I think generally the idea is that if you can't get exercise and 8 hours of sleep you need to reprioritize. If you only have these 2 options, there are bigger problems you need to tackle to open up time.

IMO, sleep trumps everything. One month ago I sacrificed exercise in order to sleep more. Lack of good sleep had destroyed me. I felt drained 24/7, whenever I sat down I had trouble getting up.

I feel better now.

I would think the sleep for sure. I don't think many studies recommend 1+ hours of exercise a day. If you walk as much as possible, squeeze in 15 minutes of (body) weight training a day and maybe two 30 minutes of jogging a week you should be pretty good.

One advice we can't act upon is "work less". We can't win.

>One advice we can't act upon is "work less". We can't win.

I think most of the people on hn (or at least most well-paid tech workers... do those still make the majority here?) can work less fairly easily, if that working less comes with the massive performance boost that goes with sleeping properly. I'm sure it's way different for retail and other hourly-type workers.

If I sleep more and if I sleep better? I am just way more effective. When I'm being effective and getting things done, people are pretty slack about me showing up late and/or leaving early, even at the FANG companies.

I mean, I don't know anyone who put "I worked X hours a day" in their promo packet; nobody cares. no, the idea behind the promo packet is that you show what you accomplished, and how those accomplishments effected the company.

My experience is that the boss gets on me about working more only when I'm not producing enough; usually the solution isn't to work more, but instead to figure out why I'm not performing up to expectations and fix that.

Set a timer on your computer that goes off while programming. When it goes off get up and do 10 pushup no matter where you are. Right in the middle of work. Then go back to coding. Next time 10 squats. Then 10 lunges. Or 10 chair dips. At first you'll get funny looks but soon people may join you.

If you're so time crunched I'd say choose 30 minutes less sleep 3x per week and do a bodyweight workout where you are, as you are (so it doesnt cost you travel time).

Because one is not better than the other. They perform complementary functions. Hence, I would suggest either finding time for both (I don't) or alternating.

That is, one day you sleep more and don't exercise and the next day you sleep less and exercise.