Living on very little sleep
For once in my life, I’ll recommend a drug: modafinil.
It was developed to treat the effects of narcolepsy (that’s why I have it). But it also works for the general population — check out some of the many military studies that’ve been done recently. Now modafinil’s being advertised to increase alertness and reduce general daytime sleepiness, and I understand that doctors prescribe it off-label for that usage. Modafinil is a Schedule IV drug (point of comparison: Ritalin and Adderall are Schedule II).
I know the knee-jerk reaction; I had it too. But modafinil is not the kind of stimulant you used to see. It is not an amphetamine. It is not physically addictive. It does not harm the brain — in fact, it’s used as a smart drug, since it seems to be neuroprotective. It’s not well-known because there is no reason to take it for fun: you don’t get high, or even get a rush; you aren’t driven to concentrate or work. You are just awake — as awake as if you had had eight of the best hours of sleep, or, depending on the situation, as awake as if you weren’t narcoleptic.
At the same time, modafinil is not exactly a traditional upper. There’s no come-down effect. There’s no need to take downers to try to relax, since modafinil doesn’t get you jittery or force you to stay awake. If you get up and take modafinil before you check your e-mail and find out your plans have changed, you will have absolutely no trouble heading straight back to bed and falling asleep.
There are some side effects. The negative side effects are rare; the most common is a headache when you first start taking it, but that goes away within days. It’s also worth noting that modafinil’s been available in the world since 1994 (US since 1998), and in that time, there have been no overdoses. There are also some side effects that I consider positive. For some people, it acts as a slight appetite suppressant. There’s also some anecdotal evidence saying that for some people, modafinil may function as an antidepressant.
There are some interactions to be aware of — including, bizarrely, grapefruit. I don’t remember specific drug interactions, since I don’t drink, smoke, or do any drugs but modafinil (okay, okay, and whatever amount of caffeine is present in small amounts of chocolate). Modafinil is contraindicated for patients with a history of heart issues. Obviously, you shouldn’t try driving on four hours of sleep before you know how modafinil works for you.
You take modafinil orally as needed; it comes in tiny tablets that are easily halved. You’ll probably have to titrate a little at first, but the good news is that you won’t become tolerant and have to increase the dose. You can’t snort or inject modafinil (well, you can, but it won’t work). If you want to stop, you won’t go through withdrawal; I take varying doses on weekdays and none at all on weekends, and have no trouble with that schedule.
ANECDOTAL PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, take with all the salt you like: For me, Modafinil works like a miracle. This morning, I got out of bed, took my customary 100mg (half a tab), and fell asleep about ten times in the hour before it kicked in. I mean, I fell asleep when I sat to put on my socks, and when I leaned against a counter to brush my teeth. Even when I wasn’t actually asleep, I was incredibly groggy and my thinking was muddled.
An hour after I took my dose, I finished getting ready, left my apartment, and got on the bus. By that time, I was psyched and ready to face the day, and literally wishing I could sing along with my iPod. Completely alert and awake, I sat through two long classes, one of which featured a tedious, droning lecturer. Then I went on to enjoy the rest of my day — no heavy eyelids, no nodding off, no nothin’.
(To avoid morning trouble like I had today, you’re supposed to set your alarm an hour before you’d usually wake up. When that goes off, you should take your dose, set your alarm for when you actually have to get up, and then roll over and go back to sleep. This is what I should be doing.)
I know you know this whole idea is unhealthy. If you need more than five hours of sleep a night, getting only five/night for an extended period of time is a bad idea. But if you’re determined to do it, modafinil will help you immensely, and will hurt you far less than caffeine.posted by booksandlibretti at 11:59 PM on April 26, 2007 [16 favorites]
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use WAKE UP CALLS- get earlybird friends, coworkers, a call
service, or even a taxi company to call you on important
mornings.
It was developed to treat the effects of narcolepsy (that’s why I
have it). But it also works for the general population — check out
some of the many military studies that’ve been done recently. Now
modafinil’s being advertised to increase alertness and reduce
general daytime sleepiness, and I understand that doctors prescribe
it off-label for that usage. Modafinil is a Schedule IV drug (point
of comparison: Ritalin and Adderall are Schedule II).
try using LIGHT as a cue to sleep and wake- so if you need to get
up in the morning, don’t close the curtains- let the sun help you
up. stare into bright lights to wake you up when you’re sleepy, and
keep the lights very dim when bedtime’s approaching.
Do a bit more digging around on that, and see what fits you. There
are lots of variants on polyphasic sleep that can be tailored to
your schedule. Important though – don’t eat a big meal before
sleeping as you need as much rest as possible from said sleep, and
stay away from caffeine. One or two cups when you wake up is okay,
but try not to drink any after lunch.
You will find that you get used to being tired, to having a bit of
a dull headache etc. Peak performance is indeed redefined – you are
happy to just get by a lot of the time.
(To avoid morning trouble like I had today, you’re supposed to set
your alarm an hour before you’d usually wake up. When that goes
off, you should take your dose, set your alarm for when you
actually have to get up, and then roll over and go back to sleep.
This is what I should be doing.)
And, not specific to this industry, but in general – I would go
against much of the advice above and say to moderate your caffeine
intake. Don’t be tempted to medicate with it when you’re tired -
just ride the wave until you bounce back. Better to be alert 70% of
the time than a caffeine addicted zombie 100% of the time.
Shun sugar — it is your enemy.
Caffeine is your friend (though I was conselled against it in the
other thread. YMMV.)
Make your lunch — salads, fruit, etc…
(You will gain weight, no matter what you do.)
Go for a walk at lunchtime; get out in the sunshine during the day,
at least a little.
In university I had two jobs and full time student which meant that
I got 2-4 hours of sleep 6 nights a week. Here’s what I
learned:
Coffee stops working after a while. You can put a
pot of espresso in front of me and I’ll drink it
and go to bed immediately and I will sleep.
Possibly the best function is the timed nap – it is great to for a
quick perk-up if you find yourself with a “spare” 10- 20 mins. Some
of what the guy says is a bit airy but i tend so just concentrate
more on the tone of his voice than what he says
if you must only sleep a few hours, you could chug lots of water
before bed and let your BLADDER reinforce your alarm clock.
So, that’s my haggard, free-association, sleep deprived take on it.
Any questions, fucking forget it, I got to sleep.posted by Eekacat
at 10:56 PM on April 26, 2007
Good luck with your LA job. It can be done, and it can be done
clean.posted by infinitewindow at 9:49
AM on April 27, 2007
There are some interactions to be aware of — including, bizarrely,
grapefruit. I don’t remember specific drug interactions, since I
don’t drink, smoke, or do any drugs but modafinil (okay, okay, and
whatever amount of caffeine is present in small amounts of
chocolate). Modafinil is contraindicated for patients with a
history of heart issues. Obviously, you shouldn’t try driving on
four hours of sleep before you know how modafinil works for
you.
-Keep your sleep schedule as consistent as possible. This will make
sure you get the most out of what little sleep you have.
also be aware that the light from your COMPUTER SCREEN will
probably keep you up longer than you want to be at night, so if
you’re online before bedtime, dim the screen or work on a
black-screen program to type your paperwork.
- You will redefine what “peak performance” is. In fact through the
university I had IQ tests and dropped 15 points for the duration.
(Don’t worry, it comes back.)
This is coming from someone who had an 8 cup/day coffee habit.
After the 8th cup I would switch to red bull…posted by milinar
at 11:28 AM on April 27, 2007
Try to resist the lure of the drugs… I’ve seen it happen.posted by Justinian
at 10:21 PM on April 26, 2007
- Have fun!posted by Ookseer
at 11:11 PM on April 26, 2007
On less than 5 hours of sleep a night, you will need to nap at some
point if you’re doing work that requires thinking or attention. So
plan for times when you will be able to get it.posted by kingjoeshmoe at 10:06
PM on April 26, 2007
- Pay attention now to when your most alert times are and schedule
your most difficult work for those times, if possible.
Your schedule doesn’t sound like it’ll allow for 20 minute naps
every four hours, or 30 minute naps every six hours, but it
wouldn’t hurt to see if spacing them in is a possibily. (Break?
Lunchtime?)
There are some side effects. The negative side effects are rare;
the most common is a headache when you first start taking it, but
that goes away within days. It’s also worth noting that modafinil’s
been available in the world since 1994 (US since 1998), and in that
time, there have been no overdoses. There are also some side
effects that I consider positive. For some people, it acts as a
slight appetite suppressant. There’s also some anecdotal evidence
saying that for some people, modafinil may function as an
antidepressant.
- I would try very hard to avoid increasing your caffeine or
stimulant intake. It will wreck havoc with what little sleep
you get.
I also second lots of water and 15-minute-long catnaps in your car
away from the office. My roommate worked a similar schedule, and he
used short but regular cardio to keep healthy and sane.
One suggestion I can make: Take a speed reading course. Might help
free up some sleep time.
Best of luck!! Your job actually sounds really cool.posted by Phire at
10:32 PM on April 26, 2007
On a personal note: take it easy – if you need a day off – take
one. No job is worth your sanityposted by lrobertjones at 11:32
PM on April 27, 2007
If you are too tired to drive pull over and take a nap – even a
short nap can make the difference between you going home to sleep
or to the morgue.posted by koahiatamadl at 2:58
AM on April 27, 2007
I know you know this whole idea is unhealthy. If you need more than
five hours of sleep a night, getting only five/night for an
extended period of time is a bad idea. But if you’re determined to
do it, modafinil will help you immensely, and will hurt you far
less than caffeine.posted by booksandlibretti at 11:59
PM on April 26, 2007 [16
favorites]
An hour after I took my dose, I finished getting ready, left my
apartment, and got on the bus. By that time, I was psyched and
ready to face the day, and literally wishing I could sing along
with my iPod. Completely alert and awake, I sat through two long
classes, one of which featured a tedious, droning lecturer. Then I
went on to enjoy the rest of my day — no heavy eyelids, no nodding
off, no nothin’.
In my past experiences, I learned how to lay down and go to sleep
immediately, getting a good 4 to 5 hours of solid sleep (which is
much better IMHO than 8 hours of restless sleep). Knock off the
caffeine and nicotine, and avoid the drugs at all costs. If you’re
young and healthy you’ll make it through just fine. IANAD.posted by matty at
4:49 AM on April 27, 2007
I know the knee-jerk reaction; I had it too. But modafinil is not
the kind of stimulant you used to see. It is not an amphetamine. It
is not physically addictive. It does not harm the brain — in fact,
it’s used as a smart drug, since it seems to be neuroprotective.
It’s not well-known because there is no reason to take it for fun:
you don’t get high, or even get a rush; you aren’t driven to
concentrate or work. You are just awake — as awake as if you had
had eight of the best hours of sleep, or, depending on the
situation, as awake as if you weren’t narcoleptic.
Yes, I have to at full mental alertness all day, even while
driving.posted by JPowers
at 10:06 PM on April 26, 2007
Congrats on the job, good luck!posted by necessitas at 11:05
PM on April 26, 2007
- Streamline as much as possible. Hire a maid and laundry service.
Get groceries delivered. It’s really not that expensive, and not
only does it save you time, but gives you piece of mind when you
don’t have to worry about the house being dirty or whatever.
What I’ve done for a while, with success, is a slight spin-off on
that. Biphasic sleep entails having a 90 minutes nap and then
another longer session, between 3 hours (for me) and 4.5 hours (for
others who’ve tried this) a while later. I slept from 10 to 11:30
PM (due to a part time job that wouldn’t let me get home till about
9:30) and then again from 3:30 to 6:30 AM.
this is difficult but doable. jennifer lopez is straight-edge and
works like a maniac, use her as your inspiration and stay off the
cocaine!
good luck!posted by twistofrhyme at 9:15
AM on April 27, 2007
Whereas polyphasic sleep depends on making the max of REM sleep,
biphasic mostly focuses on not countering the restful effects of
whatever sleep you do get. The point is to sleep in 90 minute
increments, give or take, so that you wake yourself up after a
natural sleep cycle and don’t feel the negative effects of being
yanked out of Deep Sleep.
Your question was in fact my first
AskMe question ever, and people gave me a lot of
encouragement.
also, place your ALARM CLOCK across the room, getting out of bed to
turn it off will help wake you up.
My advice? Do your housework (make tomorrow’s lunch, do your
laundry, pick up around your apartment, whatever you have to do)
the minute you get home, before you sit down, for fifteen or thirty
minutes. Just keep moving. Don’t let it pile up until the weekend
– the weekend is when you’ll do most of your stuff, yeah, but you
really need that time to rest. If you’re like me, you won’t be able
to sleep the instant you get home anyway, no matter how tired you
are.
At the same time, modafinil is not exactly a traditional upper.
There’s no come-down effect. There’s no need to take downers to try
to relax, since modafinil doesn’t get you jittery or force you to
stay awake. If you get up and take modafinil before you check your
e-mail and find out your plans have changed, you will have
absolutely no trouble heading straight back to bed and falling
asleep.
Your job will involve reading and possibly time in front of a
computer, too, so get an eye test and glasses if you need them.
Little things like that make all the difference when your body is
already exhausted. I have to look at a computer screen all day and
I have found that I can no longer cope without my glasses – my
prescription is such that I could still see without the glasses but
the extra effort it takes just kills me!
ANECDOTAL PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, take with all the salt you
like: For me, Modafinil works like a miracle. This morning, I
got out of bed, took my customary 100mg (half a tab), and fell
asleep about ten times in the hour before it kicked in. I mean, I
fell asleep when I sat to put on my socks, and when I leaned
against a counter to brush my teeth. Even when I wasn’t actually
asleep, I was incredibly groggy and my thinking was muddled.
Good luck.posted by Methylviolet at 10:17
PM on April 26, 2007
No, I can’t sleep during the day. I can sleep probably around 1am,
up at 6am.
1) Take every vacation you’re offered.
2) When you run out of clothes, buy more. Laundry is for the
weak.
3) Don’t sweat the networking this early on. In my experience, your
best contacts will be genuine friends you make. There are a lot of
people willing to take your card and shake your hand, but they
can’t or won’t do much for you. (This advice may not apply to your
situation.)
4) Learn to hold your alcohol. This is very, very important.
5) Get to a gym as much as you can – exercise works wonders. And
every stereotype of appearances mattering are true, true, true.
You take modafinil orally as needed; it comes in tiny tablets that
are easily halved. You’ll probably have to titrate a little at
first, but the good news is that you won’t become tolerant and have
to increase the dose. You can’t snort or inject modafinil (well,
you can, but it won’t work). If you want to stop, you won’t go
through withdrawal; I take varying doses on weekdays and none at
all on weekends, and have no trouble with that schedule.
Try to not let others make demands on your weekend time…you
really will need to get some kip. If you don’t you will start the
week tired and that makes for a very long week. If at all possible
try to get a long weekend occasionally – the difference it makes in
unbelievable.
- Eat more healthy than you ever have. Take multivitamins. If at
all possible work out on your lunch break.
I recommend sleeping in three hour cycles (three hours is better
than four, six better than seven, etc.) Be careful with too much
caffeine at one time. Nap when you can. Try to somehow get in some
exercise (can you read scripts while on a treadmill?)posted by konolia
at 5:38 AM on April 27, 2007
Nthing the advice about eating properly – think light, easy to
digest and rich in nutrients. Sleep depravation is a huge stress on
the body and eating badly will cause your body even more
stress…it will also take more energy to digest junk, which you
will no longer have.
Do you get lunch? Breaks? You’re going to have to nap. Naps are
helpful all out of proportion to their length, and if you can get a
couple in a day it is possible.
“Plus, on top of this, I want to try and network at nights as much
as possible.” Is that part of the job expectation or is that your
personal choice?
If you find you have trouble unwinding and getting to sleep, there
are meditation techniques and breathing exercises that can help
lots of people sleep better, and fall asleep more quickly.posted by mattpfeff
at 2:05 PM on April 27, 2007
link to free trial and more info: http://www.pzizz.com.au
If I hadn’t read all the clarifying info in the thread, I would’ve
thought you were in the military and were on deployment. My
condolences – but at least it sounds like you’ll be doing something
that makes you happy. That factor alone can make all the difference
on how long you can get by with such sustained sleep
deprivation.