavily in my head and eyes.

Terribly. I barely function on less than 6.

4 hrs sleep and I would definitely be feeling the effects of sleep deprivation, and would need to sleep in the afternoon. 8-8.5 hours sleep is perfect for me, if I only get 7ish hours I’m still quite tired & groggy in the morning.

5-6 I'm ok (6 is my norm.. menopause and I've always been a night owl) Less than 5 and I feel rough!

I mean, I could do the basics but all I can think of is lying down and I feel it heavily in my head and eyes

Yes, this is exactly how my day has been since getting home from the food bank.

I just slumped and turned into a zombie.

You aren’t coping on the sleep you’re getting, are you taking anything for the low ferritin/folate?

Yes, but I'm having issues absorbing the supplements I'm taking.

I have real issues with sleep so it's usual for me to have 5 hours sleep. Four hours and my brain definitely feels slow. Under 4 I am barely functional. When my insomnia was at it's worst I was having 1.5-4 hours a night. I got signed off work because I literally couldn't remember conversations, what I had done etc and was hallucinating (I was aware I was hallucinating from sleep deprivation, I wasn't psychotic).

Yes I definitely agree with this, when my dc were babies I bf them all, and definitely functioned well on a lot less sleep. Your body adapts.

Nowadays, if i have a few nights of horribly broken sleep and sleeping less than 6 hrs, I am a total mess- like, wouldn’t drive the car the next morning! And my youngest dc is only 15 months, it’s only been a few months since she started sleeping through 😂

I got about that when my son was young as his sleep was horrific. I could function and was doing okay. Then I started getting normal, good sleep and suddenly realized I wasn’t doing well before at all. I felt constantly run down and quite emotional.

It’s very hard. I definitely think volunteering is great but if you’re unwell and don’t sleep can’t you volunteer at a different time?

I find it hard to focus on less than 6 hours sleep. I feel like things like driving ability etc are affected too. I Really need at least 7 to feel good

Thanks all for sharing your experiences, it's interesting to read the range of replies, definitely does seem like a lot of people would struggle with limited irregular sleep.

I'm better when I get a few good nights in a row, but then a few bad ones hit very hard.

When my kids were little going for months on on 4 hrs broken sleep was awful.., but I could just about function physically, I worked 8 hr days 4 days a week, cared for the kids, never had opportunity to nap, but it took a huge toll mentally and I was very irritable and emotional and I ate a lot of sugar and caffeine! Nowadays I usually get 6 hours and I feel low level tired constantly but feel much more normal, and can cope with occasional nights of less. So I could manage more than the stint of volunteering you describe, for example, but I think it’s very individual!

I need Atleast 7/8 hours during work nights. Weekends I wake up when I wake up my DD9 is a late riser at weekends.we had been out all day Saturday in the sun for him at 10.30pm bed By 11 and I woke up at 9.45am yesterday/ I regretted it last night I was 1am before I dozed off and up at 6.30am today. Feeling it now. X

Also, anytime that I only have that amount of sleep, I literally feel ill the next day. Awful headache, no energy, totally wiped out.

I get about 5-6 on average, I've never been a good sleeper. It's definitely having an effect, but I'm so used to it now that I don't notice until one of my good sleep nights happen every few weeks and I get about 10 hours (presumably my body trying to catch up) and I feel like a completely new person the next day. So then the following night I really notice the difference - but generally I function okay.

If you're not used to that little sleep though, I'd imagine it'd knock you on your arse. If I get less than 4 hours I am absolutely useless.

I think I get 6 hours sleep on average but plenty of nights it's more like about 3.5-4.
I function astonishingly well on it, dunno why.
I can do pretty much whatever I want to be doing.
Sometimes a bit prone to headaches or feeling weak, maybe.
No idea why, but gets easier as i get older, too.

linked to all sorts of medical issues including dementia.

I don't know what ppl like me are supposed to do with that kind of statement. /Confused/ . If I can't sleep I can't sleep <shrug>. Most insomnia 'cures' I hear about are infuriating & all are irrelevant.