Why Top Performers Sleep More Than Average People — And Why You Should Too

So I messed up on this one. I fell for a common myth.

“Busy, productive people need less sleep. Sleep is for lazy people.”

And for a while, I was attempting to hack my life to survive on 6 hours a day of sleep so I had more time for, well… just about everything else.

But it was only recently that I realized how wrong I was.

Most of us are actually getting far less sleep than we need. And lack of sleep is affecting us in more harmful ways than we think.

Ok, so remember the famous Malcolm Gladwell book Outliers? Gladwell wrote that to become world-class in anything, you need 10,000 hours of practice. As an example in the book, he suggested that the Beatles had 10,000 hours of practice playing in cheap dive bars before they became a world phenomenon.

10,000 hours. Sounds simple, right?

The study Gladwell was referring to actually came from a Swiss Psychologist named K Enders Ericsson. Ericsson proved that no one is born with innate skills. To be a great musician or artist, for example, it’s not about gifts. It’s simply about practice.

But there was a second factor he observed in these great performers.

They slept. A lot.

You might even label them lazy.

The average American gets 6 hours and 51 mins of sleep a night.

Top performers on the other hand. Get 8 hours and 36 mins.

That’s almost 90 extra minutes of sleep!

The effects can be profound. If your body requires 8 hours of sleep and you’re forcing yourself to get up after 6 and a half hours you’re skipping on 90 mins of sleep. This, according to one study, leads to a one-third reduction in your cognitive ability.

That’s like showing up to work having downed a pint of beer and trying to get in a productive day.

And it’s not just cognition.

If you aren’t getting enough sleep, you’re more likely to hold on to access fat. A key component in Mindvalley’s WildFit program is essentially getting a good night’s sleep. According to a 2004 study, people who sleep less than six hours a day were almost 30 percent more likely to become obese.

And according to some studies, getting sufficient sleep helps the body process glucose. If you usually sleep less than five hours per night, your body is unable to effectively perform this function and risks of developing type 2 diabetes increases. Yikes.

Not getting enough sleep is also the top risk factor for burnout on the job.

And lack of sleep can also impact your moods. You’re more likely to be moody, and experience anxiety or depression. In fact, in a 2007 study of 10,000 people with insomnia, it was found that insomnia sufferers are 500% more likely to develop depression.

Finally, sleep deficiency dumbs you down. You learn slower, think slower and solve problems slower. Not a great state to be in at work.

And for those of you who care: lack of sleep ruins your skin. When you don’t get enough sleep, your body releases more of the stress hormone cortisol. In excess amounts, cortisol breaks down skin collagen, the protein that keeps skin smooth and elastic.

And I could go on and on. But Google it for yourself.

So the question is: HOW do you get more sleep?

I found just the man to tell me.

And I got him to sit down to record an hour-long Masterclass, filled with tips and the science of sleep.

If you want to dive deeper into the science of sleep then I suggest checking out this FREE Masterclass - go.mindvalley.com/DBkNLHwD I recorded with ‘The Sleep Doctor’, Dr. Michael Breuss.  

How many hours do you sleep a night? And how much do you want to? Share with me in the comments below.