Could you work with only 1 hour of sleep?

@sacmom (14192)
United States
September 12, 2015 7:48am CST
I happened to check Facebook this morning, when I saw a post from one of my old co-workers on there. She was asking for someone to call her to wake her up as she was falling asleep while she is at work. She was working a 12 hour shift. (12 and a half hours in you count lunch). However, I'm not one to call people as I'm not a phone person. lol So, I sent her a text instead. I asked her how many hours of sleep she got. She told me 1 hour! 1 hour?!? How in the world can anyone possibly work on 1 hour of sleep...especially when they have to work a 12 hour shift? By the way, this is no office job. It's a very fast paced, physically demanding, and requires you to be on your feet type of job. I sure hope that she'll be alright. I remember how tired I would be after working 12 hours there, but at least I was able to get more sleep than that. I highly doubt that I'd ever be able to make it on 1 hour! I'd probably die trying! What about you? Would you be able to work 12 hours with only 1 hour of sleep?
40 people like this
53 responses
@FourWalls (68115)
• United States
13 Sep 15
I think the adrenaline would keep someone awake for a few hours, but then the body's demand for sleep would take over. I've read that sleep deprivation is the most effective form of psychological (and physical) torture there is. I can believe it.
7 people like this
@LadyDuck (471459)
• Switzerland
12 Sep 15
NO, I know that I could not work with only 1 hour sleep. It happened that I only had 3 hours sleep sometimes, but usually I need at least 6 hours to function properly.
5 people like this
@sacmom (14192)
• United States
13 Sep 15
I need at least 6 hours as well, though I always want more!
3 people like this
@sacmom (14192)
• United States
13 Sep 15
@LadyDuck That's usually about what I get as well.
2 people like this
@LadyDuck (471459)
• Switzerland
13 Sep 15
@sacmom If I can sleep 8 hours it's even better, but most of the time I only arrive to sleep 6.
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (160708)
• United States
13 Sep 15
I could only do that in the case of an emergency. It would be really rough.
3 people like this
@sacmom (14192)
• United States
13 Sep 15
Have you ever tried before?
@thesids (22180)
• Bhubaneswar, India
12 Sep 15
though not healthy, I have done that quite a few times. I suffer from insomnia and always have disturbed sleep even during the small hours I get. So I can manage that. But yes, neither the insomnia nor the idea to work so long - uninterrupted - is good.
5 people like this
@sacmom (14192)
• United States
13 Sep 15
I agree, it sure isn't @thesids.
1 person likes this
@thesids (22180)
• Bhubaneswar, India
16 Sep 15
@DaddyEvil The doctors around, will only give me some more pills and more like the ones which will make me feel dull and drowse all day long. so I am avoiding consulting them. I have a very poor opinion of these folks at my place due to past experiences.
2 people like this
@DaddyEvil (137259)
• United States
15 Sep 15
@thesids That sounds crappy! Have you seen a doctor about the insomnia? (My daughter had that problem for a while. The doctor prescribed a med to help her sleep, but it backfired and made her hyper instead! I HAD to get her off that as quickly as I could!)
2 people like this
• United States
12 Sep 15
Working 12 hours day after day is a very dangerous thing. Your mind can't be clear and well functioning with little to no sleep.
5 people like this
@sacmom (14192)
• United States
13 Sep 15
I agree, it's a very dangerous thing.
• United States
13 Sep 15
@sacmom Dangerous for the person and those that person works with.
2 people like this
• United States
12 Sep 15
i wonder what caused her to 've such lil sleep? perhaps called in to cover somebody else's shift? i worked fer years with usually only 1-2 hours 'f sleep. ya jest do what'cha gotta do. 'least she's workin' a job where its go-go-go 'n not somethin' sittin' down. hope she made it alright 's well...'n took a 3hour nap in her auto when she got off coz she surely don't need to be drivin' home afterwards.
5 people like this
@sacmom (14192)
• United States
13 Sep 15
I doubt it. This job doesn't allow that. Not when they are working them 60 hours or more a week. I know that the same girl had to help a family member out with a personal matter before. Because of it, she was only able to get 2 hours of sleep. Maybe she wound up doing the same thing again. Anyway, I hope she took a nap in her car. Whether or not she did, I don't know. Apparently she made it home though as she posted about some other things on her Facebook page.
1 person likes this
• United States
14 Sep 15
@sacmom thank the stars she made it home alright. most dangerous drivin' in such a state.
2 people like this
@sacmom (14192)
• United States
14 Sep 15
@crazyhorseladycx I agree, it sure is!
1 person likes this
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
12 Sep 15
When I was doing the overnights I would often stay up all day after a shift and get things done and try to go to bed at a normal hour at night. When I had to work that night I'd take a little nap before work and drink a lot of coffee to get me through. So glad I have a day job now, even though it means juggling all the kids and their activities and such.
3 people like this
@sacmom (14192)
• United States
13 Sep 15
It didn't matter if I worked days, nights, or swigshift there. With working 60 or more hours a week, all I wanted to do was sleep when I got home.
@allen0187 (58582)
• Philippines
13 Sep 15
I can work efficiently even with an hour of sleep only but I'd rather not. I need my eight hours of sleep just like everyone else!
2 people like this
@sacmom (14192)
• United States
13 Sep 15
I don't see how anyone could possibly work efficiently on only 1 hour of sleep. lol
1 person likes this
@allen0187 (58582)
• Philippines
14 Sep 15
@sacmom On the days that I have an hour of sleep, I sleep at the job! LOL!
1 person likes this
• Malaysia
13 Sep 15
@wongchoiyee (7413)
• Malaysia
13 Sep 15
Hope she is ok, its bad for our body clock, but once you adjust to it, then should be no problem, I am afraid I will fall asleep during work after that.
2 people like this
@sacmom (14192)
• United States
13 Sep 15
How long does that usually take? She's been there for 10 months now. lol
• Malaysia
13 Sep 15
@sacmom few months I guess.
1 person likes this
• Malaysia
13 Sep 15
if fast can be 2 weeks actually.
1 person likes this
@joygracia (1325)
• Philippines
12 Sep 15
I don't think I can work if I only have 1 hour sleep. I'm such as a sleepy head.
3 people like this
@sacmom (14192)
• United States
13 Sep 15
Same here. I'm a sleepy head as well! lol
@much2say (55664)
• Los Angeles, California
14 Sep 15
Maybe in my younger years - but probably not now. I will say that when I was making those scrapbooks for my son's class on a deadline, I had 45 minutes sleep on one night - then the next night I got an hour and a half. I was ok during the days, with moments of zombie-ness here and there - but that's not something I would ever want to do on an ongoing basis. Can't do it. My body would make me pay for it eventually. I hope your friend isn't doing this all the time!!
2 people like this
@sacmom (14192)
• United States
18 Sep 15
I sure hope she isn't either. It isn't healthy for anyone to do that!
1 person likes this
@much2say (55664)
• Los Angeles, California
20 Sep 15
@sacmom Seriously, the body will shut down if you don't allow it to take a break and get some sleep! Driving could be dangerous too!
1 person likes this
@much2say (55664)
• Los Angeles, California
22 Sep 15
@sacmom Oh my gah! That is super scary!
1 person likes this
@megamatt (14292)
• United States
12 Sep 15
I've slept for an hour or a less before, and tried to function on it. Not fun, not something I would recommend anyone doing if they wanted to maintain their sanity. Even with lighter work, not the physically demanding work some people take on. I'd end up collapsing before half of the day is up, if I'm lucky. And if I don't collapse, talk about being a joy to the people around me. When I don't get my sleep, I can be a real bear to be around. It's possible, I could, but it would be a nightmare and a half to even attempt.
3 people like this
@Hate2Iron (15727)
• Canada
12 Sep 15
Good heavens no. I don't even have to think about it... I need about ten at least.
3 people like this
@sacmom (14192)
• United States
13 Sep 15
You sound like my husband. He needs at least 12!
• Avenel, New Jersey
12 Sep 15
definitely not! i need my sleep .. or else! lol
3 people like this
@sacmom (14192)
• United States
13 Sep 15
I'm the same way. I need my sleep as well! lol
@dodo19 (47317)
• Beaconsfield, Quebec
12 Sep 15
No definitely not. Maybe when I was in university I could get away with it for one night, or something, but certainly not anymore. I wouldn't try.
2 people like this
@sacmom (14192)
• United States
13 Sep 15
You've got me beat! I'd never be able to do that, regardless of my age! lol
• United States
13 Sep 15
Nope. I would be a zombie on only one hour of sleep. I wouldn't function at all.
2 people like this
@sacmom (14192)
• United States
13 Sep 15
I'd be a zombie as well!
2 people like this
@silvermist (19702)
• India
13 Sep 15
Yes, it could be done once in a while.But it is not good for either body or mind.I think we should have at least five hours of sleep.
2 people like this
@sacmom (14192)
• United States
13 Sep 15
Speak for yourself! I need at least 6 (or more) hours of sleep!
@cgalavia (1436)
• Philippines
13 Sep 15
A big No.Even I sleep only for 5 hours my head is already aching,not pretty good in a day. 6 to 7 hours is good for me.
2 people like this
@sacmom (14192)
• United States
13 Sep 15
6 or 7 hours is a must for me as well!
1 person likes this
@valmnz (17097)
• New Zealand
13 Sep 15
I most certainly could not. I can mage on four occasionally, after a bad night, but that's not my favourite way to face a day.
2 people like this
@sacmom (14192)
• United States
13 Sep 15
I could probably manage on 4 as well, although I certainly wouldn't want to! lol
1 person likes this
@rakski (123378)
• Philippines
13 Sep 15
definitely I need at least minimum of 5 hours to work intelligibly and appropriately. one hour and I will be a zombie.
2 people like this
@sacmom (14192)
• United States
18 Sep 15
I'm afraid that I would feel like a zombie as well.