5-6 hours is ideal for me. Any less and I'll be quite grumpy (especially since I recently gave up coffee, crazy I know), any more and I'll be tired from too much sleep. Every once in a great while if I have a sleep deficit or something I will sleep for 8-9 hours.

The earliest shift I've had to work is the 7a.m. opening. I am not a morning person so it's always awful, particularly since I usually close the night before. I'm lucky to get 4 hours of sleep on those nights. Thankfully I don't get stuck with those very often.

Lately I've adopted a much earlier schedule though. I'm falling asleep around 10-11p.m. depending on what time I'm out of work and getting up around 5 or 6. Used to go to bed around 2a.m. then get up for 8ish. Strange but useful, I suppose.

~DragonHeart~