Get Your Sleep
I will sometimes work very late, way past midnight, when I get into the zone while working on a project. However, due to my strict workout regime, I need a ton of sleep. When I miss sleep due to working late, it affects not just my workouts, but everything else. It's like being hungover, except maybe worse, since you can't really feel the effects of a few hours of missed sleep as much. Even if you feel like you're fine, you're not. Not by much, but just enough to make a small difference. That's why I prefer 8 hours of sleep at minimum, and 9.5 hours is my target.
Here's John Carmack on sleep:
I've never been one of those programmers that works effectively on short amounts of sleep. I've always needed eight hours.
I've read a longer quote before where he also adds that it's not completely wrong to stay up late to meet a deadline. He just says that it's not sustainable in the long term, and that he needs his 8 hours. The key is to think of things in the long term. Getting a good amount of sleep each night keeps your mind fresh. You'll be able to think more clearly and come up with better ideas for anything you're working on. Don't let the stereotype of a "genius programmer who stays up all night" lead you astray. If that's not who you are, you're better off getting a good amount of sleep.
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