Is 8 hours of sleep unrealistic?

[Brian]

We know that sleep is important. The standard of eight hours per night is universal. But is it unrealistic? How do you cope with lack of rest?

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[LoriRNCM, ADN, ASN, RN]

I'm not in actual nursing school yet but I can tell you for me it's balancing kids and school. My baby wakes up at 5:30, I've tried so hard to change this to a later time and nothing works! I can't study or anything once she's up, I've tried, I can't concentrate! My 2 year old wakes up at 6:30, nap times is 10:30 until 1:00 for the baby and 11:00-1:00 for my toddler. I normally take a quick shower and do homework for that time. Husbands get off at 4, but most of the time he has to work late because his department is short staffed or incidents happen. He normally gets home about dinner time, kids go to bed between 7-8( I also have an 8 year old) I then clean up the house from dinner. I get back to do homework at 8:30 until 10/11 or so. I go to bed around 11 to 5:30 or so. 6 1/2 hours would be nice but the baby wakes up to eat about 2. A PERFECT night for me I can get 6 hours. That's hoping none of the kids wake me up or my husband doesn't wake me getting out of bed at 4:45. I am a very supportive husband but he's working overtime currently because his department is short on officers so he doesn't have a choice, plus the extra money helps with me not working I'm doing online classes so that why they take so long at home. I think when I'm in nursing school it will calm down because I will be in class, using daycare.

OMG I need a nap just reading that.

[amberdawn85]

Take one for me! :) it's not that bad, just tiring.

[steelydan]

OMG I need a nap just reading that.

hahaha, yeah I need at least 8 hours of sleep if I'm doing a lot of studying or exercising or else I start forgetting random things and being really clumsy. I wouldn't be very useful with 5 hours of sleep for a year.

[LittleWhiteDress]

I totally agree with that sleep is important!! I am going to try to get as much sleep as possible. However if I have to stay up to finish all the studying that needs to be done, then I will!! I just had my patho final, and I stayed up all night studying, and I still managed to get a 96 on the final. So it is possible to go a night without sleep and still ace a test!

[mrrogers]

i sleep when i can. usually from 2am to 6am then i go to school till 2 come home sleep from 3 till 7 or a8 then get ready to go into work for the night. i once had a weekend off and i spent it sleeping, i slept for 2 straight days except for bathroom and hydration breaks. yeah that was a weekend well spent.

[blaundee]

If you get a full 30 minutes for lunch (as a CNA I only ever got about 20 max lol), find a quiet spot (your car, a corner, somewhere...), scarf down your yogurt & Coke for lunch lol, and close your eyes- DO NOT forget to set your alarm though!!!! LOL

You think I'm joking.... I'm dead serious. That 5 or 10 minutes you catch napping seems like a very short amount of time, but will be SO worth it!

[Caribbean Character]

After 20 years as an OTR truck driver I am very experienced in living with less than what is considered "enough sleep". Although as I have gotten older I need more sleep than I once did.

[gianegizelle]

8hrs of sleep i know that the standard of hours recommended per day

[MadisonG]

All i need is at least 4-5 hours of sleep. Yes I do sometimes pull all nighters and get at least 1 1/2 to 2 hours. I catch up on sleep weekend mornings or in between classes.

[FuturePedRN2016, CNA]

If I can't sleep I can't function and my brain is no good if I don't sleep. I am on automatic pilot as we speak!

[RunBabyRN]

How do I cope?

One word:

COFFEE

[OrganizedChaos, LVN]

I have epilepsy & HAVE to get 8 hours of sleep or else it puts me at risk & I just can't function.