polyphasic sleeping
July 2nd, 2009 at 6:22 amI have decided that I am going to attempt to move my sleeping schedule from monophasic to polyphasic.
Briefly, monophasic sleeping is what you most likely do – you sleep in one phase. You go to bed sometime in the late evening, sleep for 7-8 hours before waking up in early morning. Maybe you take a nap, maybe you don’t. More than likely, if you’re sleepy, you just ingest some caffeine or sugar to give you a boost to make it to bedtime.
Polyphasic sleeping, on the other hand, rests on the contention that the 1-2 hours of REM sleep that is obtained during monophasic sleep can still be obtained, but on a different schedule (EEG studies suggest that 1-2 hours of REM is all that is needed in order to feel rested). Polyphasic sleepers sleep in multiple phases, and adhere to many different schedules. The most pure form is called “The Uberman” and consists of 6 20-30 minute naps thaken throughout the day. However, many prefer the schedule known as “The Everyman” which involves taking a 3 hour “core nap” during the night and combining it with 3-5 20-30 minutes naps during the day.
I’ve barely put this experiment of mine out there (on Twitter and Facebook), and I’m already intrigued by the push back I’m recieveing from well meaning friends and family. Mostly they ask “Isn’t that physically harmful? Why would you do that?”
I have discovered that I have been sleeping according to polyphasic principles for quite some time now. I have often and unknowingly used one of the easier schedules called “The Seista”, which has a “core nap” of about 6 hours long, plus a 20 minute nap sometime in the early afternoon. According to this schedule alone, one sleeps 1 hour 40 minutes less, but still gains the benefit of the REM cycles.
Many times, I will catch a “cat nap” in the evening and then be up until 2ish, or I will wake up around 2a or 3a and not be able to fall back asleep. I usually get up, maybe taking a quick “nap” around 5a or 6a, and then I go on with my day, not any more hindered than normal.
The fact is: I just don’t sleep as much as the normal person, and when I do (or when I get more sleep – that should be good, right?) I feel horrible all day long.
I also have a lot I want to do. I have a spouse and 4 children I want to be in relationship with, I pastor a church full time, I have a large garden, I produce and direct a weekly radio show, I would like to blog more, I have a ton of reading I want to do, I would like to enage in multiple prayer times during the day, I have a book proposal (hopefully just “book” soon) that I need to finish writing, and (as an introvert) I need some me time.
My plan is to use “The Everyman 3-nap” schedule. Obviously, some tweaking and adjustment will happen, but my plan is to “core nap” from 11p-2a, with daytime naps at 7a, 12p, and 7p. (The good thing about this schedule is the ability to shift naptime by up to 2 hrs either way.) If I succeed in adhering to “The Everyman” schedule, I will gain 4 more hours a day to achieve my goals. 4 hours a day is 1,460 hours a year, or 60.83 days – almost 2 months!
I’ll be offering some updates here and on Twitter/Facebook relating to my progress, adjustment, and thoughts associated with polyphasic sleeping.
Hmmm….almost time for a nap….

