<h2>Recommended amounts of sleep</h2>

<p>Before I answer your main question, I would like to point out that your asseration that we need 6-8 hours of sleep each night is not quite accurate from what I have read.</p>

<p>The National Sleep Foundation in the US, <a href="https://sleepfoundation.org/how-sleep-works/how-much-sleep-do-we-really-need" rel="nofollow noreferrer">released the results</a> of a world-class study that took more than two years of research to complete – an update to our most-cited guidelines on how much sleep you really need at each age. You can read the <a href="http://www.sleephealthjournal.org/article/S2352-7218(15)00015-7/pdf" rel="nofollow noreferrer">research paper</a> published in <em>Sleep Health</em>.</p>

<p>Basically, the required amount of sleep varies from person to person and the recommended amounts are different depending on the age of the person.</p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/kwV7N.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/kwV7N.png" alt="Recommended sleep times chart"></a></p>

<h2>Your main question: How can sleep be interpreted by other "legends"?</h2>

<p>My opinion, and 3 others looking at the flags raised on this question as I edit, is that this question is off-topic for this site as it would lead to answers which would primarily be opinion based, such as the quotes which you provided.</p>

<ul>
<li>Jim Butcher's quote was from a work of fiction (Death Mask - #5 in a series called The Dresden Files).</li>
<li>Benjamin Franklin's quote is his opinion on sleep</li>
<li>Thomas Edison's quote is another opinion on sleep. ("Why sleep when you could use that time to be productive" is a possible interpretation on what he was trying to convey but that is only opinion.  I don't know where this quote came from and I cannot answer for him.)</li>
</ul>

<h2>Now for a more on-topic area on sleep - What is sleep?</h2>

<p>Again, the National Sleep Foundation <a href="https://sleepfoundation.org/how-sleep-works/what-happens-when-you-sleep" rel="nofollow noreferrer">covers this</a>.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Sleep architecture follows a pattern of alternating REM (rapid eye
  movement) and NREM (non-rapid eye movement) sleep throughout a typical
  night in a cycle that repeats itself about every 90 minutes. What role
  does each state and stage of sleep play?</p>
  
  <p><h3>NREM (75% of night):</h3> As we begin to fall asleep, we enter
  NREM sleep, which is composed of stages 1-4</p>
  
  <h3>Stage 1</h3>
  
  <ul>
  <li>Between being awake and falling asleep</li>
  <li>Light sleep</li>
  </ul>
  
  <h3>Stage 2</h3>
  
  <ul>
  <li>Onset of sleep</li>
  <li>Becoming disengaged from surroundings</li>
  <li>Breathing and heart rate are regular</li>
  <li>Body temperature drops (so sleeping in a cool room is helpful)</li>
  </ul>
  
  <h3>Stages 3 and 4</h3>
  
  <ul>
  <li>Deepest and most restorative sleep</li>
  <li>Blood pressure drops</li>
  <li>Breathing becomes slower</li>
  <li>Muscles are relaxed</li>
  <li>Blood supply to muscles increases</li>
  <li>Tissue growth and repair occurs</li>
  <li>Energy is restored</li>
  <li>Hormones are released, such as: Growth hormone, essential for growth and development, including muscle development</li>
  </ul>
  
  <p><h3>REM (25% of night):</h3> First occurs about 90 minutes after
  falling asleep and recurs about every 90 minutes, getting longer later
  in the night</p>
  
  <ul>
  <li>Provides energy to brain and body</li>
  <li>Supports daytime performance</li>
  <li>Brain is active and dreams occur</li>
  <li>Eyes dart back and forth</li>
  <li>Body becomes immobile and relaxed, as muscles are turned off</li>
  </ul>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-01-23T15:16:12.447Z
I am more interested to know how would you interpret it as interpreted by other legends. Sleep is God or Time waste?
Rheatey Bash
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-01-23T11:04:45.650Z
2017-01-23T15:54:57.240Z
2017-01-23T15:54:57.240Z
Chris Rogers
<p>Jim Butcher once said that</p>

<blockquote>
  <p><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/185629-sleep-is-god-go-worship" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Sleep is God, Go Worship</a></p>
</blockquote>

<p>However, Benjamin Franklin once said that </p>

<blockquote>
  <p><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/451617-there-will-be-sleeping-enough-in-the-grave" rel="nofollow noreferrer">there is plenty of time to sleep when you are dead</a></p>
</blockquote>

<p>Thomas Edison echoed this when he stated</p>

<blockquote>
  <p><a href="https://plus.google.com/+MatthewFouts/posts/Hn5yF6G1heb" rel="nofollow noreferrer">sleeping was a "criminal waste of time"</a></p>
</blockquote>

<p>All these peoples were legends. They must have said these statement in some context. It is scientifically proved that we must take at least 6 to 8 hours of sleep each night. I would like to ask stack exchange community, how would you interpret "sleep"? Do you really mean it?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-01-23T17:16:09.857Z
More than just primarily opinion based (which on this site translates to 'not answerable in a scientific manner'), it is also highly unclear what you are asking.
Steven Jeuris
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-01-23T17:26:46.050Z
I think I made it clear. I am just asking community opinion on Sleep. aren't I?
Rheatey Bash
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-01-23T20:47:27.440Z
Questions which ask for 'community opinion' are not allowed on Stack Exchange, which is why your question got put on hold, as per the specified close reason. For more information, please refer to the documentation.
Steven Jeuris
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-01-23T21:19:16.337Z
Okay. Thanks for putting it on the hold.
Rheatey Bash
<cognitive-psychology><sleep><dreams>
Sleep is God, Go Worship! How?
Rheatey Bash
# Sleep is God, Go Worship! How?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-01-23)

Jim Butcher once said that

> [Sleep is God, Go Worship](http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/185629-sleep-is-god-go-worship)

However, Benjamin Franklin once said that

> [there is plenty of time to sleep when you are dead](http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/451617-there-will-be-sleeping-enough-in-the-grave)

Thomas Edison echoed this when he stated

> [sleeping was a "criminal waste of time"](https://plus.google.com/+MatthewFouts/posts/Hn5yF6G1heb)

All these peoples were legends. They must have said these statement in some context. It is scientifically proved that we must take at least 6 to 8 hours of sleep each night. I would like to ask stack exchange community, how would you interpret "sleep"? Do you really mean it?

**Tags:** cognitive-psychology, sleep, dreams

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: More than just primarily opinion based (which on this site translates to 'not answerable in a scientific manner'), it is also highly unclear what you are asking.  
> **username_0**: I think I made it clear. I am just asking community opinion on Sleep. aren't I?  
> **username_1**: Questions which ask for 'community opinion' are not allowed on Stack Exchange, which is why your question got put on hold, as per the specified close reason. For more information, please refer to the documentation.  
> **username_0**: Okay. Thanks for putting it on the hold.  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2017-01-23. Score: 1

## Recommended amounts of sleep

Before I answer your main question, I would like to point out that your asseration that we need 6-8 hours of sleep each night is not quite accurate from what I have read.

The National Sleep Foundation in the US, [released the results](https://sleepfoundation.org/how-sleep-works/how-much-sleep-do-we-really-need) of a world-class study that took more than two years of research to complete – an update to our most-cited guidelines on how much sleep you really need at each age. You can read the [research paper](http://www.sleephealthjournal.org/article/S2352-7218(15)00015-7/pdf) published in *Sleep Health*.

Basically, the required amount of sleep varies from person to person and the recommended amounts are different depending on the age of the person.

[![Recommended sleep times chart](https://i.sstatic.net/kwV7N.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/kwV7N.png)

## Your main question: How can sleep be interpreted by other "legends"?

My opinion, and 3 others looking at the flags raised on this question as I edit, is that this question is off-topic for this site as it would lead to answers which would primarily be opinion based, such as the quotes which you provided.

* Jim Butcher's quote was from a work of fiction (Death Mask - #5 in a series called The Dresden Files).
* Benjamin Franklin's quote is his opinion on sleep
* Thomas Edison's quote is another opinion on sleep. ("Why sleep when you could use that time to be productive" is a possible interpretation on what he was trying to convey but that is only opinion. I don't know where this quote came from and I cannot answer for him.)

## Now for a more on-topic area on sleep - What is sleep?

Again, the National Sleep Foundation [covers this](https://sleepfoundation.org/how-sleep-works/what-happens-when-you-sleep).

> Sleep architecture follows a pattern of alternating REM (rapid eye
> movement) and NREM (non-rapid eye movement) sleep throughout a typical
> night in a cycle that repeats itself about every 90 minutes. What role
> does each state and stage of sleep play?
>
> ### NREM (75% of night):
>
> As we begin to fall asleep, we enter
> NREM sleep, which is composed of stages 1-4
>
> ### Stage 1
>
> * Between being awake and falling asleep
> * Light sleep
>
> ### Stage 2
>
> * Onset of sleep
> * Becoming disengaged from surroundings
> * Breathing and heart rate are regular
> * Body temperature drops (so sleeping in a cool room is helpful)
>
> ### Stages 3 and 4
>
> * Deepest and most restorative sleep
> * Blood pressure drops
> * Breathing becomes slower
> * Muscles are relaxed
> * Blood supply to muscles increases
> * Tissue growth and repair occurs
> * Energy is restored
> * Hormones are released, such as: Growth hormone, essential for growth and development, including muscle development
>
> ### REM (25% of night):
>
> First occurs about 90 minutes after
> falling asleep and recurs about every 90 minutes, getting longer later
> in the night
>
> * Provides energy to brain and body
> * Supports daytime performance
> * Brain is active and dreams occur
> * Eyes dart back and forth
> * Body becomes immobile and relaxed, as muscles are turned off

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: I am more interested to know how would you interpret it as interpreted by other legends. Sleep is God or Time waste?  

---

