Japanese dad, Daisuke Hori, sleeps 30 minutes a day to ‘double’ his life

A Japanese father and bodybuilder claims he is a “true master” and has “doubled” his life by only sleeping half an hour per night for a dozen years.

Daisuke Hori, 40, says he has trained his body and mind to function normally and not feel tired as he targets between 30 to 45 minutes of sleep each night.

Hori relies on remaining active and caffeine to keep awake and alert throughout his 23.5-hour day.

“As long as you do sports or drink coffee an hour before eating, you can stave off drowsiness,” he said according to the South China Morning Post.

Hori, who lives in the Hyogo prefecture northwest of Osaka, began cutting back on his daily sleep 12 years ago to gain more active hours per day.

Hori’s technique is based on quality over quantity of sleep.

“People who need sustained focus in their work benefit more from high-quality sleep than long sleep. For instance, doctors and firefighters have shorter rest periods but maintain high efficiency,” he said.

Hori, an entrepreneur, recently competed in the “Best Body Japan” competition which features men and women competing to showcase the ideal athletic physique.

A typical day for the married father of one was captured by Japan’s “Yomiuri TV” as Hori was featured in the reality show “Will you go with me?” that captured Hori’s life over three days of filming.

One day Hori slept for 26 minutes, waking up naturally, refreshed and full of energy, according to SCMP.

He ate breakfast and headed to work, while also getting a workout.

Hori founded the Japan Short Sleepers Training Association in 2016 where he reportedly has taught over 2,100 people to become ultra-short sleepers.

One of his students said she started cutting back sleep four years ago and has gone from eight hours daily to just 90 minutes while her skin and mental health are in “great condition.”

For adults to achieve “optimal health,” the National Institutes of Health recommends seven or more hours of sleep per night regularly as “adverse health outcomes” including weight gain, obesity, diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and stroke, and depression have been observed in adults getting less than 7 hours daily.

Hori is the latest in a line of entrepreneurs in a battle against Father Time.

Bryan Johnson, 47, said he spends around $2 million to bio-hack his body into regaining its youth.

In 2023, the software developer claimed that he has the heart of a 37-year-old, the skin of a 28-year-old, and the lung capacity and fitness of an 18-year-old.

Johnson’s routine includes a 5 a.m. wakeup time, one-hour exercise regimen, four to five hours of “concentrated thought,” 111 supplements, a 2,250-calorie vegan diet, blood transfusions and daily health tests, as well as a rigid bedtime routine where he’s hooked up to a machine that counts his nighttime erections.