How can I reduce the amount of sleep I need?

Sleep is a law established by Allah the Almighty in this world and one of His great blessings to humanity. Allah says in the Qur'an:

«Ол сондай Алла, сендерге түнді киім, ұйқыны тынығу етіп, күндізді (кәсіпке) тарқау мезгілі қылды», – деген.

Since Allah has given us the night for rest, we should sleep more at night and spend the day being productive. The purpose of sleep is to allow the body to rest, regain strength, and be ready to worship Allah.

Although there are no specific proofs in the Sharia about reducing sleep, there are recommendations about regulating sleep, not oversleeping, and using time effectively. Therefore, if a person manages their sleep, they can achieve much more in life. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and his companions slept little, yet they would still stand for prayer during part of the night. Allah describes the worshippers in the Qur'an as follows:

«Олар (мұхсиндер) түннен аз ғана ұйықтайтын, ал сәресінде олар кешірім тілейтін».

For this reason, scholars have considered excessive sleep to be makruh (disliked). Too much sleep is a sign of laziness and leads to wasting time. Some scholars have said: "Excessive sleep kills the heart, burdens the body, reduces time, and leads to heedlessness and laziness. The most beneficial sleep is when one sleeps only when truly tired."

However, it is not permissible to reduce sleep to the extent that it harms one's health. Here are some ways to help reduce sleep:

• Eat less food. The fuller the stomach, the more a person tends to sleep. Reducing food intake also reduces sleep. Sleeping on a full stomach is harmful to health and leads to heavy sleep.

• Wake up early in the morning and go to bed on time at night. Sleeping between Fajr prayer and sunrise is discouraged, as this is a time when sustenance is distributed and blessings descend. It is best to pray Isha and go to bed immediately. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) disliked sleeping before Isha and engaging in idle talk after it.

• Gradually shorten your sleep time. This helps train the self.

• Be mindful of your worship and fear missing it. When a person is concerned about something, their sleep naturally decreases.

• Improve sleep quality. Avoid using gadgets before bed, darken the room, and ventilate it for better rest.

These practices help regulate sleep, prevent oversleeping, and make better use of your time.

Medet QURMASHULY

"Iman" magazine, No.1, 2025