Challenge of the week: what would happen if you got up and went to bed at the same time every day?

MD, PhD, sports doctor, rehabilitologist

What happens if you fall asleep and wake up at the same time every day? Is it useful?

Sleep deprivation and poor quality sleep are becoming a significant problem these days. They provoke obesity, slow thinking, disrupt the structure of memories. Scientists believe that the negative effect on the brain from lack of sleep is similar to the toxic effect of a large dose of alcohol.

Head of Lifestyle

My experiment was a monumental failure. Although I got up at 7:30 on the first day and felt great, the second day was much more difficult. First of all, my health was compromised: my body demanded an afternoon nap. Secondly, early risings are good when you go to bed early. My schedule this week, as it happens, did not allow me to touch my pillow before 2:00.

On Wednesday, my condition didn’t stabilize and I wanted to sleep all day. The only brightening happened on Thursday: the sun came out, and although I got up just as early, I was full of energy until the evening. The next two days were almost unremembered by my clouded mind. I only got a good night’s sleep on Sunday: I woke up at 9:30 and lay in bed for half an hour. Just what I needed to feel good.

What was my conclusion? Getting up and going to bed at the same time might be cool if the gap between those numbers is enough for a good night’s sleep. If, however, like me, you opt for a five-hour nap – no good can come of it.

How sleep deprivation affects the body

On average, people who are sleep deprived consume 385 kcal more than those who get enough sleep. Lack of sleep disrupts circadian rhythms, hormonal regulation of leptin (responsible for feeling satiety) and ghrelin (controls the sensation of hunger).

Editor of Trends and Motivation at Lifestyle.

While I’ve experimented with nutrition quite often, I’ve only recently started thinking about healthy sleep. In theory, everything is very clear to me: go to bed at the same time, sleep 7-8 hours, don’t eat right before bedtime – and that’s happiness. But in reality… in reality everything turned out to be like that.

The fact is, after a week of strict sleep regimen, I started waking up in the morning with the first alarm clock and feeling more rested. My work day now starts much earlier. I don’t mean the one that is followed formally, but the one of actually focusing on things. Of course, there will be adjustments and unforeseen circumstances that disrupt the regimen, but I think I’ll keep the habit of monitoring the quality of my sleep. And putting away the gadgets an hour before resting will, too.

In addition to food-related hormones, the production of testosterone, growth hormone, and IGF-1 (an insulin-like protein) depends on sleep. In a University of Chicago study, when sleep duration was reduced from nine to five hours for one week, testosterone levels decreased by 14%. As a consequence, reaction and concentration would be impaired and fatigue would increase.

Of course, in trained athletes, strength and endurance will not change over such a short period of time. However, an increase in hours of sleep, on the contrary, indicates an improvement in speed performance. A study conducted by Stanford University showed that when basketball players got more rest (10 hours instead of 6-9 hours), their running speed, coordination and reaction time improved. In addition, subjectively, athletes also reported greater concentration on the game.

Health and Nutrition Editor at Lifestyle

My relationship with sleep is, frankly, strained. Work, friends, hobbies, a thousand and one things make me neglect a good night’s rest until my body suddenly stops tolerating it all and forcibly puts me to bed.

In the week of the experiment I had to give up my usual routine: no comic books before bed, no movie nights and no postponed chores. And I had to get home unusually early to get everything done. Of course, I tried to sleep for six to eight hours, but I never conquered early awakenings. Even going to bed at 22:00-23:00, I couldn’t make myself get up before 8:00. By the end of the week, it became quite sad and unpalatable, especially when I had to get up earlier than the usual 10:00 on Sunday. Sunday, Carl!

Of course, healthy and quality sleep is essential. But apparently everyone should have it at their own time.

• A shift in falling asleep or waking up by two or more hours is called “social jetlag.” This is the same jetlag that provokes a shift in circadian rhythms, but without the flight to a different time zone.
• It is possible to “get enough sleep”, and this is not only a daytime nap, but also a “sleep off” day, although the risk of social jetlag has not been canceled.
• People who work shift work are still at risk, and in fact science still doesn’t know how to help normalize the condition for them.