For the most of my 86+ years I've heard/read that I need 8 hours of sleep to function properly. I can't remember ever sleeping for eight hours. I might have as a child, but never gave it any thought. On average I have slept 5-7 hours a night for the most of my life. I began smoking and drinking coffee at the age of eleven, still do, and my health is not so bad. I do have the beginnings of cardio-vascular disease, which I take medication for. I am still active and live alone. Question: how am I managing my life without the eight hours of sleep the experts say I need? Should I be worried that I went through life without eight hours of sleep? Calculating that I only slept seven hours a night instead of eight, for 86+ years, I have effectively added over three years of waking hours to my life. Is that one way of looking at it?
I suppose the real question to ask yourself is... what did you do with that 3 "extra" years?
My parents use to doze off after breakfast, then again after lunch, then catch a nap before dinner, and really zone out after dinner. But be awake to watch all of Johnny Carson. They use to brag that they needed only 6 hours of sleep :)
The smoking's what's going to get you like it did my grandmother. She went in the hospital with a broken arm, developed pneumonia, and when they x-rayed her lungs, they discovered she was riddled with cancer. She died the next day, and no one ever knew she was sick, including her.
That's what 65 years of smoking unfiltered Camels does to you, but who cares? You've already lived three years longer than my grandmother did. You do you!
I am sure you don't want preaching but cigarettes are really not a good choice especially if many are smoked in a day regularly. I don't know you of course but as someone who generally cares about others well being I think if you could work towards tapering at least you would be so much better off especially as you age.
I know it is not easy at all to stop. I have witnessed friends/co workers in the past trying to do this. Since I am retired I haven't stayed in touch with certain people who were attempting this. I do know of people who kicked the habit and they all seem grateful to have done so and much better off physically. Good luck to you and any healthy choices you might try to take on if you do work towards that.
7.5 hours of sleep is optimal for adults.
Most adults need 7 to 9 hours, although some people may need as few as 6 hours or as many as 10 hours of sleep each day.
Less than 6 or more than 9 hours of sleeep as a permanent pattern showed negative health effects.