Researchers claim that people need around 8 hours of sleep to function properly.

But that's not true for everybody. A small group (1 to 3 percent) of the population are among the "sleepless elite" who are able to get by happily on just a few hours of sleep.

Whether they're part of this lucky group or have been driven by the pressures of their jobs, we've compiled a list of successful executives, political figures, and entertainers who have shunned the 8 hour mantra and managed to rise to the top.