How to deal with getting less sleep?

[der affe]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ephedrine

[freeride53]

I'm a student at an University of California, and have a lot of shit to do.
On top of that, I'm on the rowing team, so I wake up M-F @ 5-5:25am, every Saturday @ 6:00am.
Still getting a hang of it...but I'm starting to experiment with naps when ever I can.
I started my sleep-log last week, gonna make sure I get a minimum of 8 hrs now...

[Gubernaculum]

Get up at the same time every single day. I never thought I'd be getting up at 4:15am and going to bed at 10 to 11pm, but that's where I'm at.
Alcohol may help you fall asleep but will make you sleep less deeply. Don't do it.

[MikeDE]

^Naps are key. When I work early shift, (up at 430am)6am-230pm, I usually get about 4.5-5hrs of sleep the night before. I will sleep on my 30min lunch break(1130am) and usually manage about 15mins of real sleep. That gets me through the rest of the day till bedtime, around 1030pm. But working late shift(230/300-1050/1120) is what really messes me up. I get up at about 730am, to get the kids out the door to Kindergarten. I usually dont go back to bed unless i'm shot. So I go tinker or do some other work around the house. Time to yourself w/o the wife and kids around is priceless. At about 100-130 I leave for work and try to close my eyes in the car for a little while. I do the same on my 'lunch' break at about 6pm. And it gets me through till I go to bed usually around 130am. Then I get 6hrs and it starts all over again.

Try to get some naps in on a regular schedule and you'll be alright.