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There is so much information out there about people who wake up early - for example, Apple's CEO, Tim Cook, wakes up at 4:30, as does General Motors' CEO and Disney's CEO.

What I never hear about is what time these people are going to bed. I have a hard time believing they're going to bed at 8:30 so they can get their full 8 hours of sleep.

So, my question: When do "Early Risers" go to sleep?

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Regarding all hard working persons I know they sleep during vacation. – A.B Jan 13 '12 at 19:06
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Maybe it supports the hypothesis that hours of sleep before midnight count twice. – ondrej.kubera Jan 13 '12 at 22:33
@David. As worded, this question is pretty general and isn't likely to have a "correct" answer. There's not going to be a time or range of time when people who like to get up early go to sleep. The answers are likely to be general statements about how much sleep people should get or personal anecdotes. – Adam Wuerl♦ Jan 24 '12 at 21:40

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7 Answers

up vote 10 down vote

On average 7~8 hours before they wake. If you set your alarm for 5 every morning and get up each day at 5, I guarantee that you are going to get really sleepy around 9~10PM. waking up early promotes going to bed early, not the other way around.

When I was a kid, there were 3 TV channels with nothing that was worth watching after 11PM that stopped broadcasting at 12PM. After that you were left with your library books to read if you still had any unfinished. That was of course until the dawn of the CEEFAX. Pretty much everyone went to bed early.

You really just have to cut out the late night comsumpution of entertainment.

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up vote 4 down vote

Some business people, specially those in the top, with their own closed office, take naps past 12:00 p.m.

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up vote 4 down vote

I'm no CEO, but I rise at 5.30 to run each morning and generally try to put myself in bed before 10 each night. It's not that I get less sleep, it's just that I structure my day around when I have more/less energy.

This comes from a simple critical realisation - the things I do from 9/10pm onwards are generally wasted time for me. If I get up at 5.30am, get changed, run for an hour, I can have had my exercise and be on the train to work fresh and working by 7.30-8am.

If I flip it and sleep till 7am and get on the train at 8, it takes me till 9 to get my brain working, and I would have to exercise at 9pm after the kids go to bed, This totally messes with my sleep, and in any case I am only going to do things like browse the net after 9.

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up vote 3 down vote

Yes. I also feel that they go to sleep late and manage with about 6 hours of sleep. They someway manage to get the benefit of 8 hours sleep in 5 to 6 hours. Once in bed, they are into their deep sleep very fast. Many techniques are available to improve the quality of sleep. I know people managing with just 4 hours of sleep regularly.

If you google on deep sleep you will find more resources on acquiring the skills to have a quality sleep.

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I find it especially informative that the second CEO cited above is now dead and buried by fifty-something. – Vic Goldfeld Nov 5 '12 at 18:10
up vote 2 down vote

Many of these folks are also late to bed - I don't think I work with anyone who needs 8 hours of sleep. Many professionals I know are happy on anything from 4 to 6, and contrary to @A.B's comment they don't sleep any more during holidays.

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They're actually "happy"? – Sancho Jan 13 '12 at 22:31
Absolutely - otherwise why would you do a 100 hour a week job for no overtime pay? – Rory Alsop♦ Jan 13 '12 at 22:32
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Because the busy-ness of that life allows you avoid the other parts of life, because it's what you think you 'have' to do, because you're afraid of letting somebody else down, there are several reasons why people will work under the conditions you mention. – Sancho Jan 13 '12 at 22:36
nah - I wouldn't do it if I didn't enjoy it so much. – Rory Alsop♦ Jan 13 '12 at 22:52
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I'm sure you're correct about yourself; it was your hypothesis about the many professionals that you know that I was questioning. – Sancho Jan 13 '12 at 23:04
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up vote 2 down vote

Shifting back hours is not the solution to wake up early.

Steve has published an incredible article about this, and as he says, the best way to do this is by sleeping when you REALLY are sleepy, but set a wake up hour, like 5 o'clock.

Take a look at the article for yourself. It's very informative. Also he has shared some information about polyphasic sleep.

Hope this helps you

http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/05/how-to-become-an-early-riser/

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I though exactly of the same article as I read the question. And I think the each person needs a different amount of sleep and it also changes as you get older. So, you should sleep when your body asks you too. And to regulate that you should have a fixed waking hour. – lucasarruda Jan 20 '12 at 20:25
Waking up after 1.5 hour increments will make you more awake - as you will not be waking up in the middle of a sleep cycle. – Garreh Mar 7 at 19:56
up vote 2 down vote

My alarm goes off at 4:40 am every weekday morning. I am on the road to work by 6:15 am. I average about 6 hours of sleep a night. I am not saying I am never tired. I would love to have a nap somedays and on days where I get a nap an hour of sleep refreshes me perfectly. I usually try to go to bed by 9pm but am happy if I am bed with the lights out by 10. Then read until I sleep.

When I was younger (< 20) I could barely function if I did not get at least 8 hours and 10 was fairly common. Today I can only sleep that much when I am sick. If you told the 21 year old me that I would be off to work at 6am every morning I would have laughed at your ludicrous joke.

My neighbor is in his 80's is usually up until after 11pm, and up before me in the morning. He doesn't go to work anymore, or really have a lot he has to do. He says he takes a nap in the afternoon but in all gets 4-5 hours of sleep. So I agree that as you age your body changes and its needs change as well. So while this probably seems crazy to you young folks you will understand in 10-20 years.

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