Question: Over the last few months I've started meditating late on a night (as well as my usual morning practice). I'm finding that I am sleeping less but not feeling tired because of it. Is there any information around about how mediation may or may not affect sleep patterns? 

For instance [Dipa Ma](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dipa_Ma), the Indian housewife and meditation teacher was up at 4.00 am every morning to meditate for a few hours presumably finding that perfectly OK. That said [Margaret Thatcher](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret_Thatcher) only slept for 4 hours a night and I would hesitate to call her a Buddhist meditation master.

Answer: 
The reason the body do not need as much sleep when one do a lot of meditation is because while we meditate, we are getting some rest that the body needs. Meditation increases the production of melatonin in our bodies. Melatonin is a hormone known for creating restful sleep.

[This article might help](http://eocinstitute.org/meditation/require-less-sleep-with-meditation-460/).
More you meditate less sleep you need. The need for sleep is based on how energetic you are. Meditation stirs up more energy and you become energetic.

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> Similarly, when you go to bed at night, close your eyes and feel sensation anywhere within the body. If you fall asleep with this awareness, naturally as soon as you wake up in the morning, you will be aware of sensation. Perhaps you may not sleep soundly, or you may even remain fully awake throughout the night. This is wonderful, provided you stay lying in bed and maintain awareness and equanimity. The body will receive the rest it needs, and there is no greater rest for the mind than to remain aware and equanimous. However, if you start worrying that you are developing insomnia, then you will generate tensions, and will feel exhausted the next day. Nor should you forcefully try to stay awake, remaining in a seated posture all night; that would be going to an extreme. If sleep comes, very good; sleep. If sleep does not come, allow the body to rest by remaining in a recumbent position, and allow the mind to rest by remaining aware and equanimous.
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> At first it may seem a heavy burden to devote two hours a day to meditation, but you will soon find that much time will be saved that was wasted in the past. Firstly, you will need less time for sleep. Secondly, you will be able to complete your work more quickly, because your capacity for work will increase. When a problem arises you will remain balanced, and will be able immediately to find the correct solution. As you become established in the technique, you will find that having meditated in the morning, you are full of energy throughout the day, without any agitation.
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Source: [The Discourse Summaries](http://www.vridhamma.org/The-Discourse-Summaries)