Should i bother sleeping

You're up late in the evenings — often into the next morning. You need an alarm clock to help you get out of bed at a "decent" time in the morning. And it takes a coffee or two okay, maybe three to shake off the grogginess you feel after waking up. You're a night owl — or so you've been called by your friend who almost always clocks out of your evening hangout as soon as the sun starts going down.

Night owl vs. Is there really a difference? And is staying up late really as bad as some people make it out to be? Whether you're curious about what it means to be a night owl, or just an envious morning person in search of answers, Dr. Doha Ayish, neurologist at Houston Methodist, is here to explain what makes a night owl a night owl, as well as why being a night owl comes with both advantages and disadvantages.

This clock primarily runs in sync with ambient light, and it's why we're sleepiest when it's dark outside and most alert during the daytime. We thought you might be. It can all be explained by your sleep cycle. How your sleep cycle works When you sleep, you cycle through different stages of sleep , from light sleep to deep sleep to REM and back again.

Which is better: sleeping for an hour or not at all? Sleep for 20 to 30 minutes. When your alarm goes off, get out of bed, turn on the lights, and open the curtains. Real sunlight is even better. If you can, go outside and spend some time in the morning sunlight. For an extra energy boost, exercise. Even a brisk walk will activate your body and mind. Throughout the day, eat during your normal meal times to help your sleep schedule stay on track. At 90 minutes your body should be in REM , which is rapid eye movement, the stage where you dream.

You may often notice that you naturally wake up while you are dreaming, this is for a reason, as this is the phase where your body should be most ready to be aroused out of bed.

In general, the more cycles you can manage to complete, the better. Instead of completing one partway, however, it may be better to get going and grab your favorite cup of coffee with the extra time. When you truly have less than an hour, power napping for 20 could be in your best interest. Learn More: Benefits of Power Nap. We never recommend sleeping for only one hour at night. Some research from the Whitehall II study suggests that lost sleep can shave years off your life and that you may not ever be able to catch up on the hours of rest you lose.

When your body is sleep-deprived, you could experience microsleeps or short lapses in consciousness that can have dangerous consequences. Keep in mind that 90 minutes would serve you best in this situation, but some sleep is better than none.

When possible, try to get seven to eight hours of rest each night, as that should allow your body enough time to get enough rest. We also know that the occasional all-nighter happens, and you may be faced with the dilemma of sleep for an hour or not at all. For your safety, try not to make a habit of sleeping for only one hour at night.

Our team covers as many areas of expertise as we do time zones, but none of us started here as a so-called expert on sleep. What we do share is a willingness to ask questions lots of them , seek experts, and dig deep into conventional wisdom to see if maybe there might be a better path towards healthy living.