30 minutes of sleep a day? Japanese man says it's his secret to success

Daisuke Hori, a 40-year-old entrepreneur from Japan, claims to have trained himself to function on just 30 to 45 minutes of sleep per day for the past 12 years

We all know how important sleep is—those blissful 7 to 9 hours that keep us functioning like well-oiled machines. But what if you could get by on just 30 minutes of sleep? That’s the claim of a Japanese man who says his ultra-short sleep routine has taken his work efficiency to the next level.

Daisuke Hori, a 40-year-old entrepreneur from Hyogo prefecture, Japan, says he has trained his body and mind to function on a mere 30 to 45 minutes of shut-eye each day for the last 12 years.

Hori, who is passionate about music, painting, and mechanical design, began trimming his sleep schedule 12 years ago to carve out more time for his many interests. Eventually, he landed on his ultra-short sleep routine, which he claims makes him feel more energetic and productive.

“As long as you do sports or drink coffee an hour before eating, you can stave off drowsiness,” Hori was quoted by the South China Morning Post (SCMP).

Curious about Hori’s sleep experiment, Japan’s Yomiuri TV featured him on their reality show 'Will You Go With Me?' During the show, Hori slept for just 26 minutes, woke up feeling refreshed, and even hit the gym. His secret to success? He insists that high-quality sleep, even in small doses, can be more effective than long, uninterrupted sleep—especially for those in high-focus jobs like doctors and firefighters.

“People who need sustained focus in their work benefit more from high-quality sleep than long sleep,” Hori told the outlet.

Hori has even shared his ultra-short sleep philosophy with others, teaching more than 2,100 students to adopt similar habits. One of his students told Yomiuri TV she went from sleeping eight hours a night to just 90 minutes after undergoing Hori’s training.

While Hori’s approach might seem extreme, he’s not the only one with a unique sleep story. In another one-of-a-kind case, an 80-year-old Vietnamese man named Thai Ngoc claims he hasn’t slept a wink in over 60 years. Ngoc says he lost his ability to sleep after catching a fever in 1962, and despite trying countless therapies and sleeping pills, his insomnia remains unshaken.