Comment by rkalla | Hacker News Reader

Comment by rkalla | Hacker News Reader

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Couldn't click "Up" enough times on this.

The difference in productivity between a day preceded by a good night's sleep and one where I stayed up late then got up early are probably 50-75% for me.

Diet, exercise, weight loss, meditation, walking, music, etc. etc. etc... nothing has as much an effect on my mood and mental performance as sleep does.

I can literally eat butter until my knees buckle and as long as I get a good night sleep I'm good to go the next day.

I know none of this is cool like the people that are energized by a quick 13 mile run or 40 mile bike ride at lunch time... I'm not sure why I was dealt the hand of "sleep is the best thing ever", but I've learned to optimize for that and it has helped a lot.

Diet, exercise, weight loss, meditation, walking, music have long term cumulating effects. Neglecting them wont impact you the next day, but after a few weeks you ll feel it. And it will take more than a one day to get back into shape.

I concur. If I don't get at least seven, eight hours of sleep the day before, I find myself staring at the screen blearily the next day (at work) or succumbing to a mid-day nap (if the next day isn't work day).

Funny, when I am tired I nap especially on work days. Playing in the park with my little girl tired is less enjoyable but sitting in front of the computer after lunch when I am dead tired is a complete waste of time. Drink a cup of coffee, sleep for 15 minutes and you will be able to work much better. 15 minutes is nothing on a tired afternoon. Just cut out the HN afterwards and you don't even have to feel guilty if you do it on the clock. In fact you just gave your employer 3:45 hours of productive time instead of 4 hours of wasting your salary for him.

Sleep for sure is good and important, but in a pinch good 20 minutes of cardio will send enough fresh blood to your brain to energize you for the rest of the day and you can still hit the sack hard at the end of it.

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