Meet the Japanese bodybuilder who claims to only sleep 30 minutes a night: ‘I simply wanted more time’

A bodybuilder in Japan claims that he’s the happiest he has ever been after discovering his superhuman power: thriving on just 30 minutes of deep sleep a day.

Daisuke Hori, 40, who lives in Shibuya, Tokyo , tells The Independent he has been sleeping no more than half an hour every night for the last 15 years.

The father of an eight-year-old claims his lack of sleep means he misses out on nothing in life – maintaining a packed routine that would exhaust even the most ambitious multitasker . His daily schedule includes an array of activities ranging from working and doing household chores to exercising and surfing.

He also manages investments, plays musical instruments, and cares for his child and pet.

Speaking to The Independent , he explains: “I train my body 13 times per week, work over 10 hours a day, and take no days off. The schedule varies greatly from day to day, but one thing never changes—my 30 minutes of sleep.”

Even Hori admits that his extreme lifestyle might not work for everyone. Most doctors and scientific studies recommend seven to nine hours of nightly sleep.

But for those who can get by on less sleep in a healthy manner, he suggests, the results can be transformative. “My goal has already come true: freedom of movement, freedom in health, loved ones around me, plenty of time, and the ability to try anything,” he says. “I truly believe no one else is as happy as I am. It was not until I became a short sleeper that I found this happiness. If more people could live without worrying about sleep, I think the world would be a more peaceful place.”

The bodybuilder, who has a very active Instagram account and a YouTube channel dedicated to short sleeping, says he trains as a hobby and competes in bodybuilding competitions every year. He recently competed in the “ Best Body Japan ” event. “I go to the gym twice a day for at most 90 minutes at a time,” says Hori, who regularly posts shirtless pictures showing off the results of his labours.

Hori says he has also trained his wife to cut down her sleep time from seven hours a night to just two. His son had been sleeping three hours a day since he was born, but now sleeps for four to five hours.

It all began after Hori realised that he wanted more time in life and was inspired by a person who was a short sleeper.

“I simply wanted more time,” he says. “There was a person around me who slept for a short amount of time and that person said that he had become a short sleeper. I thought if someone else could do it, I could too.”

At age 25, Hori embarked on what would become a seven-year journey of trial and error, training his body and mind to function on increasingly reduced amounts of sleep. The process, he says, was not easy. But now, with years of practice, he claims he can do more in a day than most people manage in a week – with energy to spare.

Hori is training other people to sleep less and says most people can learn to sleep just three to four hours within six months by training under a professional. He says he has helped around 2,100 to 2,200 people who want to change their lifestyle and become short sleepers.

“Sleep is like a muscle, and it is important to gradually train it,” he says. “Think of it as similar to studying or training. Sleep is also physical. If you follow the rules, you can make it shorter.”

Hori cautions, however, that it is a drastic lifestyle change and not everyone needs to survive on less sleep.

“Sleeping for 30 minutes is an extreme idea. Not many people need that much time and freedom. The desire to sleep is strong, so I do not recommend fighting it. What is important is to devise activities that avoid the desire for sleep,“ he says.

Hori’s trick to staying awake is basically to not bore the brain by doing the same activity over time. “Do not do the same work for a long time, don’t stay in the same position for a long time, avoid using the same part of the brain for long periods of time,” he says. “In other words, make changes regularly.”

He eats a low carbohydrate diet and is mindful of blood sugar levels as a sudden rise can make one feel sleepy or drowsy.

A typical day in Hori’s life featured on the Yomiuri TV show Will You Go With Me? The reality show’s cameras followed Hori for three days.

Studies done over the years have warned against sleeping less than six hours, giving plenty of evidence that a lack of sleep has an adverse effect on health.

According to the National Sleep Foundation, an American non-profit founded in 1990, adults between the ages of 18 and 64 should aim for seven to nine hours of sleep . Those older than 65 may need seven to eight hours.

It notes that some people can function well “on the lower end of the range and others will need every minute of the upper limit”.

An hour or two more or less is not a problem but “straying too far from the recommended amount could lead to a variety of health issues” such as reduced immunity, high blood pressure, and depression.

Sleep medicine specialist Nancy Foldvary-Schaefer says sleep is crucial for every organ in the body, including the brain, as it helps the body restore nutrients, clear toxins, and recharge for the next day.

Missing as little as 1.5 hours of sleep can lead to short-term issues like decreased alertness, memory problems, mood swings, and a reluctance to engage in daily activities.

Asked if his routine might be doing him harm, Hori insists he wouldn’t want to change anything about how he is living his life now.

“I have a lot of fun working out, surfing, spending time with family and friends, and discovering new hobbies and landscapes, so I have no intention of cutting back on my time [awake],” he says.