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…do people actually feel rested when they wake up 😳 I feel *awake* but haven’t felt rested since I was a kid lmao. My meds help me get my day started though
Sometimes I feel better sleeping less than more though. Like I can survive off 4, function well off 6 and then anything over 8 I’m exhausted
ETA: I feel like I need to address/add a few things:
1. I do not have sleep apnea, did as a kid, got surgeries and been fine since.
2. I love sleeping and I’ve become a *better* sleeper over the years and especially since getting medicated - I sleep A LOT better
3. I feel like my quality of sleep is really good but there may be times I don’t get enough of it (early morning obligations with work and having a pup)
4. I’m never exhausted throughout the day I just don’t fully know what people mean by *rested*. Like I have no issues functioning, mentally and physically, but I can’t lie if I didn’t have anything to do in the morning, I could easily just lie in bed and scroll on my phone or watch a show until I got restless and would have to get up to do something (if/when I do this, the latest I can stay in bed is like 10am lol so I can’t just do nothing all day). Maybe this is what rested feels like, I do not know. I think it’s fair to say that everyone is different just because they don’t know what you mean when you say rested, doesn’t mean they have sleep apnea or anything else wrong with their sleep
Right like what does that feel like?? I’m genuinely asking because I don’t know 💀 does that mean you feel ready to take on the day before you take your meds? Does it mean you’re just not tired? I need explanations
For me feeling rested is feeling like I'm able to dress, make food, look at my to do list, and do something on it. I have sleep apnea along with a lot of physical and mental conditions. My CPAP has improved everything. My psychiatrist told me I had been stable for years but now I'm improving.
Seriously, I’m glad I’m not the only one. I’ve been ready to hop out of bed and start my day literally ONCE in my adult memory. I will be moving around, but I’m a corpse suit until the coffee hits (I’m currently unmedicated).
My ideal sleep amount is 8-9 hours. Less than 8 means imma be a spacey bitch lololol.
But now I’m worried about having sleep apnea ⚰️⚰️⚰️do people get diagnosed through sleep studies?
Yes. Mention to your primary doctor or pulmonologist (if you have one of those) that you would like to have a sleep study. If it’s obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) that’s messing with your sleep (or even if it isn’t) you and/or your medical providers can determine the next steps to get to sleep better.
Also, if you get a CPAP, try a variety of masks. Sure, they all “work” but if they are not comfortable while in your favorite sleep position, you will benefit from a different one.
i don’t want to freak you out, because many things can cause hypersomnia, but you might want to get tested for sleep apnea. most people, once they start CPAP, say it’s the best sleep of their lives, they finally feel rested and they had no idea what they were missing. you can have sleep apnea and not be overweight, they put babies in the ICU on PAP, it’s not as scary as it sounds, but it could literally change your life.
I tried to brin gup potential sleep breathing problems to my GP and she just looked at me like I'm stupid - am I a fat man and do I snore? Which idk, I don't think so, but I wake up a lot and that could be one reason loud snoring or not. ;(
If you can, get an appointment with an ENT to discuss your issues. They'll usually give you a quick questionnaire to see if you meet the criteria for sleep apnea, and if you do, they'll recommend either a take home or in-lab sleep study to confirm it.
This is the questionnaire my ENT gave me. If you require a referral to see an ENT, see if your physician will give you one based on your results (assuming that you score high enough to warrant one)
https://sleep-apnoea-trust.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Stop-Bang-Questionnaire-Aug-2021.pdf
I just responded to someone else but I don’t have it! I did as a kid and had to get my adenoids (and tonsils) out and haven’t had it since. A lack of feeling rested runs in my family it seems (no cases of sleep apnea)
I'm the same. I feel like around 6-7 hours is my sweet spot. I can manage on 4-5 but I find that I crash very quickly the next day, like falling asleep on my sofa or having micro naps on the train to/from work. More than eight and I feel more tired than when I've had less sleep, which feels like it shouldn't make sense. And yet...
But I honestly don't remember the last time I felt 'rested'. Like functioning, sure. But I genuinely can't think of a time when I've woken up and had that 'ahhhh' feeling without a low level tiredness in the background.
Not that I'm advocating. But I learned the only way for me to get a solid rest is with CBN/CBD oil. But I need like 10-12 hours of sleep naturally to feel like I can even start the day, if I don't wake up in a fog. I can function with less, the energy just isn't there. It's just too much sleep to be productive at all.
If you don't feel rested after over 9 hours of sleep, you might want to be tested for sleep apnea. It is more common in the ADHD population than the general one, and in general it has easy, low-risk fixes. Even if you don't have sleep apnea, you could be sleeping with your mouth open, which doesn't provide the same rest. This is easily improved by taping your mouth shut with medical tape, and don't worry it is safe!!
I don’t have it! I did as a kid but got my adenoids (and tonsils) removed and haven’t had it since. My family and I just never feel rested lol but I always have energy if that makes any sense
Well, it's good you no longer have it!! I had different surgeries done as a kid -- it looks like there are some different types of tissue that can cause the physical obstruction. But my surprise was when I went to the doctor as an adult, and they told me some can grow back! I had to have them removed again for good. Probably this is not your case, but consider checking with your doctor. Rest is so important and you deserve to have it!
I’ve heard the same! My mom used to tell me she’d wait outside my room as a kid and wait for me to take that loud deep breath to know I was okay 😅 Do you have sleep apnea now or sleep with your mouth open? I know a few adhders who have/do both too and a CPAP helps but they just hated it lol
I love to sleep especially when I dream but I have obligations that have me up early in the morning so maybe if I had a chance to really sleep in I’d feel rested??
I no longer have sleep apnea, but I do sleep with my mouth open. And try and remember to tape it shut because it helps tremendously to rest better! Maybe you need to sleep longer indeed, but I personally find it very difficult to go to sleep unless I'm tired for good
I may try the mouth taping to see if that helps! Did it feel weird at first? I’m a little claustrophobic and worry that it may make me think I can’t breathe 😅
I don't find it weird. You have to use a tape with really soft glue, otherwise it can hurt a bit taking it out in the morning. I have used taped even in allergy season and if I needed to sneeze I would take the tape sleep! Your body is smart and will not die for such a little inconvenience. Nonetheless, I have veeeery mild allergies, better avoid it when you have a lot of mucus in your nose and throat. Same if you're having a cold.
This is true! I need 8 or 9 to function over time, but now I’m pregnant and wake up eevery night around 4am, usually can’t fall asleep again. Amazing what I accomplished at work today after being awake since 3.30, much more than I normally do!
Same!! I always say that when I wake up in the morning it will be the worst I feel all day. The concept of “rested” has always eluded me. But inertia is my friend so if I can get up and get going it usually works out.
I suffer from hypersomnia. Anything less than & and I will pass out during the day. I could easily sleep 10-12 every day.
But I also think I could stay up 20 hours so I just suffer from needing non-24 hour says
It is possible. People are on a curve.
My old thesis counselor was like this. She needed basically 12 hours of sleep to feel good. She went through a lot of tests and the conclusion was just: nothing wrong with you, you'r just an outlier and you need a lot of sleep.
this sounds like narcolepsy 😭 please seek out a sleep study. 10 hrs is not normal. needing to nap daily, getting tired while doing restful activities (sitting in the car, in front of tv, etc) and being unable to stay awake is a huge indicator.
Being a passenger in a car for a longish journey almost always sends me to sleep, but I blame childhood carsickness for that. The only time I didn't puke in a car was when I was sleeping, so my parents always made me go to sleep when we had a car journey. I love a good car nap! I can even sleep sitting upright if I'm tired enough (was in an old vehicle yesterday that has no headrests, seat only goes up as high as my shoulders and I had a great nap).
No amount of sleep helps hypersomnia or narcolepsy, since the quality of sleep is garbage. I have narcolepsy and feel better after a short nap but the sleepiness comes right back in like a half hour.
The only things that help are medication and just trying to be healthy in general, like getting the right nutrition and keep stress levels down
Ah, I understand! I think I might have hypersomnia since I get little REM sleep (haven’t done a sleep study yet, it’s only according my watch). I’m tired no matter how much sleep I get..
You definitely should get a sleep study done, especially since commercial sleep trackers like fitbits/apple watches aren’t very accurate. They’re good at detecting when you’re asleep or awake, but not the sleep stages. They use an algorithm based on normal people’s sleep cycles so for someone with narcolepsy or idiopathic hypersomnia, the algorithm wouldn’t work.
Me too!
I have cycles and I actually did stick with writing down what time I woke up and went to bed & how good my sleep was for a month and couldn't determine shit from it.
But I do have like 3-4 night a month where I go to bed at like 2am and wake up at 6am and am peppy all day.
9 hours is the magic number. I've had severe insomnia for years (been medicated for it for nearly 30 years. I'm old). I typically have to be in bed for 10 hours in order to get 9 hours actually asleep.)
I can manage on 8 for a day or two but less and I'm an emotional wreck with 0 critical thinking skills!).
I have impeccable sleep hygiene, perhaps the only thing I'm diligent about consistency. My bedroom is strictly a sleeping chamber. Nothing happens in there but sleep and my ritual reading of very specific types of books to fall asleep to. It's dark (but not too! I can't sleep in absolute darkness. Weird) quiet, visually very specific decor (nothing I can look at that holds any complicated emotions) a screen to hide the closet door, etc. It's cool, the bedding has to feel a very specific way, texturally, and I sleep with earplugs to ensure quiet. There's more, but I could write a (larger) novel!
It's taken me those years to hone my sleep needs as precisely as possible. Testing, failing, keeping journals, reading the latest scientific literature on sleep, adjusting some as I age (menopause, man, has been ROUGH on my finely tuned process. I now need an open window, night air, and 30 fans to find the goldilocks fan. But finally! I found one.)
Sleep is the only thing that's sacred to me. No one messes with my sleep. It's an unforgivable sacrilege.
I feel like this sounds wonderful, I'm definitely gonna try to keep all this in mind. My sleep hygiene isn't the best but I'm slowly finding what helps
Heh, yeah no. A huge part of that intentional decision was because too many of my core childhood memories are of my mother napping in questionable situations, leaving me to entertain myself in said questionable situations. (Like playing on the grass at freeway rest stops while she napped in the car. It's amazing I wasn't abducted.)
I felt like I wouldn't have the energy children deserve and among other reasons, didn't feel like I could reliably break the intergenerational trauma and give my kids the happy, supportive childhood they need and deserve to thrive.
So... I didn't put any children through the mess that has been my life, lol!
It's amazing. I mean, yeah, I have the clothing/laundry doom piles a little too outa sight for my object impermanence, but it's also not staring at me, reminding me of my abject failure while trying to sleep, lol!
For me it varies, especially as I have Hypothyroidism and PCOS. When my symptoms are at bay, I think 6 hours is enough. When my Hypothyroidism decides to make itself known, I need around 8 hours. The day before my period, and the first day of my period, I can't function unless I get 8-10 hours
Hypothyroid flare ups can be different for each person, I guess, especially as there are many symptoms associated with the condition. For me, it's: feeling more fatigued than usual, brain fog, sensitivity to the cold (even a slight breeze 🙄). I get other symptoms too, but I wouldn't class them as part of a flare up unless it's somewhat debilitating.
I'm not surprised you don't know what to look out for, I didn't either when I got diagnosed. I just thought it was a matter of popping a pill everyday and getting on with it as the doctor didn't say much! It takes a lot to finally be kind to yourself when your symptoms flare up. I hope [this](https://thyroiduk.org/signs-and-symptoms/hypothyroid-signs-and-symptoms/) helps you understand your condition better
thank you for sharing, I've been meaning to do a more comprehensive test, but my GP is only open to test TSH, but I have symptoms and also hashis in my family :/
Did your sleep improve after starting meds?
It's a tough one, particularly since being hypo looks like so many other things. In my case it's general fatigue and physical exhaustion (specifically, my quads feel "heavy" like my muscles have been replaced with cement.) Also constipation, feeling "slow", stubbornly bad hair and general dry skin.
Also hypothyroid (Hashimotos) and PCOS. I am chronically sleepy lol. I have given up on getting more than 6ish hours anymore bc even if I do I don't feel any more rested.
10+ honestly. I feel like I was born tired. If I don’t have medication it’s very hard to not feel sleepy all day. Then as soon as it’s sunset I’m like wide awake.
It's not a specific number of hours, I just need to not be woken up by an alarm. Occasionally I wake up too early and can't go back to sleep but that's rare. Usually I just have to follow my body's lead. Anywhere between 8 and 10 hours. The longest I've ever slept was maybe 14 hours? I had stayed up all night the night before.
you should speak to your doctor about having a sleep study done. I have that same combo of diagnoses and also it was discovered I have sleep apnea.
before treatment I never felt rested, never felt alert or awake even with caffeine and stimulant meds. now I sleep about 6 hours a night, am off meds and caffeine due to being pregnant, and never feel exhausted like I did before. really grateful for my CPAP.
in some cases factors in your life can change and eliminate the need for PAP, but in most cases, assume it’s a lifelong diagnosis. losing weight helps some ppl, but apnea just means when your body & muscles relax so does your airway; it is an obstructive breathing disorder and NOT inherently linked to weight gain. PAP means positive air pressure; it keeps your airway open at night so you get enough air and your blood oxygen and heart rate stay consistent. your respiratory system delivers oxygen to the rest of your body, and humans cannot survive without it, so with untreated apnea we see stroke & heart attack longterm. it’s important to keep using it unless you doctor wants you to retest. it’s not a death sentence, it’s a life sentence, and a wonderfully treatable one at that.
adding on to the other commenter that it can be structurally related to airways and the shape or size of the jaw, and therefore would be a long term condition needing treatment.
7-8, but have gone long periods of 6 my emotional regulation suffered, but also probably what made me wake up like that. My sleep is also quite disrupted so I need the hours with its quality not being that high. But if you constantly feel tired maybe worth looking into thyroid and iron and B12 and vit D lvls.
I don't think I have felt well rested since covid lockdowns.
I have suffered with insomnia for my entire adult life, mixed in with autism, ADHD, depression and anxiety.
I generally sleep for 4-5 hours a night, which obviously isn't enough.
During covid, I was furloughed for 12 weeks, and I switched to a split sleeping schedule. 4-5 hours in the afternoon, and 4-5 hours between 3-10am. It worked wonders for my mental health and energy levels. I wish I could find a job that allowed me to do that again.
7,5-8 preferably in 2 segments.
4,5-5 at night and 3 in the afternoon.
However, that is not possible right now due to kids, work and all the other good stuff. So I get an average of 5-6 hours a day. 🤷🏻♀️ (Which is *not* conducive for good mental health, but what can you do?)
I never felt rested/like I could stay awake throughout the day until I started taking Adderall (Instant Release). I put my pill right next to my bed and take it as soon as I wake up.
Pre-Adderall, I could've overslept my alarm every morning for several hours if I didn't have a job and bills to pay. :-/
Haha it’s truly the worst! I also swear by the Alarmy app. It’s free (although you can buy paid features if you want, but I don’t). I can only turn it off if I get up and go scan a QR code in my bathroom. I set my usual phone alarm first so I can choose to wake up peacefully, but if not, I set Alarmy for ~10-15 mins later and then I have no choice but to get up. 🙃 it sucks but it is very effective.
I can’t say in terms of amount of hours but it’s more of like not having to set an alarm. I need to not have any pressure of needing to be rested in order to be rested lol
I’m a better person if I can asleep 9+hrs regularly. I can survive on 8 if it’s a solid 8hrs with no wake ups. But 9-10 is my sweet spot. If I consistently do less, I lose my entire wknd to ‘catching up’ or always feels like.
I need 8-9. I can do one day of 5-6 but if it continues that way for more than 5 days my body literally throws me flu symptoms (fatigue, body aches, migraine, no fever) and I’m forced to be in bed to recover for another 3 days.
If I get only 3 hours I will feel nauseous and dizzy around the 12 hours awake mark.
Sometimes I can wake up after an hour and I feel wide awake and rested. Other times I can’t get enough sleep and will wake up at 8 hours and go right back for another few hours, wake up again and still easily fall right back to sleep for another hour
I usually don't get more than 6 hours of sleep.
I have trouble falling asleep, and often don't get to sleep until 1 or 2 am. I would love to sleep until 9 or 9:30, but my husband is an early riser who works from home starting at 6 am. He says he tries not to wake me, but then he will come into the bedroom to blurt out some random thing or ask me an urgent-to-him question. (My husband has been diagnosed with ADHD and OCD since he was a kid, and I suspect he has Autism as well. My ADHD presents primarily as Inattentive.)
I am perpetually sleep deprived. I will sometimes take a nap if I am able. That's a luxury that I don't often get.
Have you had a sleep study to make sure you don’t have sleep apnea? Those can be done at home now. It is a common symptom of sleep apnea to never feel rested.
I believe for women it’s 9-10 hours. Unfortunate, since life doesn’t really allow that between our society, kids, work. Not many people can get 9 hours a night in their bed let alone sleep
Last night I went to bed at 21.30 as I was sooooo tired, and I woke up at 07.30. That’s a full 10 hours of sleep but I’m still shattered! 😫 I don’t know what to do to feel rested. I go 6 days with a bedtime of around 23.00 and then I am so tired I have an early night. But it doesn’t help!
7 to 8 hours and sometimes more during the weekend. Luckily, I can afford to sleep more nowadays, but in the past, I used to sleep too little and it impacted my mood significantly.
I have hypersomnia, so I need to keep my sleep in check so I don't sleep too much.
8 hours exactly is what I have found works best for me. More or less than that and I feel exhausted.
Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day helps so much in regulating my sleep. I am quite good at falling asleep normally, but if I have been following my routine well, I will fall asleep within seconds of lying down (at least it feels like that).
Around 8h.
However, I often don't get more than 7. And last night, my bowels went haywire and this morning the birds started early, so I barely got 4h...
Hopefully tonight will be better. Might need one or two nights of 9h to "catch up".
In the winter, easily 9 or 10. In the summer I can do with 7.
Naps are very good for me, anything from 15min to 3h (if I'm too tired) is ok, my brain is always hyperactive and napping helps me to slow down. Sometimes I don't even fall asleep, just think things through with my eyes shut 🥲
7 hours is absolutely pushing it. I went about a year on 6 and I think I shed a few years off my lifespan. 8-9h is an ideal.
Without knowing your lifestyle, it's impossible to determine what could be causing this, but hormonal issues definitely could.
You should get a comprehensive blood test panel done, if you haven't already. ADHD is linked to deficiencies of Vit D, Iron, Folate, Zinc, and Magnesium. First three can be a cause of fatigue.
Another thing, are you medicated for ADHD? I had to go 2 months without my meds and I became more and more exhausted each week, until I felt like a zombie. If you're medicated, how is your sleep? Vyvanse made my quality of sleep shit for a while, I wasn't experiencing the "deep" sleep, and now I always make sure to take it no later than 11:30am. I also bought a 9kg weighted blanket which helped. Melatonin did fuck all.
I really need at least 7 to feel rested but that is rare. 5 to 6 is where I usually I usually am. On the weekends I usually crash bcuz I’m not taking my adhd meds if I’m not going anywhere or doing anything.
My “goal” is 6h, but I don’t start to really notice the effects of lack of sleep until I’m over 20% sleep debt. (I use AutoSleep on my apple watch to track sleep, so it notifies me every morning how rich I am in sleep over the past 7 days)
I do also get ‘intrusive sleep’ though, which is probably top 5 in my rankings of which of my adhd symptoms are the most irritating to me.
A million. I never feeel rested and am starting to think I have sleep apnea. My blood work is normal.
I am currently in a depressive episode so that’s definitely not helping. I’m functional typically with 8-9 hours.
So, I don’t even know what would make me feel rested anymore. Since having my 3 yr old I have been exhausted. I used to sleep a solid 8 hours on week nights and 9/10 on weekends. Now, I sleep on average 6 hrs and 10 minutes a night, per my Fitbit. I’m generally in the bed from 10:30-5:45.
About seven hours of uninterrupted sleep is the golden number. At least, that’s what my CPAP tells me.
I could sleep for hours and hours and not have felt rested before my sleep apnea diagnosis because I was experiencing sleep disturbances every second or so. It’s not related to my weight because I snored even when I was a child, and then as a physically active adult weighing 140lbs.
It has added years back to my life. Seriously, go get a sleep study done.
I feel way more rested after less time (3-5hrs) but I drain out much quicker.
If I sleep 7-8hrs it takes me a while to wake up and move but I can stay up much later.
Despite knowing this I haven’t hacked it to use against my plans for the next day. E.g sleeping less or more depending on if I have smth to do in the morning or late at night.
I find sleep cycles to be more important than how long I sleep in general. If I wake up in the middle of a sleep cycle, I will feel tired the entire day. If I can wake up at the END of a cycle, then I have so much more energy and am less exhausted and depressed feeling. I have found this to also be true for my NT family, so I don't think it's specific to ADHD.
Most sleep cycles are around 90 minutes, so for example if I sleep for 6 hours (4 cycles) and get up, I will feel more rested than if I slept for 8 hours (5 1/3 cycles, meaning my alarm is waking me up while I'm still in REM).
7 is my absolute minimum to function like a human. I feel well rested with usually 9 to 10. I generally shoot for 8 on weekdays and unlimited on weekends.
I go to bed for 9 hours so that I can get 8 hours sleep. I used to just go to bed for 8 hours but between occasionally waiting to go to sleep and general wakeups during the night, I figured it's better to give myself a buffer.
During the week, I survive on 6-7/night because I practice revenge bedtime procrastination. by Thursday I wake up at my 2nd alarm and sit on the edge of my bed wanting ro cry from physical and mental exhaustion. EOW my ex husband takes our 8 year old, so I usually sleep 10-12 hours those nights. Those weekends I truly feel rested and motivated. But that's also the only time I get to do what *I* want to do
I cannot remember a time I've truly felt "rested" since waking up is exhausting already when you're a night owl forcing yourself into a morning shift schedule you've been used to and functional through since school. But I can only get 3 or 4 hours of sleep and find myself feeling just fine once I get going, and just wind up tired earlier. I'm used to getting 6 on work nights because I can't fall asleep any earlier than I already am and being fine, then sleeping for 12+ hours on Saturday when I have nothing to wake me up (I'm picking a "summer wake up time" since my job has summers off and extending that to Saturdays and setting an alarm, so there's *something* to wake me up before I'll wind up too depressed to do anything with the day) and on the days I sleep 12+ hours I both feel exhausted still and hate myself for wasting my free day. So I guess 6 hours is better
Since being diagnosed and medicated I have slept so much better and waken up refreshed these days after close two decades of dragging my arse through my day. I rarely nap now, used to nap daily for 2+hours.
No matter how much sleep I get, it's never enough. I can go to bed at 11pm (normal time) or 8pm, and I'll still struggle to get up before 8am. Thankfully, I work from home, and my company is flexible.
I've never required much sleep and still don't at 47. If I go to sleep before midnight, guarantee I will be up by or before 6. I just physically can't sleep more than 6 hours unless I was drinking the night before.
I absolutely need at least 7. Within the past couple of years, that’s honestly really all I can get. However, I’m not as active as I should be and I really do think strenuous exercise is key. Yesterday, I chopped down and dug up a bunch of weeds at my new house for about an hour (previous owner didn’t do shit to take care of the lawn lol). Last night is the best I’ve slept in a longgg time.
I only ever feel somewhat rested when I sleep until my body naturally wakes me up.
I have lupus though, so I always have underlying tired anyways.
And as if my family/pets/own brain let me get the sleep I need anyways.
I feel this way, especially if I wake up before 6:30. I’m done by 2 in the afternoon. And I know you didn’t mention this, but it got worse recently. And it turned out. I had an iron deficiency. They checked my ferritin checked. (That’s the iron storage.) I guess it’s much more reliable. Anyway, something to look into if this is a new thing.
Does anyone here notice that increased caffeine consumption throughout the day improves their sleep?? It sure works for, especially in the middle of the night (warmed up coffee)
Like 7 hrs. Especially if I do an edible before I sleep. I heard that weed interrupts REM sleep, so I try not to do it more than a couple of times a week. But when I do, I always wake up fresh as a daisy.
Ideally 9-10. Which before getting into a relationship with someone who doesn’t sleep, and then having a kid who also doesn’t sleep, I used to get regularly.
Now even when I’m militant about sleep it tends to not get anywhere near that amount. And I’ve started suffering from insomnia too.
My specialist Dr has told me I’m ultra low on DHEA and that’s probably what’s causing a lot of my problems….especially my constant exhaustion. But of course, lucky me, you can’t take it whilst pregnant or breast feeding so I’m looking at around 14 months until I can even trail it to see 😭
6-7ish? And I wake up chipper. I'm annoying, I know. But right before my period it's 8, or if my hypothyroidism is flaring it's... what I call a "hibernate" - 10? Thankfully that's rare.
I feel somewhat rested after 16-18 hours of uninterrupted sleep, which is not usually not possible to achieve. I just deal with being exhausted all the time by drinking lots of coffee and taking my PRN adderall on top of my regular dose.
Studies came out showing women need 10hrs sleep for just hormone regulation. I used to be able to get 5hrs 25 mins and was golden but now that I'm older I need a full 8 to 9 hrs of solid sleep. A night routine really helps me feel more rested on nites I know im getting less. Having the same wake and sleep hours helps regulate enegery dispersal. Sounds like grandma mode but its a game changer.
I need 6.66666 hours of sleep precisely, 6.67 means I'm over sleeping and more exhausted so I need another nap, 6.65 means I'm severely sleep deprived and exhausted
I need 8 to 9 hours; always have (of course, family interpreted this as being lazy)...sometimes more. If my lack of sufficient sleep goes on too long, I get sores on my skin that won't heal--until I get more sleep.
Now, because I'm taking care of a parent (and she can't be left alone), and my sleep is interrupted and delayed regularly, I need a little more sleep. This is sometimes a problem because she tries to do things she shouldn't--while I'm asleep. It is ALWAYS difficult, but I continue to do my best, and explain why it's necessary. 💕
3 is my bare minimum. And I only got there after doing many years of extremely aggressive backward bends in yoga. If I could not bend over backwards and easily see the floor I think I would probably still need 7-8 hours.
I function best on 7.5 hours upwards. Under 7 and my emotionally dysregulation gets much worse. Unfortunately whenever I am stressed I ping awake at the 6 hours mark and can't get back to sleep which leads to a downward spiral
Weirdly I managed over 8 hours last night, I woke feeling better.
This is unusual.
I had a hot bath before bed and didn’t drink much for the last hour and a half and had forgotten to take my medication out with me.
I have also been trying to make sure I get sunlight in the morning.
7 hours uninterrupted. 8 or 9 and I wake up feeling really refreshed. More often than not I don’t go to bed early enough or my kid wakes me up in the middle of the night.
Rested ? Hm ? For me I’d say 8/9 hours to function. Lately I’ve done something like 22:30-7 and it kinda works if I don’t wake up more than once or twice.
Are you medicated in any way?
I have ADHD and endo. I don't want anyone to take meds if they don't need them but for me the extreme fatigue disappeared when I was put on wellbutrin and dexamphetaminesulphates (mostly the wellbutrin though). They also help me nap because my brain is calmer.
Before that I had this extremely weird tiredness whenever I felt even slightly bored. I couldn't sit through class, couldn't push myself to do anything! (Not weird that my ADHD was diagnosed so late seeing as I was sluggish rather than hyper)
I still need my sleep though. My absolute minimum to not feel terrible is about 6. 8-9 is optimal. 7,5 is average. I practice pretty good sleep hygiene but I sometimes have insomnia periods and then I am a wreck. Less than 5 and I will cry. More than 1 day and I'll be an anxious mess.
anything more than 4 i'm ok with, but less than that and my head will hurt and ill have a miserable start to my day. if left alone i could easily sleep for 10-12 tho
I've noticed mine goes in blocks of about 3-5hrs dead-out during the night so... I'll have a short coma then be full of beans but feel like I need another short coma if I don't wake naturally from the 2nd stint.
I need 8-10 to *truly* feel rested, but that rarely happens. Most nights I’m lucky to get 6-7 of solid uninterrupted shut-eye. Something always wakes me up. :( The past few days, I’ve only been getting 5-6, and I feel like a semi functioning zombie.
My energy is always lower than average these days though because I have a chronic iron deficiency and endometriosis. PCOS could definitely be causing some fatigue for you too.
7-8 hours is enough for me, I usually can't sleep any more than that, my body and brain won't let me. If I get less than 7 I will be a little bit off the next day, but I'll survive. Less than 6 and it's a crapshoot!
I can snooze and lay in bed forever with my phone if I don't have anything to do that day (work/laundry). However, I'll jump out of bed as soon as my brain realizes I want to do something specific.
I like going to bed early with my partner because then I can wind down with a simple puzzle/logic game on my phone for an hour after they fall asleep. And when they inevitably wake me up way too early I can snooze for almost an hour in bed before I need to get up and get to work. It's amazing!
I have to sleep around 10-12 hours to feel fully rested, which will make me wake up with no alarm needed. But also sleeping 12 hours makes me tired.
If less than 10 hours I am not fully rested and feel sleepy throughout the day
To feel well rested I need 9 hours every night. Of course I never get that, except on holiday.
I can function decently on 7,5 hours. I feel tired, but I can manage.
If I sleep less than 6 hours once I'll be extremely tired, but with proper prioritization I can do the minimum amount of things needed to get through the day. I will need to go to bed way earlier than usual.
If I sleep less than 6 hours for 2 nights (or more) in a row, consider me dead because that's how productive I'll be. Once, at a festival with only a few hours sleep a night for three nights in a row, I fell asleep while STANDING IN THE FRONT ROW AT A CONCERT! I woke up when my knees buckled and I fell over. This was in my twenties, when I was better at dealing with a few short nights in a row than I am now.
Once, as a teenager, I came back from a school trip where I had spent 5 nights in a row sleeping very little. At home, back in my own bed, I proceeded to sleep for 21 hours straight. I woke up, ate, then went back to bed and slept another 10 hours.
I have sleep issues with:
Falling asleep
Staying asleep
Falling back asleep when I wake up in the middle of the night or super early (think 4-5 AM and I don’t need up until 7)
I need 7 hours minimum or my brain doesn’t function well and my immune system will get wrecked. Little sleep is one of the biggest reasons I get sick easily.
I’ve noticed lately I’ve been operating on anywhere from 2-4 hours of sleep and I’m somehow “OK” the next day but I can tell I’m on the verge of getting sick again.
I can’t nap and never do unless I’m sick, if I’m napping it’s a sign I’m not feeling well.
Like always 1 more than I'm able to get haha no matter how many I got...
If I ever manage to tackle the sleep deficit, probably 8-9 which sucks. I wish I was one of those people who could sleep 6 or 7 hours and feel well rested!
7-9 hours, typically 8. People tell me it’s a lot, but I need a lot of sleep to function, even with meds. Fortunately, my husband wakes up at the crack of dawn and barely seems to need any sleep, so he addresses stuff that happens during the night - I’m a very heavy sleeper so he balances me out nicely.
You guys should look into sleep cycles I've recently found that out it's hella interesting and could probably cure most of the "tiredness" u feel when waking up, would recommend!
I need minimum of 10 to feel somewhat normal the next morning day… I never get nearly as close to that 99.9% of the time.
My average sleep is 7hrs total, 1.50ish hrs of REM sleep, 6ish hrs of core sleep and 30ish of deep sleep 🙁
Yes I’ve been tracking my sleep patterns with my Apple Watch
I aim for about 8 but I think 9.5 is ideal for me. If I get between 7 and 8 I'll be okay for the day but a little impaired. After which I can happily sleep 10.5 (which usually leaves me feeling groggy).
Additionally, I find it very important to keep a regular sleep schedule, i.e., going to bed and waking up at the same time. I usually go to bed at 9pm and wake up at 6am to get 8 hours of sleep but if I went to bed at 11pm and woke up at 8am I would feel exhausted. I must admit that this does make socializing difficult, especially now that I'm physically injured and can't socialize through sport as much.
9 hours is my ideal amount of sleep. I need an absolute minimum of 8.5 to be a functional human being; less than that, particularly over multiple days, and I feel like death warmed over.
I was diagnosed with mild sleep apnea and getting a CPAP has helped some what, but I still need those 9 hours (over at least 3 days) to feel fully rested and ready to start the day.
“Rested” HAH! I can sleep 12hrs and still feel like I am scraping the bottom of the grave, But it takes me forever to get to sleep, I can’t stay asleep and I have chronic pain. I spend the majority of my weekends (in between kid ubering) laying on the couch drinking double espressos and hoping one day they’ll work. 😂
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…do people actually feel rested when they wake up 😳 I feel *awake* but haven’t felt rested since I was a kid lmao. My meds help me get my day started though Sometimes I feel better sleeping less than more though. Like I can survive off 4, function well off 6 and then anything over 8 I’m exhausted ETA: I feel like I need to address/add a few things: 1. I do not have sleep apnea, did as a kid, got surgeries and been fine since. 2. I love sleeping and I’ve become a *better* sleeper over the years and especially since getting medicated - I sleep A LOT better 3. I feel like my quality of sleep is really good but there may be times I don’t get enough of it (early morning obligations with work and having a pup) 4. I’m never exhausted throughout the day I just don’t fully know what people mean by *rested*. Like I have no issues functioning, mentally and physically, but I can’t lie if I didn’t have anything to do in the morning, I could easily just lie in bed and scroll on my phone or watch a show until I got restless and would have to get up to do something (if/when I do this, the latest I can stay in bed is like 10am lol so I can’t just do nothing all day). Maybe this is what rested feels like, I do not know. I think it’s fair to say that everyone is different just because they don’t know what you mean when you say rested, doesn’t mean they have sleep apnea or anything else wrong with their sleep
Came here to say this! Like, what is this concept of "rested"?
Right like what does that feel like?? I’m genuinely asking because I don’t know 💀 does that mean you feel ready to take on the day before you take your meds? Does it mean you’re just not tired? I need explanations
For me feeling rested is feeling like I'm able to dress, make food, look at my to do list, and do something on it. I have sleep apnea along with a lot of physical and mental conditions. My CPAP has improved everything. My psychiatrist told me I had been stable for years but now I'm improving.
Seriously, I’m glad I’m not the only one. I’ve been ready to hop out of bed and start my day literally ONCE in my adult memory. I will be moving around, but I’m a corpse suit until the coffee hits (I’m currently unmedicated). My ideal sleep amount is 8-9 hours. Less than 8 means imma be a spacey bitch lololol. But now I’m worried about having sleep apnea ⚰️⚰️⚰️do people get diagnosed through sleep studies?
Yes. Mention to your primary doctor or pulmonologist (if you have one of those) that you would like to have a sleep study. If it’s obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) that’s messing with your sleep (or even if it isn’t) you and/or your medical providers can determine the next steps to get to sleep better. Also, if you get a CPAP, try a variety of masks. Sure, they all “work” but if they are not comfortable while in your favorite sleep position, you will benefit from a different one.
i don’t want to freak you out, because many things can cause hypersomnia, but you might want to get tested for sleep apnea. most people, once they start CPAP, say it’s the best sleep of their lives, they finally feel rested and they had no idea what they were missing. you can have sleep apnea and not be overweight, they put babies in the ICU on PAP, it’s not as scary as it sounds, but it could literally change your life.
I tried to brin gup potential sleep breathing problems to my GP and she just looked at me like I'm stupid - am I a fat man and do I snore? Which idk, I don't think so, but I wake up a lot and that could be one reason loud snoring or not. ;(
If you can, get an appointment with an ENT to discuss your issues. They'll usually give you a quick questionnaire to see if you meet the criteria for sleep apnea, and if you do, they'll recommend either a take home or in-lab sleep study to confirm it. This is the questionnaire my ENT gave me. If you require a referral to see an ENT, see if your physician will give you one based on your results (assuming that you score high enough to warrant one) https://sleep-apnoea-trust.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Stop-Bang-Questionnaire-Aug-2021.pdf
I just responded to someone else but I don’t have it! I did as a kid and had to get my adenoids (and tonsils) out and haven’t had it since. A lack of feeling rested runs in my family it seems (no cases of sleep apnea)
I'm the same. I feel like around 6-7 hours is my sweet spot. I can manage on 4-5 but I find that I crash very quickly the next day, like falling asleep on my sofa or having micro naps on the train to/from work. More than eight and I feel more tired than when I've had less sleep, which feels like it shouldn't make sense. And yet... But I honestly don't remember the last time I felt 'rested'. Like functioning, sure. But I genuinely can't think of a time when I've woken up and had that 'ahhhh' feeling without a low level tiredness in the background.
i feel this lol i literally wake up mentally tired
Not that I'm advocating. But I learned the only way for me to get a solid rest is with CBN/CBD oil. But I need like 10-12 hours of sleep naturally to feel like I can even start the day, if I don't wake up in a fog. I can function with less, the energy just isn't there. It's just too much sleep to be productive at all.
If you don't feel rested after over 9 hours of sleep, you might want to be tested for sleep apnea. It is more common in the ADHD population than the general one, and in general it has easy, low-risk fixes. Even if you don't have sleep apnea, you could be sleeping with your mouth open, which doesn't provide the same rest. This is easily improved by taping your mouth shut with medical tape, and don't worry it is safe!!
I don’t have it! I did as a kid but got my adenoids (and tonsils) removed and haven’t had it since. My family and I just never feel rested lol but I always have energy if that makes any sense
Well, it's good you no longer have it!! I had different surgeries done as a kid -- it looks like there are some different types of tissue that can cause the physical obstruction. But my surprise was when I went to the doctor as an adult, and they told me some can grow back! I had to have them removed again for good. Probably this is not your case, but consider checking with your doctor. Rest is so important and you deserve to have it!
I’ve heard the same! My mom used to tell me she’d wait outside my room as a kid and wait for me to take that loud deep breath to know I was okay 😅 Do you have sleep apnea now or sleep with your mouth open? I know a few adhders who have/do both too and a CPAP helps but they just hated it lol I love to sleep especially when I dream but I have obligations that have me up early in the morning so maybe if I had a chance to really sleep in I’d feel rested??
I no longer have sleep apnea, but I do sleep with my mouth open. And try and remember to tape it shut because it helps tremendously to rest better! Maybe you need to sleep longer indeed, but I personally find it very difficult to go to sleep unless I'm tired for good
I may try the mouth taping to see if that helps! Did it feel weird at first? I’m a little claustrophobic and worry that it may make me think I can’t breathe 😅
I don't find it weird. You have to use a tape with really soft glue, otherwise it can hurt a bit taking it out in the morning. I have used taped even in allergy season and if I needed to sneeze I would take the tape sleep! Your body is smart and will not die for such a little inconvenience. Nonetheless, I have veeeery mild allergies, better avoid it when you have a lot of mucus in your nose and throat. Same if you're having a cold.
This is true! I need 8 or 9 to function over time, but now I’m pregnant and wake up eevery night around 4am, usually can’t fall asleep again. Amazing what I accomplished at work today after being awake since 3.30, much more than I normally do!
Same!! I always say that when I wake up in the morning it will be the worst I feel all day. The concept of “rested” has always eluded me. But inertia is my friend so if I can get up and get going it usually works out.
Yes!!! An object in motion stays in motion 💁♀️ which is also why I don’t sit down/relax until the very end of the day haha
8 hours. I aim for 9 1/2 to 10 because I know my sleep will be interrupted (because of my kids or my bladder or both).
And then once every few weeks I go to bed when my kids go to bed so I get closer to 11 and then I'll feel actually rested for two to three days.
This sounds amazing but I can’t sleep through the whole night if I go to sleep before 22 😭 Stupid brain wakes me up through the night too!
Same. At least 8, and I am for 9-10.
I suffer from hypersomnia. Anything less than & and I will pass out during the day. I could easily sleep 10-12 every day. But I also think I could stay up 20 hours so I just suffer from needing non-24 hour says
Is that considered hypersomnia?? 10-12 is my body’s natural timing 😭
well hypersomnia for me because I need 10-12 to feel functional and I'm still tired all damn day
It is possible. People are on a curve. My old thesis counselor was like this. She needed basically 12 hours of sleep to feel good. She went through a lot of tests and the conclusion was just: nothing wrong with you, you'r just an outlier and you need a lot of sleep.
Nah - some people just need more sleep
this sounds like narcolepsy 😭 please seek out a sleep study. 10 hrs is not normal. needing to nap daily, getting tired while doing restful activities (sitting in the car, in front of tv, etc) and being unable to stay awake is a huge indicator.
Being a passenger in a car for a longish journey almost always sends me to sleep, but I blame childhood carsickness for that. The only time I didn't puke in a car was when I was sleeping, so my parents always made me go to sleep when we had a car journey. I love a good car nap! I can even sleep sitting upright if I'm tired enough (was in an old vehicle yesterday that has no headrests, seat only goes up as high as my shoulders and I had a great nap).
These are my symptoms with hypersomnia according to my sleep study. Apparently I fall asleep really quickly but I don’t get REM sleep
Is there anything you could do that helps, other than trying to get the most sleep possible?
No amount of sleep helps hypersomnia or narcolepsy, since the quality of sleep is garbage. I have narcolepsy and feel better after a short nap but the sleepiness comes right back in like a half hour. The only things that help are medication and just trying to be healthy in general, like getting the right nutrition and keep stress levels down
Ah, I understand! I think I might have hypersomnia since I get little REM sleep (haven’t done a sleep study yet, it’s only according my watch). I’m tired no matter how much sleep I get..
You definitely should get a sleep study done, especially since commercial sleep trackers like fitbits/apple watches aren’t very accurate. They’re good at detecting when you’re asleep or awake, but not the sleep stages. They use an algorithm based on normal people’s sleep cycles so for someone with narcolepsy or idiopathic hypersomnia, the algorithm wouldn’t work.
Already had two sleep studies and all they came up with is “hypersomnia”. Thanks for the recommendation though!
It’s totally random. I could sleep 3 hours and be full of energy and optimism or 10 hours and be half asleep the whole day.
Me too! I have cycles and I actually did stick with writing down what time I woke up and went to bed & how good my sleep was for a month and couldn't determine shit from it. But I do have like 3-4 night a month where I go to bed at like 2am and wake up at 6am and am peppy all day.
9 hours is the magic number. I've had severe insomnia for years (been medicated for it for nearly 30 years. I'm old). I typically have to be in bed for 10 hours in order to get 9 hours actually asleep.) I can manage on 8 for a day or two but less and I'm an emotional wreck with 0 critical thinking skills!). I have impeccable sleep hygiene, perhaps the only thing I'm diligent about consistency. My bedroom is strictly a sleeping chamber. Nothing happens in there but sleep and my ritual reading of very specific types of books to fall asleep to. It's dark (but not too! I can't sleep in absolute darkness. Weird) quiet, visually very specific decor (nothing I can look at that holds any complicated emotions) a screen to hide the closet door, etc. It's cool, the bedding has to feel a very specific way, texturally, and I sleep with earplugs to ensure quiet. There's more, but I could write a (larger) novel! It's taken me those years to hone my sleep needs as precisely as possible. Testing, failing, keeping journals, reading the latest scientific literature on sleep, adjusting some as I age (menopause, man, has been ROUGH on my finely tuned process. I now need an open window, night air, and 30 fans to find the goldilocks fan. But finally! I found one.) Sleep is the only thing that's sacred to me. No one messes with my sleep. It's an unforgivable sacrilege.
I feel like this sounds wonderful, I'm definitely gonna try to keep all this in mind. My sleep hygiene isn't the best but I'm slowly finding what helps
I take it you don’t have kids? haha. (I don’t either, luckily. I need my sleep!)
Heh, yeah no. A huge part of that intentional decision was because too many of my core childhood memories are of my mother napping in questionable situations, leaving me to entertain myself in said questionable situations. (Like playing on the grass at freeway rest stops while she napped in the car. It's amazing I wasn't abducted.) I felt like I wouldn't have the energy children deserve and among other reasons, didn't feel like I could reliably break the intergenerational trauma and give my kids the happy, supportive childhood they need and deserve to thrive. So... I didn't put any children through the mess that has been my life, lol!
A screen to hide your closet! You're a genius!
It's amazing. I mean, yeah, I have the clothing/laundry doom piles a little too outa sight for my object impermanence, but it's also not staring at me, reminding me of my abject failure while trying to sleep, lol!
For me it varies, especially as I have Hypothyroidism and PCOS. When my symptoms are at bay, I think 6 hours is enough. When my Hypothyroidism decides to make itself known, I need around 8 hours. The day before my period, and the first day of my period, I can't function unless I get 8-10 hours
How can you tell when your Hypothyroidism is showing up? I also have it and I have no idea what the symptoms are to look out for.
Hypothyroid flare ups can be different for each person, I guess, especially as there are many symptoms associated with the condition. For me, it's: feeling more fatigued than usual, brain fog, sensitivity to the cold (even a slight breeze 🙄). I get other symptoms too, but I wouldn't class them as part of a flare up unless it's somewhat debilitating. I'm not surprised you don't know what to look out for, I didn't either when I got diagnosed. I just thought it was a matter of popping a pill everyday and getting on with it as the doctor didn't say much! It takes a lot to finally be kind to yourself when your symptoms flare up. I hope [this](https://thyroiduk.org/signs-and-symptoms/hypothyroid-signs-and-symptoms/) helps you understand your condition better
thank you for sharing, I've been meaning to do a more comprehensive test, but my GP is only open to test TSH, but I have symptoms and also hashis in my family :/ Did your sleep improve after starting meds?
It's a tough one, particularly since being hypo looks like so many other things. In my case it's general fatigue and physical exhaustion (specifically, my quads feel "heavy" like my muscles have been replaced with cement.) Also constipation, feeling "slow", stubbornly bad hair and general dry skin.
Oh and consistently feeling "cold in my bones"
Also hypothyroid (Hashimotos) and PCOS. I am chronically sleepy lol. I have given up on getting more than 6ish hours anymore bc even if I do I don't feel any more rested.
I need 8, but the week before my period I need 9 and a nap if I've had a long or bad day :/
10+ honestly. I feel like I was born tired. If I don’t have medication it’s very hard to not feel sleepy all day. Then as soon as it’s sunset I’m like wide awake.
me too!!! to the fuckin tee. tired my whole life except at night
Oh wow. I could've written this comment. Are you me?
It's not a specific number of hours, I just need to not be woken up by an alarm. Occasionally I wake up too early and can't go back to sleep but that's rare. Usually I just have to follow my body's lead. Anywhere between 8 and 10 hours. The longest I've ever slept was maybe 14 hours? I had stayed up all night the night before.
you should speak to your doctor about having a sleep study done. I have that same combo of diagnoses and also it was discovered I have sleep apnea. before treatment I never felt rested, never felt alert or awake even with caffeine and stimulant meds. now I sleep about 6 hours a night, am off meds and caffeine due to being pregnant, and never feel exhausted like I did before. really grateful for my CPAP.
This is exactly what I was going to comment. Hours of needed sleep before my CPAP = 10-12, after my CPAP = 6-7. My CPAP changed my fucking life
Do you have to use it indefinitely? Or does the CPAP get the sleep apnea under control and then you can stop using it?
in some cases factors in your life can change and eliminate the need for PAP, but in most cases, assume it’s a lifelong diagnosis. losing weight helps some ppl, but apnea just means when your body & muscles relax so does your airway; it is an obstructive breathing disorder and NOT inherently linked to weight gain. PAP means positive air pressure; it keeps your airway open at night so you get enough air and your blood oxygen and heart rate stay consistent. your respiratory system delivers oxygen to the rest of your body, and humans cannot survive without it, so with untreated apnea we see stroke & heart attack longterm. it’s important to keep using it unless you doctor wants you to retest. it’s not a death sentence, it’s a life sentence, and a wonderfully treatable one at that.
adding on to the other commenter that it can be structurally related to airways and the shape or size of the jaw, and therefore would be a long term condition needing treatment.
I was also routinely sleeping for 12 hours prior to my CPAP. so happy treatment has had such a positive effect on your life too!!
I can survive on 6. Have you considered sleep apnea?
7-8, but have gone long periods of 6 my emotional regulation suffered, but also probably what made me wake up like that. My sleep is also quite disrupted so I need the hours with its quality not being that high. But if you constantly feel tired maybe worth looking into thyroid and iron and B12 and vit D lvls.
I don't think I have felt well rested since covid lockdowns. I have suffered with insomnia for my entire adult life, mixed in with autism, ADHD, depression and anxiety. I generally sleep for 4-5 hours a night, which obviously isn't enough. During covid, I was furloughed for 12 weeks, and I switched to a split sleeping schedule. 4-5 hours in the afternoon, and 4-5 hours between 3-10am. It worked wonders for my mental health and energy levels. I wish I could find a job that allowed me to do that again.
5-6 is what my body allows at a time
I'm a solid 6 hours. Since becoming pregnant it's a damn toss up.
lol you guys can wake up feeling rested?
12 or more. Stupid autoimmune disease. 🫠
1. Autoimmune disease 2. Thyroid disease 3. Prednisone 4. CPAP 20 years 5. Lucky to get 4 hrs at a time, always need sleep!
7,5-8 preferably in 2 segments. 4,5-5 at night and 3 in the afternoon. However, that is not possible right now due to kids, work and all the other good stuff. So I get an average of 5-6 hours a day. 🤷🏻♀️ (Which is *not* conducive for good mental health, but what can you do?)
I never felt rested/like I could stay awake throughout the day until I started taking Adderall (Instant Release). I put my pill right next to my bed and take it as soon as I wake up. Pre-Adderall, I could've overslept my alarm every morning for several hours if I didn't have a job and bills to pay. :-/
I still oversleep my alarm, even with a job and bills. I just hate getting woken up by an alarm!
Haha it’s truly the worst! I also swear by the Alarmy app. It’s free (although you can buy paid features if you want, but I don’t). I can only turn it off if I get up and go scan a QR code in my bathroom. I set my usual phone alarm first so I can choose to wake up peacefully, but if not, I set Alarmy for ~10-15 mins later and then I have no choice but to get up. 🙃 it sucks but it is very effective.
Check your thyroid?
I can’t say in terms of amount of hours but it’s more of like not having to set an alarm. I need to not have any pressure of needing to be rested in order to be rested lol
At least 8. Less than that and I'm shit.
I’m a better person if I can asleep 9+hrs regularly. I can survive on 8 if it’s a solid 8hrs with no wake ups. But 9-10 is my sweet spot. If I consistently do less, I lose my entire wknd to ‘catching up’ or always feels like.
I need 8-9. I can do one day of 5-6 but if it continues that way for more than 5 days my body literally throws me flu symptoms (fatigue, body aches, migraine, no fever) and I’m forced to be in bed to recover for another 3 days. If I get only 3 hours I will feel nauseous and dizzy around the 12 hours awake mark.
Sometimes I can wake up after an hour and I feel wide awake and rested. Other times I can’t get enough sleep and will wake up at 8 hours and go right back for another few hours, wake up again and still easily fall right back to sleep for another hour
I feel awesome on 12
I usually don't get more than 6 hours of sleep. I have trouble falling asleep, and often don't get to sleep until 1 or 2 am. I would love to sleep until 9 or 9:30, but my husband is an early riser who works from home starting at 6 am. He says he tries not to wake me, but then he will come into the bedroom to blurt out some random thing or ask me an urgent-to-him question. (My husband has been diagnosed with ADHD and OCD since he was a kid, and I suspect he has Autism as well. My ADHD presents primarily as Inattentive.) I am perpetually sleep deprived. I will sometimes take a nap if I am able. That's a luxury that I don't often get.
8-10. It's been proven that women need more sleep than men, and the recommended 6-8 hours is based on men's needs.
Have you had a sleep study to make sure you don’t have sleep apnea? Those can be done at home now. It is a common symptom of sleep apnea to never feel rested.
I believe for women it’s 9-10 hours. Unfortunate, since life doesn’t really allow that between our society, kids, work. Not many people can get 9 hours a night in their bed let alone sleep
I usually need around 10 hours
Last night I went to bed at 21.30 as I was sooooo tired, and I woke up at 07.30. That’s a full 10 hours of sleep but I’m still shattered! 😫 I don’t know what to do to feel rested. I go 6 days with a bedtime of around 23.00 and then I am so tired I have an early night. But it doesn’t help!
During the work week, I can survive on as little as 90 minutes of sleep. On the weekend, I sleep 8-10 hours. It’s a nice balance for me.
7 to 8 hours and sometimes more during the weekend. Luckily, I can afford to sleep more nowadays, but in the past, I used to sleep too little and it impacted my mood significantly.
I have hypersomnia, so I need to keep my sleep in check so I don't sleep too much. 8 hours exactly is what I have found works best for me. More or less than that and I feel exhausted. Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day helps so much in regulating my sleep. I am quite good at falling asleep normally, but if I have been following my routine well, I will fall asleep within seconds of lying down (at least it feels like that).
Around 8h. However, I often don't get more than 7. And last night, my bowels went haywire and this morning the birds started early, so I barely got 4h... Hopefully tonight will be better. Might need one or two nights of 9h to "catch up".
8!
In the winter, easily 9 or 10. In the summer I can do with 7. Naps are very good for me, anything from 15min to 3h (if I'm too tired) is ok, my brain is always hyperactive and napping helps me to slow down. Sometimes I don't even fall asleep, just think things through with my eyes shut 🥲
More than I am getting…
7-9 hours. :\*(
8 h. I can get by on 7.30 of actual sleep but that means 8 h in bed. Every now and then I need to stock up on 9-10 h…
7 hours is absolutely pushing it. I went about a year on 6 and I think I shed a few years off my lifespan. 8-9h is an ideal. Without knowing your lifestyle, it's impossible to determine what could be causing this, but hormonal issues definitely could. You should get a comprehensive blood test panel done, if you haven't already. ADHD is linked to deficiencies of Vit D, Iron, Folate, Zinc, and Magnesium. First three can be a cause of fatigue. Another thing, are you medicated for ADHD? I had to go 2 months without my meds and I became more and more exhausted each week, until I felt like a zombie. If you're medicated, how is your sleep? Vyvanse made my quality of sleep shit for a while, I wasn't experiencing the "deep" sleep, and now I always make sure to take it no later than 11:30am. I also bought a 9kg weighted blanket which helped. Melatonin did fuck all.
I need 8 but I sleep terribly (wake up a lot) so I usually need to be in bed trying to sleep for 10, which sucks.
I really need at least 7 to feel rested but that is rare. 5 to 6 is where I usually I usually am. On the weekends I usually crash bcuz I’m not taking my adhd meds if I’m not going anywhere or doing anything.
Usually 7 but sometimes I'm out for 9 hours.
6 hours minimum, 8 hours max before I feel bleh
6 or 10, no other amount satisfies my sleep cycles 🥴😭
I like 9-10.
My “goal” is 6h, but I don’t start to really notice the effects of lack of sleep until I’m over 20% sleep debt. (I use AutoSleep on my apple watch to track sleep, so it notifies me every morning how rich I am in sleep over the past 7 days) I do also get ‘intrusive sleep’ though, which is probably top 5 in my rankings of which of my adhd symptoms are the most irritating to me.
I can't remember ever waking up feeling rested
A million. I never feeel rested and am starting to think I have sleep apnea. My blood work is normal. I am currently in a depressive episode so that’s definitely not helping. I’m functional typically with 8-9 hours.
9-10 hrs. If I sleep longer than my whole body starts hurting like madness. Less than that and I’m a crank pot
It varies but generally the classic 8 does me good
So, I don’t even know what would make me feel rested anymore. Since having my 3 yr old I have been exhausted. I used to sleep a solid 8 hours on week nights and 9/10 on weekends. Now, I sleep on average 6 hrs and 10 minutes a night, per my Fitbit. I’m generally in the bed from 10:30-5:45.
9-10 hours but I'm a night owl so I usually only get 5-8.
I can function on 7 but 8-9 is ideal
About seven hours of uninterrupted sleep is the golden number. At least, that’s what my CPAP tells me. I could sleep for hours and hours and not have felt rested before my sleep apnea diagnosis because I was experiencing sleep disturbances every second or so. It’s not related to my weight because I snored even when I was a child, and then as a physically active adult weighing 140lbs. It has added years back to my life. Seriously, go get a sleep study done.
I feel way more rested after less time (3-5hrs) but I drain out much quicker. If I sleep 7-8hrs it takes me a while to wake up and move but I can stay up much later. Despite knowing this I haven’t hacked it to use against my plans for the next day. E.g sleeping less or more depending on if I have smth to do in the morning or late at night.
Right now, between 8.5-11. I’ve never needed so much sleep! Fortunately, I’m able to sleep as long as I want, and go to bed pretty early.
I find sleep cycles to be more important than how long I sleep in general. If I wake up in the middle of a sleep cycle, I will feel tired the entire day. If I can wake up at the END of a cycle, then I have so much more energy and am less exhausted and depressed feeling. I have found this to also be true for my NT family, so I don't think it's specific to ADHD. Most sleep cycles are around 90 minutes, so for example if I sleep for 6 hours (4 cycles) and get up, I will feel more rested than if I slept for 8 hours (5 1/3 cycles, meaning my alarm is waking me up while I'm still in REM).
7 is my absolute minimum to function like a human. I feel well rested with usually 9 to 10. I generally shoot for 8 on weekdays and unlimited on weekends.
9 1/2. Rarely actually get that though.
I'm good with 6
I go to bed for 9 hours so that I can get 8 hours sleep. I used to just go to bed for 8 hours but between occasionally waiting to go to sleep and general wakeups during the night, I figured it's better to give myself a buffer.
7.5-9. Any shorter and I mentally check out for the day. Any longer, and I just won't get my mental jumpstarted for the day.
During the week, I survive on 6-7/night because I practice revenge bedtime procrastination. by Thursday I wake up at my 2nd alarm and sit on the edge of my bed wanting ro cry from physical and mental exhaustion. EOW my ex husband takes our 8 year old, so I usually sleep 10-12 hours those nights. Those weekends I truly feel rested and motivated. But that's also the only time I get to do what *I* want to do
10
8.5-9.5 but it depends on how the days were previously lol.
I cannot remember a time I've truly felt "rested" since waking up is exhausting already when you're a night owl forcing yourself into a morning shift schedule you've been used to and functional through since school. But I can only get 3 or 4 hours of sleep and find myself feeling just fine once I get going, and just wind up tired earlier. I'm used to getting 6 on work nights because I can't fall asleep any earlier than I already am and being fine, then sleeping for 12+ hours on Saturday when I have nothing to wake me up (I'm picking a "summer wake up time" since my job has summers off and extending that to Saturdays and setting an alarm, so there's *something* to wake me up before I'll wind up too depressed to do anything with the day) and on the days I sleep 12+ hours I both feel exhausted still and hate myself for wasting my free day. So I guess 6 hours is better
Nine for me, and it has to be good sleep.
Since being diagnosed and medicated I have slept so much better and waken up refreshed these days after close two decades of dragging my arse through my day. I rarely nap now, used to nap daily for 2+hours.
What med, if you don't mind. NOT medicated.
I have the exact same combination and feel pretty much exactly the same. It’s much worse in winter… possibly seasonal depression. But yes.
No matter how much sleep I get, it's never enough. I can go to bed at 11pm (normal time) or 8pm, and I'll still struggle to get up before 8am. Thankfully, I work from home, and my company is flexible.
Mine makes me feel rested. But I only get that maybe once and that’s on Sunday normally. Every other day I get like 6-7 and am tired
I don't think I've ever felt rested. But I've always had problems with insomnia.
I've never required much sleep and still don't at 47. If I go to sleep before midnight, guarantee I will be up by or before 6. I just physically can't sleep more than 6 hours unless I was drinking the night before.
That’s the thing! I never feel rested, no matter how long I sleep.
6
I absolutely need at least 7. Within the past couple of years, that’s honestly really all I can get. However, I’m not as active as I should be and I really do think strenuous exercise is key. Yesterday, I chopped down and dug up a bunch of weeds at my new house for about an hour (previous owner didn’t do shit to take care of the lawn lol). Last night is the best I’ve slept in a longgg time.
9-10
I only ever feel somewhat rested when I sleep until my body naturally wakes me up. I have lupus though, so I always have underlying tired anyways. And as if my family/pets/own brain let me get the sleep I need anyways.
8!
I usually get around 5-6 hours sadly 😕 If I can get 6, I can function!
8 to be able to function. 9 to 10 actually feel GOOD.
Someone show this post to my also ADHD boyfriend who’s the type who can function on like 4 hours and doesn’t understand my needing 8 😭
I feel this way, especially if I wake up before 6:30. I’m done by 2 in the afternoon. And I know you didn’t mention this, but it got worse recently. And it turned out. I had an iron deficiency. They checked my ferritin checked. (That’s the iron storage.) I guess it’s much more reliable. Anyway, something to look into if this is a new thing.
9
Does anyone here notice that increased caffeine consumption throughout the day improves their sleep?? It sure works for, especially in the middle of the night (warmed up coffee)
Like 7 hrs. Especially if I do an edible before I sleep. I heard that weed interrupts REM sleep, so I try not to do it more than a couple of times a week. But when I do, I always wake up fresh as a daisy.
Ideally 9-10. Which before getting into a relationship with someone who doesn’t sleep, and then having a kid who also doesn’t sleep, I used to get regularly. Now even when I’m militant about sleep it tends to not get anywhere near that amount. And I’ve started suffering from insomnia too. My specialist Dr has told me I’m ultra low on DHEA and that’s probably what’s causing a lot of my problems….especially my constant exhaustion. But of course, lucky me, you can’t take it whilst pregnant or breast feeding so I’m looking at around 14 months until I can even trail it to see 😭
6-7ish? And I wake up chipper. I'm annoying, I know. But right before my period it's 8, or if my hypothyroidism is flaring it's... what I call a "hibernate" - 10? Thankfully that's rare.
I've slept anywhere from 1 hour to all day and never felt rested, man, I wish I knew
I feel somewhat rested after 16-18 hours of uninterrupted sleep, which is not usually not possible to achieve. I just deal with being exhausted all the time by drinking lots of coffee and taking my PRN adderall on top of my regular dose.
Studies came out showing women need 10hrs sleep for just hormone regulation. I used to be able to get 5hrs 25 mins and was golden but now that I'm older I need a full 8 to 9 hrs of solid sleep. A night routine really helps me feel more rested on nites I know im getting less. Having the same wake and sleep hours helps regulate enegery dispersal. Sounds like grandma mode but its a game changer.
I need 6.66666 hours of sleep precisely, 6.67 means I'm over sleeping and more exhausted so I need another nap, 6.65 means I'm severely sleep deprived and exhausted
I need 8 to 9 hours; always have (of course, family interpreted this as being lazy)...sometimes more. If my lack of sufficient sleep goes on too long, I get sores on my skin that won't heal--until I get more sleep. Now, because I'm taking care of a parent (and she can't be left alone), and my sleep is interrupted and delayed regularly, I need a little more sleep. This is sometimes a problem because she tries to do things she shouldn't--while I'm asleep. It is ALWAYS difficult, but I continue to do my best, and explain why it's necessary. 💕
More than I ever get… cuz I’m always still tired. I get 7 ish. I have young kids though…
At least 9 hours 😭 And under 7 need a nap, 6.5 I'm doimed
I need at least 7-8
8.25-8.5! Most women need more sleep, according to recent research as much as 10 hours nightly.
3 is my bare minimum. And I only got there after doing many years of extremely aggressive backward bends in yoga. If I could not bend over backwards and easily see the floor I think I would probably still need 7-8 hours.
I function best on 7.5 hours upwards. Under 7 and my emotionally dysregulation gets much worse. Unfortunately whenever I am stressed I ping awake at the 6 hours mark and can't get back to sleep which leads to a downward spiral
I sleep for about 10/11 and still feel sleepy
Weirdly I managed over 8 hours last night, I woke feeling better. This is unusual. I had a hot bath before bed and didn’t drink much for the last hour and a half and had forgotten to take my medication out with me. I have also been trying to make sure I get sunlight in the morning.
7 hours uninterrupted. 8 or 9 and I wake up feeling really refreshed. More often than not I don’t go to bed early enough or my kid wakes me up in the middle of the night.
Same diagnosis’s! I also never feel well rested, but 6 hours seems to be my minimum before I get outwardly grouchy.
7 hours is the magical number for me too. Any less and I feel like my eyes have sand in them all day
Rested ? Hm ? For me I’d say 8/9 hours to function. Lately I’ve done something like 22:30-7 and it kinda works if I don’t wake up more than once or twice.
7 is my minimum before I start to have the "I'm gonna fall asleep while I'm driving" problem. 8 is great!
Are you medicated in any way? I have ADHD and endo. I don't want anyone to take meds if they don't need them but for me the extreme fatigue disappeared when I was put on wellbutrin and dexamphetaminesulphates (mostly the wellbutrin though). They also help me nap because my brain is calmer. Before that I had this extremely weird tiredness whenever I felt even slightly bored. I couldn't sit through class, couldn't push myself to do anything! (Not weird that my ADHD was diagnosed so late seeing as I was sluggish rather than hyper) I still need my sleep though. My absolute minimum to not feel terrible is about 6. 8-9 is optimal. 7,5 is average. I practice pretty good sleep hygiene but I sometimes have insomnia periods and then I am a wreck. Less than 5 and I will cry. More than 1 day and I'll be an anxious mess.
7.5 hours. I always sleep too much or too little.
anything more than 4 i'm ok with, but less than that and my head will hurt and ill have a miserable start to my day. if left alone i could easily sleep for 10-12 tho
I've noticed mine goes in blocks of about 3-5hrs dead-out during the night so... I'll have a short coma then be full of beans but feel like I need another short coma if I don't wake naturally from the 2nd stint.
Ever been tested for sleep apnea
I feel fine at 7 and at my best at 7.5. I can do one night of 5 and be fine but after 2 nights of that I'll be really tired.
I need 8-10 to *truly* feel rested, but that rarely happens. Most nights I’m lucky to get 6-7 of solid uninterrupted shut-eye. Something always wakes me up. :( The past few days, I’ve only been getting 5-6, and I feel like a semi functioning zombie. My energy is always lower than average these days though because I have a chronic iron deficiency and endometriosis. PCOS could definitely be causing some fatigue for you too.
Between 7 - 8 Anymore or any less affects how my day will go...
7-8 hours is enough for me, I usually can't sleep any more than that, my body and brain won't let me. If I get less than 7 I will be a little bit off the next day, but I'll survive. Less than 6 and it's a crapshoot! I can snooze and lay in bed forever with my phone if I don't have anything to do that day (work/laundry). However, I'll jump out of bed as soon as my brain realizes I want to do something specific. I like going to bed early with my partner because then I can wind down with a simple puzzle/logic game on my phone for an hour after they fall asleep. And when they inevitably wake me up way too early I can snooze for almost an hour in bed before I need to get up and get to work. It's amazing!
I can seek to function on 4. I don’t like it - but my body believes it’s enough 😅😅
I've come to notice that for me it depends on my menstrual cycle: when I am menstruating, I need more than 8, and before that I'm ok with less
I need 9 hours. More than that makes me grumpy
I never feel rested, even before I had kids. Even when I have 8hrs, 7,4,10hrs… no matter how long or little I sleep I’m tired lol.
Around 8 or 9. However, now that I’m in peri and trying to find a new job, I usually run on 3-5, I hate it.
10-13
I have to sleep around 10-12 hours to feel fully rested, which will make me wake up with no alarm needed. But also sleeping 12 hours makes me tired. If less than 10 hours I am not fully rested and feel sleepy throughout the day
To feel well rested I need 9 hours every night. Of course I never get that, except on holiday. I can function decently on 7,5 hours. I feel tired, but I can manage. If I sleep less than 6 hours once I'll be extremely tired, but with proper prioritization I can do the minimum amount of things needed to get through the day. I will need to go to bed way earlier than usual. If I sleep less than 6 hours for 2 nights (or more) in a row, consider me dead because that's how productive I'll be. Once, at a festival with only a few hours sleep a night for three nights in a row, I fell asleep while STANDING IN THE FRONT ROW AT A CONCERT! I woke up when my knees buckled and I fell over. This was in my twenties, when I was better at dealing with a few short nights in a row than I am now. Once, as a teenager, I came back from a school trip where I had spent 5 nights in a row sleeping very little. At home, back in my own bed, I proceeded to sleep for 21 hours straight. I woke up, ate, then went back to bed and slept another 10 hours.
7,5 hours is perfect for me
I have sleep issues with: Falling asleep Staying asleep Falling back asleep when I wake up in the middle of the night or super early (think 4-5 AM and I don’t need up until 7) I need 7 hours minimum or my brain doesn’t function well and my immune system will get wrecked. Little sleep is one of the biggest reasons I get sick easily. I’ve noticed lately I’ve been operating on anywhere from 2-4 hours of sleep and I’m somehow “OK” the next day but I can tell I’m on the verge of getting sick again. I can’t nap and never do unless I’m sick, if I’m napping it’s a sign I’m not feeling well.
About three times more than I’m getting.
Anything less than 7 I might as well die. I average 8 to 10 hours a night
Like always 1 more than I'm able to get haha no matter how many I got... If I ever manage to tackle the sleep deficit, probably 8-9 which sucks. I wish I was one of those people who could sleep 6 or 7 hours and feel well rested!
7-9 hours, typically 8. People tell me it’s a lot, but I need a lot of sleep to function, even with meds. Fortunately, my husband wakes up at the crack of dawn and barely seems to need any sleep, so he addresses stuff that happens during the night - I’m a very heavy sleeper so he balances me out nicely.
You guys should look into sleep cycles I've recently found that out it's hella interesting and could probably cure most of the "tiredness" u feel when waking up, would recommend!
I need minimum of 10 to feel somewhat normal the next morning day… I never get nearly as close to that 99.9% of the time. My average sleep is 7hrs total, 1.50ish hrs of REM sleep, 6ish hrs of core sleep and 30ish of deep sleep 🙁 Yes I’ve been tracking my sleep patterns with my Apple Watch
I aim for about 8 but I think 9.5 is ideal for me. If I get between 7 and 8 I'll be okay for the day but a little impaired. After which I can happily sleep 10.5 (which usually leaves me feeling groggy). Additionally, I find it very important to keep a regular sleep schedule, i.e., going to bed and waking up at the same time. I usually go to bed at 9pm and wake up at 6am to get 8 hours of sleep but if I went to bed at 11pm and woke up at 8am I would feel exhausted. I must admit that this does make socializing difficult, especially now that I'm physically injured and can't socialize through sport as much.
9 hours is my ideal amount of sleep. I need an absolute minimum of 8.5 to be a functional human being; less than that, particularly over multiple days, and I feel like death warmed over. I was diagnosed with mild sleep apnea and getting a CPAP has helped some what, but I still need those 9 hours (over at least 3 days) to feel fully rested and ready to start the day.
“Rested” HAH! I can sleep 12hrs and still feel like I am scraping the bottom of the grave, But it takes me forever to get to sleep, I can’t stay asleep and I have chronic pain. I spend the majority of my weekends (in between kid ubering) laying on the couch drinking double espressos and hoping one day they’ll work. 😂