Anyone who actually has been burnt out will know it happens after many months or even a year or more of tireless work.
If you're burning out and recovering ever next day. That's just being exhausted after a hard day's work.
He doesn't need to brag.
No need to assume the worst in people.
>Anyone who actually has been burnt out will know it happens after many months or even a year or more of tireless work.
Now it sounds like you're trying to brag. Granted, I tend to agree with you—the only caveat being, it's very possible to burn out on shorter timescales.
For example: last year I did 10 contiguous 20-hour workdays. Despite the fact I've never been more productive in my life, my brain was largely mush by the 10th day. Ended up burned out for weeks after. (Now it sounds like I'm trying to brag.)
The amount of sleep needed varies greatly from person to person
Edit: I mean, if he actually feels refreshed WHEN WAKING and not after forcing himself out of bed and downing 2 cups of coffee
6 minimum
For readers that do not click through to read the study or Wikipedia page the conclusion of the study can be summarized as:
> There are a number of mutations of BHLHE41. Mutations reduce total sleep while maintaining NREM sleep and provide resistance to the effects of sleep loss.
More info at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BHLHE41
My usual routine is up at 6, leave home at 6:15, at work by 7, work til 6pm, sport from 6:30 to 9pm, home at 10pm, dinner with my partner til 11pm, then together we work/do admin/surfing/etc. Bed is ideally 1am, though usually 1:15. So long as I get 4.5 hours sleep I am fine. Less that 4 and I feel noticeably less sharp the next day. At weekends, I will sleep 1-2 hours longer.
In a previous HN comment thread, people doubted I actually do this for more than short bursts. However my friends and colleagues know it is absolutely true: I started working like this when I was 20, and am now 47.
In my case, the genetic connection is narcolepsy, i.e. excessive sleepiness. At night, I fall asleep in typically a minute. Sleep lab tests show I hit REM sleep in several minutes. 90 minutes is normal. So my 4.5 hours is equivalent to 6 hours for 'normal' people.
For me tiredness is related to activity level, not hours awake. I deliberately go for high-pressure jobs (investment banking tech) and high-complexity active hobbies (flamenco dancing). Otherwise I would sleep all day.
Just my personal perspective...