Daisuke Hori, a 36-year-old Japanese man, claims to have reduced his sleep to just 30 minutes a day over the past 12 years. He is the chairman of the Japan Short-sleeper Association and teaches others how to reduce their sleep time. Hori’s routine includes activities like going to the gym, reading, writing, playing video games, and socializing. He uses caffeine to combat drowsiness, especially after meals. Hori’s claims were tested on a Japanese TV show, where he was followed for three days and managed to maintain his routine.

1. Sleep Habit:

Hori claims to sleep only 30 minutes per day as part of his daily routine, which he maintains to increase his productivity and maximize his working hours.

2. Sleep Method:

Hori uses a form of extreme polyphasic sleep, where instead of sleeping for long stretches at night, he takes multiple short naps throughout the day. He allegedly takes 6-10 minute naps during breaks or whenever he feels drowsy, adding up to only about 30 minutes in total over 24 hours.

3. Reasoning Behind It:

1. According to Hori, his motivation for such a sleep schedule is to be more productive and accomplish more work. He has described his experience of feeling more energetic and mentally sharp despite sleeping so little.
2. He also promotes this method to other entrepreneurs and those in high-pressure careers, claiming that it can significantly increase time available for work.

4. Skepticism and Controversy

• Medical Experts: Many doctors and sleep specialists have voiced skepticism about Hori’s claims. The average person needs around 7-9 hours of sleep to function optimally. Severe sleep deprivation over time can lead to numerous health problems, including cognitive decline, weakened immune function, and cardiovascular issues.
• Viability: There is limited scientific backing for Hori’s extreme sleep schedule. While some people can train their bodies to adapt to polyphasic sleep schedules, sleeping just 30 minutes per day is highly atypical and not recommended by sleep experts.

5.Other Examples:

• Hori’s case is often compared to stories of historical figures or modern entrepreneurs who practice polyphasic sleep to reduce total sleep time, but even among polyphasic sleep practitioners, 30 minutes per day is an extreme claim.

Polyphasic Sleep: This is a sleep schedule where a person sleeps multiple times throughout the day, but for very short periods (such as 30 minutes). Some extreme practitioners claim to sleep as little as two hours per day. Notably, Uberman Sleep is a method where individuals sleep for 20-30 minutes, 6-8 times a day.

Historical Figures: Some historical figures, like Nikola Tesla or Leonardo da Vinci, are often cited as practicing extremely short sleep schedules (though not 30 minutes per day), sometimes on a polyphasic schedule. It’s unclear if they did this consistently or if these are exaggerated claims.

Unique Cases: There are extremely rare cases of people with genetic conditions, such as short sleeper syndrome, where individuals function normally on less than 4 hours of sleep per night. However, 30 minutes would still be considered extraordinarily unusual and likely detrimental to one’s health.