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SoCoder -> Blogs Home -> Blogs

 
JL235
Created : 10 April 2010
 
System : Cross Platform

Polynapping
As some may know here I've recently been interested in changing my sleeping pattern over to a Polyphasic schedule. This means I will sleep multiple times a day, rather then just once.

Why?

REM sleep is the only part of sleep which is really crutial. During an 8 hour sleep you only receive approximately 1 and a half hours of REM sleep in mix of 10 to 20 minute bursts. So your doing lots of extra sleep on top just to keep you recouperated for the 16 hours you'll be awake for. This typically leads to people becomming drowsy or tired from the afternoon onwards (it's well documented in businesses that employees are at their most productive before lunch).

This the first reason as to why I am switching to this schedule, I don't like feeling productive for only half the day. Regular refreshing naps should help to revitalise me for work and play.

Second is the obvious benefit of having more time. This isn't so I can work more but rather the opposite. To free up more personal time without needing to do less work.

Uberman

A light sleep in the afternoon can recouperate you, making you feel refreshed; so why not take that further and sleep multiple times a day? Then you could sleep less, but more often. This is what I aim to achieve by sleeping only 2 to 3 hours a day using the Uberman schedule.

Each nap is at most 30 minutes long, and I have 6 naps a day. Over time your body switches it's sleeping pattern to go into REM sleep the moment your away (as otherwise your not getting any).

Day 1.5

Today is technically the second day as I started the schedule yesterday. But I started sleeping at my new hours in the afternoon. So how is it so far?

The best thing is that I am sleeping during all of the designated naps. I'm also finding it pretty damn easy to get up (even when tired).

All through last night I felt amazing. Very productive, got the ground work of an app I've been wanted to build with WPF done, played lots of Final Fantasy, watched a couple of Battlestar Galactica episodes. Over the morning before lunch I had all of my daily grind sorted (shopping, sorting e-mails, washing up, swept my room, washed clothes and general house stuff). After the next nap I sat outside a read a third of a book I've been looking for. After the next nap I've devoted the next set of hours to PC work; and this seems to be a bid change that I've noticed.

After only 1 day I feel really pressurred that I only have 4 hours between naps. I keep looking at the clock working out how much time I have left (right now 1 hour 15 minutes before the next snooze). But because my awake-time is now split into these ultra small chunks I'm finding myself theming them and trying to cram in as much stuff as possible (one for work, one for play, one for chores that I did earlier, one for reading, and my next one is for going out socialising). It's a great feeling of productivity looking back over only 4 hours and thinking about all the stuff I managed to fit in before I have to go to sleep. The limit of time schedule is forcing me to organise my time better.

Awesome! Where do I sign?

However it's not all been plain sailing. Right now I'm still adjusting, and I've read this will get worse before it gets better. I haven't been that tired all day, at worst my eyes feel a little swolen but not at all heavy.

One of the big issues is the feeling of long term time. It feels as though have both been awake continously for days, whilst also going through a weeks worth of days in only a few hours. Dispite doing loads of work this morning, my concentration is also waaaaay off now. When reading online I follow a couple of lines and then keep skipping the second half of paragraphs.

 

Comments
Saturday, 10 April 2010, 19:07
CodersRule
 		I'd do this during the summer to get my site done quicker, but I'd have the same problem you've been having; it feels like you've been awake for consecutive days, and I'm not sure I can handle that.
Saturday, 10 April 2010, 22:14
Stealth
 		It's weird that you blogged about this because I've been considering the exact same thing. I've been reading in to this a lot over the last few days.

I think I'm going to try a different sleep schedule. It's called biphasic sleep. The times are this:

6:00am - 9:00am (core sleep)
9:00pm - 10:30pm (nap)

This allots me 4.5 hours of sleep. I like this method better because it's more flexible and doesn't require me to sleep at awkward times (like while I'm at work). Polyphasic sleep requires strict following or you'll end up exhausted. This method allows you to skip the nap and resume a normal sleep schedule of 1:00am to 9:00am if your day can't flow around the nap.

Unfortunately, this wastes more time of non-REM sleep. Kind of sucks. But 4.5 hours isn't too shabby.
Sunday, 11 April 2010, 01:06
Jayenkai
 		I'm now 30, therefore I have now gained the uncanny ability to wake up at stupid-o-clock, needing a pee.

Does that count as biphasic sleeping?

Slightly annoying, I can't seem to get back to sleep after having gotten up, so my sleep's entirely out of whack, right now. Perhaps I oughta have a mid-day nap, too.
Sunday, 11 April 2010, 06:22
CodersRule
 		@Stealth:
I was going to do that last summer - go to sleep in the morning, then again at night. It was for a bit longer than that, but it was the same concept. I just never got around to it, and my schedule interfered with dinner some nights. Meh.
Sunday, 11 April 2010, 13:09
mole
 		I am interested in this; on paper it seems a good idea. The polyphasic method is just too inconvenient though. I wonder about the biphasic method though; could it be adapted so that one is awake for 7.00am (more convenient during school than wondering in 2 hours late some days)?

My latest health/sleep plan started a few days ago too. I'm doing that thing where one drinks loooooads of water. I try for 1.5 to 2 litres a day. I'm hoping to see an effect in a few days/weeks. At the very least, it is probably better than drinking practically no water (as I did before).