I'm in this same pattern right now . . . up until sometimes 5 or 6 AM, then I wake up only a few scant hours later, nowhere near rested.
And you're right - it affects not only ourselves, but those who count on us, since it impacts not only our health, but our decision making and overall effectiveness in everything we do.
As just one example, a high percentage of car accidents involve sleep-impaired drivers, and I just read about a study that found that for every hour of sleep you miss, it is equivalent to .01% of alcohol in the blood; so sleep-deprived drivers can be every bit as dangerous on the road -- and elsewhere -- as drunk drivers.
For myself, I am making an effort to go to bed earlier, so far with mixed results, and listening to a guided meditation while I am going to sleep, in an effort to stay asleep longer and awaken more rested.
This effort is actually working, and I am now sleeping six or seven hours on average, whereas without it I was lucky to sleep for four hours straight.
Good luck in your quest for more restful sleep. I'm pulling for you.
Thanks a lot!
wow, what an info on sleep-deprived people... Did not know they could be compared to drunk people, but this makes sense though.
I can't afford to sleep in in the morning even a bit as I have a little daughter who gets up early, but I also do meditation in the morning - happy to have a husband who makes it possible by staying with the girl for that time.
Wish you sound sleep, stay healthy and fresh :)
You too! Thanks!
Meditation can actually take the place of some sleep. I don't recall the exact ratio at the moment, but if I remember right, two fifteen minute meditations, morning and evening, give your body the equivalent amount of rest as two hours of deep sleep.
That was why Jose Silva, and many others, always recommended meditating twice a day, because then if your sleep is disturbed, you can still function without being impaired.