For some people, six hours of sleep is a huge win despite the 7-9 hour guideline. In this post we dig into why sleep duration guidelines exist, what chronic low sleep is linked to (from mood and performance to long-term cognitive health), and why "I've always slept bad" isn't the same as "this isn't affecting me." Then we get practical: how to work with six hours instead of obsessing over eight, why quality often matters more than quantity, and how nutrition, training, and stress quietly impact sleep. We also cover when it's time to go beyond habit tweaks and involve a sleep study or medical support. No shame, no sleep virtue signaling. Just a nuanced conversation about protecting your health when perfect sleep isn't on the table.