Japanese Man Sleeps Just 30 Minutes Daily for 12 Years, Boosts Productivity
In a remarkable feat of human adaptation, a Japanese entrepreneur named Daisuke Hori has been sleeping only 30 minutes a day for the past 12 years, claiming it has significantly improved his work efficiency and productivity.
The 40-year-old from Hyogo prefecture in western Japan, who loves music, painting, and mechanical design, started reducing his sleep 12 years ago to gain more active hours each day. Through a gradual process, he managed to cut his sleep down to just 30-45 minutes daily.
As long as you do sports or drink coffee an hour before eating, you can stave off drowsiness, Hori told the South China Morning Post. He believes that high-quality sleep is more important for maintaining focus at work than long sleep hours.
People who need sustained focus in their work benefit more from high-quality sleep than long sleep. For instance, doctors and firefighters have shorter rest periods but maintain high efficiency, Hori explained.
To examine his claims more closely, Japan’s Yomiuri TV followed Hori for three days in a reality show called Will You Go With Me? The show captured an instance where Hori slept for just 26 minutes, woke up energized, had breakfast, went to work, and even hit the gym.
Hori’s online resume states that he has taught over 2,100 students to become ultra-short sleepers through his Japan Short Sleepers Training Association, which he founded in 2016. One of his students claimed she cut her sleep from eight hours to just 90 minutes after training with Hori and has maintained it for four years while keeping her skin and mental health in great condition.
However, doctors warn that ultra-short sleep is not suitable for everyone and comes with side effects. Adults are recommended to get seven to nine hours of sleep each day. Sleep is an important period for the body and brain to recover and repair, said Guo Fei, a neurologist at Huazhong University of Science and Technology Xiehe Shenzhen Hospital.
Chronic sleep deprivation can lead to memory decline, weakened immunity, mood disorders and an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases, Guo added.
Hori’s case is not the only unusual one related to sleep. An 80-year-old Vietnamese man named Thai Ngoc claims to have not slept for over 60 years. Mr. Ngoc says that after contracting a fever in 1962, he lost the ability to sleep, and despite various therapies and sleeping pills, his insomnia remains unchanged.
While Hori’s sleep routine is undoubtedly unconventional, it has sparked a heated discussion on social media. One online observer wrote: He is a true master of time management. I also want to learn how to sleep less and work more efficiently. However, another person said: This is overdrawing one’s life in advance! Even if the brain can stay awake, the heart won’t be able to handle it.
In conclusion, Daisuke Hori’s remarkable sleep routine of just 30 minutes a day for 12 years has certainly challenged the conventional wisdom about sleep requirements. While he claims it has improved his work efficiency and productivity, doctors warn that chronic sleep deprivation can have serious health consequences.
It’s important to note that Hori’s case is highly unusual, and his sleep routine should not be emulated without proper medical supervision and guidance. The recommended sleep duration for adults is between 7 to 9 hours per night for optimal health and well-being.
