The world's former and current successful leaders reap benefits from less shut eye than normal.
The world's former and current successful leaders reap benefits from less shut eye than normal.

Barack Obama needs six hours before he is satisfied. The late Margaret Thatcher did it for four hours every night while Italian PM Silvio Berlusconi only needs two hours to get his fix.

Each built up their political reputations on less than the recommended amount of sleep, according to The National Sleep Foundation which suggests seven to nine hours of sleep a night for 18 to 64-year-olds to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

A new infographic, published by www.madetomeasureblinds-uk.com, today reveals the strange sleeping habits of the world's successful people from business to politics.

It shows Thatcher alongside 19th century inventors Thomas Edison and Alexander Bell who needed only four hours sleep while Bill Gates meets the required standard of seven hours.

In contrast other highly successful individuals, such as Huffington Post co-founder, Arianna Huffington, enjoy a leisurely seven to eight hours.

The chart is based on the more standard monophasic sleep cycle (sleeping for once in a 24-hour period).

successful sleep patterns
Successful Sleep Patterns Madetomeasureblinds-uk.com
Barack Obama