How much sleep do we really need?

Last night, I reviewed some of my iTunes PodCasts that I had not yet listened to. Looking over the different sections is indeed inspiring (I've downloaded news articles, triathlon training programs, business reviews, biographies, seminars and more...all for free!).

So, I picked one to listen to: a "60-Minutes" presentation on "sleep deprivation." The scientists who are studying sleep and neural function are continuing to make some stunning discoveries.

*UPDATE: It was one of the 60 Minutes Podcast - The Full Broadcast...

A couple of things I picked up, as related to what I do for a living...

- Our performance, ability to generate new ideas, and focus go UP with each extra bit of sleep we get at night.

- 8 hours is indeed a benchmark, although some people need more.

- When our sleep is interrupted (either by our own "thinking, worrying, stressing" or by our outside world), our ability to concentrate and recall information is compromised.

Here's an idea: For 5 nights, run your own experiment: What happens when you get a "little more" sleep each night? Try coordinating your work AND your life to get into bed one hour earlier...just for 5 nights, and see what your experience is like!