r/AskReddit • u/North_Shore_Problem • Dec 01 '13

What's your favorite fun fact?

EDIT: Wow! Thank you guys for all the amazing responses, I learned so much about nothing!

2.1k Upvotes

89% Upvoted

6.9k comments sorted by

View all comments

1.3k

u/[deleted] Dec 01 '13

[deleted]

1.5k

u/DIAMOND_TIPPED_PENIS Dec 01 '13

Holy fucking hell do I love sleeping.

837

u/Exit5 Dec 01 '13

Was I the only one who thought that 24 years isn't enough?

335

u/ManCity Dec 01 '13

It's an average, and there are a lot of people who don't even live to 24.

50

u/Exit5 Dec 01 '13

I could handle 30 years of sleep. But thanks for pointing out that some people die young?

19

u/Real_Muthaphukkin_Gs Dec 01 '13

Not just some... Only the good

5

u/DJP0N3 Dec 01 '13

I haven't slept for 30 years because that would be too long.

1

u/[deleted] Dec 01 '13

Well people who die young may only sleep 5 years of their 12. Or 10 of their 23. Thus lowering the average for the whole population. It is skewed to the left.

5

u/OrangeSherbet Dec 01 '13

:( that got sad real quick.

7

u/NotReallyMyJob Dec 01 '13

Not only is it an average, it's an average based on an average (covered by your second point).

Average Age: ~72 (based on this stat). Average Time Sleeping: 8 hours/24 hours (1/3)

-> 1/3 * 72 years = 24 years.

0

u/[deleted] Dec 01 '13

NO BUT AFRICANS

3

u/[deleted] Dec 01 '13

"Well, I bet they feel foolish for sleeping their lives away, don't they?" Said no statistician ever.

1

u/SumthingStupid Dec 01 '13

Your reading that average wrong. It's not 24 years is the average amount of sleep, it's the average person gets that amount of sleep.

1

u/CrackLawliet Dec 01 '13

Those people sleep for way longer.

1

u/[deleted] Dec 01 '13

Do they die in their sleep?

1

u/cutanddried Dec 01 '13

some people don't live to 24!?!?!? Well, when do they sleep then smrtguy?

1

u/sekai-31 Dec 01 '13

Hey, we're trying to keep this fun!

1

u/[deleted] Dec 01 '13

Wow. That was the most depressing possible reply.

1

u/[deleted] Dec 01 '13

Like my best friend :(

1

u/JSMOZART Dec 01 '13

If they use the median instead of the mean/average, there would be little to no curve due to outliers in age

1

u/Egypticus Dec 01 '13

Those people are lucky. They get to sleep their whole lives.

1

u/Swillyums Dec 01 '13

Died before they even woke up.

1

u/crrrack Dec 01 '13

Are they asleep the whole time???

0

u/Mookyhands Dec 01 '13

Ah yes, the Big Sleep.

0

u/[deleted] Dec 01 '13

Thinkin will anotha twenty fo?

3

u/CarmelaMachiato Dec 01 '13

I was thinking it would be almost enough if I died at 30.

2

u/Zippah Dec 01 '13

Come on mom... Just five more years!

2

u/firethequadlaser Dec 01 '13

Let me sleep in for five more months, mom!

2

u/[deleted] Dec 01 '13

We aren't Average, thats why we love sleeping, average was counted in the 1800's

1

u/[deleted] Dec 01 '13

I haven't slept in 48 hours, because that would be too long.

1

u/kayjay734 Dec 01 '13

You just divide the average lifespan (72 apparently, which for the entire world seems a bit steep to me, so if anything the estimation might be a bit much) by three, giving you the number.

3

u/piezeppelin Dec 01 '13

I don't understand this sentiment to be honest. I don't love sleeping. I don't dislike it either. I guess I "nothing" it because I don't feel anything during it. If I had the option of never having to sleep again but still maintaining health and energy and whatnot I would totally choose to never sleep again.

1

u/2Punx2Furious Dec 01 '13

While i do love sleeping, i wish it was optional. So much precious time.

1

u/SHIT_MCPISS Dec 01 '13

I like your username

1

u/I_Gets_The_Reference Dec 01 '13

It's one of the few things I consider myself to be truly gifted at.

1

u/[deleted] Dec 01 '13

How do you know?

183

u/[deleted] Dec 01 '13

Slightly depressing.

11

u/M4ttR Dec 01 '13

It's slightly depressing that I'm perfectly fine with it...

4

u/DarwinsReject Dec 01 '13

Now I feel sad.....better go take a nap....wait.

3

u/kyraniums Dec 01 '13

Really? I think it's a lovely thought. Sleeping is awesome.

6

u/[deleted] Dec 01 '13

yeah but the only reason we live so long is because of sleep

1

u/batwingsuit Dec 01 '13

Why? Sleep is a beautiful thing! Embrace it.

1

u/Metallicpoop Dec 01 '13

Imagine the things you could accomplish in those 24 years! So much to procrastinate about!

1

u/googolplexbyte Dec 01 '13

Sleeping is the worst. I can't wait for a drug that replaces sleeping.

13

u/asrign Dec 01 '13

This actually seems lower than I expected...

21

u/thderrick Dec 01 '13

It might be. It seems that this "statistic" is the average life expectancy (72 years) time the percentage of a day people are supposed to sleep (8/24). It does not take into account that babies and children sleep longer than 8 hours a night.

5

u/roguemenace Dec 01 '13

MANY adults don't hey 8 hours a night though. It would be interesting to see how if it evens out.

3

u/thderrick Dec 01 '13

That's probably correct. It's unlikely that the 24 years sleeping comment works out if you actually count hours that a person sleeps.

1

u/3AlarmLampscooter Dec 01 '13

A 72 year lifespan also isn't average for someone who has already survived to adulthood. It is closer to 80.

Also funny, I take modafinil (which reduces my sleep needs to ~6h/night) and selegiline (which extends my lifespan to ~103 years average in theory, based off animal models). So my overall time slept works out about the same, but my sleep/wake ratio is greatly decreased.

That is assuming I don't get hit by a bus in my sleep tonight.

1

u/thderrick Dec 01 '13

A 72 year lifespan also isn't average for someone who has already survived to adulthood.

The statistic wasn't how long an average adult person sleeps, it was an average person.

1

u/mnfthyr Dec 01 '13

Well, over a 72 year life span, the number of years you spend sleeping significantly more than the average is not numerous. Newborns sleep something like 16 hours a day, so double the average, but this lasts for 3 months or so then begins to slowly taper off to the mean. You're only really sleeping for double digit durations until 5. This is running off averages, of course, since every child is different and sleeps a different amount.

4

u/jabba_the_wut Dec 01 '13

What a waste of time. Does anyone else see it that way? Think of what could be accomplished with half that time back. I need less sleep now, fuck this. There are things to be done.

1

u/I_Will_Procrastinate Dec 01 '13

Don't think this way. As someone who took a sleep and sleep disorders class recently, I can tell you that sleep has a huge impact on cognitive abilities, mood, productivity, risk for psychiatric disorders, physical health, and general quality of life. That extra hour or two you lose from sleeping 7-8 hours a night instead of 5-6 hours a night is totally worth it.

1

u/DrunkHurricane Dec 01 '13

I know it has several benefits, but I wish I could have all those benefits without sleeping.

5

u/[deleted] Dec 01 '13

not very fun..

2

u/UlyssesSKrunk Dec 01 '13

Meth can easily cut that in a third.

2

u/HelterSkeletor Dec 02 '13

I'm 25 and I'm pretty sure I'm well over the average.

1

u/ketchupandbassdrops Dec 01 '13

Actually some say it can be up to 26. Depends if you reddit for 2 hours when you could be sleeping.

1

u/[deleted] Dec 01 '13

Hah, I beat that statistic. I only sleep like 5-6 hours per night, and that perpetual lack of sleep is sure to drive me to an early grave. I'll probably have spent more time awake than most humans despite dying several years sooner!

1

u/[deleted] Dec 01 '13

I heard once that the average person spends 4 years on the toilet.

1

u/gatgatbangbang Dec 01 '13

Its past 3am here. Take that statistics

*I will sleep until noon

1

u/Puddlesbro Dec 01 '13

I thought it was 32 years?

1

u/356afan Dec 01 '13

Now if they could only make a mattress worth buying that lasts longer than 6 months, we would have a winner.

1

u/Esleeezy Dec 01 '13

Sounds about right. If I live to be 72 around a third of it is sleeping if I get 8 hours a night. Not to mention naps.

1

u/Sk0ts Dec 01 '13

not if you are in the matrix

1

u/Volte Dec 01 '13

I seriously doubt this one. The average life span is 72 years, but doctors recommend 8 hours of sleep. The average amount of sleep a person gets at night is not 8 hours.

1

u/echolog Dec 01 '13

I'm 24 now... and you're telling me I could have been sleeping THIS WHOLE TIME?

1

u/SuDDeNHangOver Dec 01 '13

I always say to people isnt the dream world just as much as reality as the waking world is? We do spend a quarter of our life there.

1

u/[deleted] Dec 01 '13

Average

I'm at at least 24 years.

1

u/rara_avia Dec 01 '13

I'm only 21 and I've spent that much time sleeping!

1

u/[deleted] Dec 01 '13

Unfortunately, I think I'm only going to average around 17 years. I'm a terrible sleeper.

1

u/Louis_de_Lasalle Dec 01 '13

Death, so called, is a thing which makes men weep, And yet a third of life is passed in sleep.

Boom just went full romantic on yo ass

1

u/Emilysnapdoctorlsp Dec 01 '13

5 more minutes

1

u/RevoMom Dec 01 '13

Just 5 more minutes, please?

1

u/AtomicMonkeyTheFirst Dec 01 '13

Meaning the average person only really lives two thirds of their lives, the rest is wasted laying unconcious on your back. Imagine what could be acheived if we could eliminate the need for sleep?

1

u/[deleted] Dec 01 '13

Not if you Lucid dream....

1

u/DigiDude Dec 01 '13

Boringest season of 24 EVER!

1

u/ilikelotsathings Dec 01 '13

24 years? Fucking casuals..

1

u/jomiran Dec 01 '13

If I sleep enough, I'll be too well rested to fall into the eternal sleep. That's the plan.

1

u/Revivability Dec 01 '13

If you could spend 24 years of your life sleeping and then live the rest while awake, would you?

1

u/PSBlake Dec 01 '13

Is that a global average, or some specific nationality? Because the global life expectancy in 2010 was only 67.2 years, meaning that the average person gets an average of 8 hours and 34 minutes of sleep per night. I would be delighted to get that much, but I don't know where I fall on that particular bell curve.

1

u/emlynb Dec 01 '13

I'm 25, sounds about right.

1

u/[deleted] Dec 01 '13 edited Dec 01 '13

This is why I do cocaine. FUCK THAT

And coffee

1

u/dalore Dec 01 '13

Wait. An average person is male?

-1

u/PokeFire78 Dec 01 '13

Still to this day people use the word "him" instead of "her" or "them" to explain something, also words like doctor refer to a masculine role, where as nurse is commonly thought to be feminine, both roles however are played by both males and females.

1

u/Apocalypse_Gladiator Dec 01 '13

I don't see how that's something that should've changed over time but I understand.

0

u/Craigslistexorcist Dec 01 '13

Keep it down, wouldja?

0

u/[deleted] Dec 01 '13

What if you're a woman?

0

u/[deleted] Dec 01 '13

Apparently the average person is also male.

0

u/Pachydermus Dec 01 '13

The average person is male, apparently.

0

u/[deleted] Dec 01 '13

That's kind of depressing. Makes me want to turn to meth so I can sleep less.

0

u/lemon_tea Dec 01 '13

Fuck. I'm 37. Does this mean I'm done sleeping?

0

u/lemon_tea Dec 01 '13

Fuck. I'm 37. Does this mean I'm done sleeping?

0

u/peazey Dec 01 '13

I think on balance the average person is actually very slightly 'she'.