How much sleep is not enough sleep? Is the reason Jocko Willink sleeps so little a hangover from his military life?
According to sleep institutes, the average person needs to get between 7 and 9 hours of sleep each night. The sleep deficit can eventually catch up with you and be detrimental to your health. Jocko Willink claims he never really needed lots of sleep, which is normal for him. But he does say getting up early is part of a discipline that he likes to maintain.
How many hours a day does Jocko sleep?
5.5 hours each night. Jocko has a strict disciplined regime that he carries over from his days as a Navy SEALs commander.
Although 5.5 hours of sleep each and every night would see most people reaching for the sleeping pills, it appears that Jocko thrives on his sleeping routine.
When talking about sleeping in one of the Jocko Podcasts, Jocko states that getting up early allows him to get the “jump” on the day and get so much more done by the time most people are just waking in the morning.
Jocko tweets a photo of his alarm every day.
What time does Jocko Willink sleep?
11 pm or 2300 hours for military folks. Jocko Willink has a unique sleeping routine. He sleeps relatively late at night when he admits to being tired and sets an alarm to wake by 04.30 am.
With just 5.5 hours of sleep under his belt, he heads to the gym for a workout and then starts his business day. He states that during this time, he can get more work done than if by waking later in the day.
When asked if he finds it hard to get out of bed at an ungodly hour, he says yes, but discipline is needed to achieve his daily goals.
Does Jocko take naps?
Jocko tweets he takes 6 to 8 minutes of power naps when needed. Jocko Willink takes power naps when needed throughout the day. He elevates his legs above his heart and naps for just 6 to 8 minutes.
How many minutes is a power nap?
A power nap is considered to be between 10 and 20 minutes. During the day, these short sleep breaks are referred to as power naps and are permissible in many businesses.
Power naps help you recover from tired eyes and sleepy moments during the day, and if you are not deprived of sleep, you should wake fine without feeling groggy so you can continue your work.
Does taking a nap count as sleep?
Yes, naps during the day can be beneficial if long enough. It is said that naps during the working day can increase overall performance and increase cognitive ability.
If you feel your alertness waning through the day, taking a nap could be the remedy needed.
Naps can be a way of topping up on missed sleep and, for some is, an essential way to maintain a healthy work-life balance.
Why are short naps better?
Short naps increase positivity. If you have depleted energy levels during the day, taking a nap for 20 minutes will recharge your batteries without giving you sleep inertia ( a groggy lethargic feeling).
It’s proven that short naps increase your tolerance for frustration, and you will feel less irritable if you have missed out on a previous night’s sleep.
Why should you wake up at 4.30 am?
According to Jocko Willink, it gives you the flexibility to work out. For most of you, waking at a normal time and sleeping for 7 to 8 hours, you will still be able to find time to complete a daily workout in the gym without the need to sacrifice so much sleep.
But for Jocko 5.5 hours of sleep, each night does not sleep deprivation but a form of discipline that can allow you to do more with your day.
According to the philosophy of Jocko Willink, sleeping less gives you the ability to say yes to an opportunity that you may well have missed if you spent those extra hours sleeping.
Is 5.5 hours of sleep okay?
For most people no. We just need to forgo some of our cherished sleep and get up early and go to bed late. This is particularly true for military personnel who will rise earlier than the average person and complete arduous tasks.
But, for the average Joe 5.5 hours of sleep is not enough, and you need to have between 7 and 9 hours of sleep each night to function correctly.
Results from a 2018 study of more than 10.000 participants found that the average person’s ability to function normally was in the range of 7 hours plus of sleep each night.
How does the military train you to need less sleep?
You have no choice. Being in the military does not mean you choose when to sleep and when to get out of bed in the morning. A country’s defense depends on disciplined men and women who are motivated.
Military personnel accept the need for early rising and, in some way, embrace the ethos of becoming part of a cohesive team to defend the nation when called upon.
Do Navy SEALs drink coffee?
Yes, if they get the opportunity. Millions of dollars each year are spent assessing the needs and requirements of military personnel, Navy SEALs are in a different category. Still, it was proven that caffeine could increase a SEAL’s exposure to stress over a 72 hours sleep-deprived, exhausting training session.
It appears even a moderate amount of caffeine in the system can keep you from losing your mind when faced with incredibly difficult challenges.
However, caffeine should not take the credit for these incredible, dedicated armed forces members, as training and discipline are the keys to becoming Navy SEALs.
Incidentally, Jocko Willink rarely consumes caffeine!
