Halp Sleep Patterns

fly

omg
Oct 1, 2004
78,979
27,173
1,323
Marklar
₥83,324
Steam
mattressfish
So everyone obviously has different sleep patterns. I'm a 7-8 hour person and can't sleep past about 8-9am no matter what time I go to bed. FF to now...

Over the last couple months, I've run across several articles about polyphasic sleep. Basically, depending on the cycle you chose, you can be a fully functional human being on as little as 2 hours of sleep in a 24 hour period.

Anyone ever tried anything like this? It seems like it could be awesome to get an extra 4-6 hours a day (essentially) for free. There are several cycles to try:

http://www.highexistence.com/alternate-sleep-cycles/

This one seems the most interesting to me.
One longer “core” nap that is supplemented with several 20-30 minute naps. The most successful variations that I have read about are either one 3 hour nap and three 20-minute naps or one 1.5 hour nap with 4-5 20 minute naps, all of which have equal amounts of time in between each nap. This cycle is much easier to adjust to than the Uberman and allows for more flexibity in nap times and in skipping naps when necessary.

The guy running that site sleeps from 23:00-02:00 with 20 minute naps at 06:00, 12:00, and 18:00. I could get a lot done if I did this. Pick up a new sport, get in shape, or level six Night Elfs at once.

Additionally, polyphasic sleeping increases your ability to lucid dream. So not only do you have more time during the day, you can also be active in your sleep.

Who's in with me???
 
Screw that. I want 9 hours of sleep a day (no I don't actually get that). I love to sleep, why would I want to cut it out. I'll be interested in hearing your research on the subject though.
 
When in my manic modes i survive doing 3 to 4 hours of sleep at night plus a few 20 minute naps scattered throughout the day. When it passes I crash super hard.
 
if work didnt interfere with the intervals i'd totally be down with it.

could i do it only on the weekends?
You can't catch a 20 minute nap during lunch at work? And no, it probably wouldn't be good to just try it on weekends. Apparently, it can take up to a month for your body to totally get used to it.
When in my manic modes i survive doing 3 to 4 hours of sleep at night plus a few 20 minute naps scattered throughout the day. When it passes I crash super hard.
I think that's probably a little different then just changing when you sleep. :p
I can't nap, it just makes me feel lousy and not like doing a dang thing.

The difference here is that REM sleep is the "best" sleep for you. Normally, it can take an hour or more for you to enter REM sleep overnight. Once your body is attuned to polyphasic sleeping, you enter it almost immediately during your naps. So its not like a normal nap that you and I experience.

And I do enjoy sleep as well. Its probably my only reservation about trying this. It sure would be nice to have all that extra time though! No way I can do it unless April does tho.
 
You can't catch a 20 minute nap during lunch at work? And no, it probably wouldn't be good to just try it on weekends. Apparently, it can take up to a month for your body to totally get used to it.

nope. someone would be bothering me, and i have to eat sometime. :(

if i lived close enough to work to go home at lunch, i totally would try this.
 
Bizarrely, with my job, that might actually work.

"Okay, so, you can sleep as much as you want for this alert. You just have to wake up 4 times to cover for me sleeping for 20 minutes. Deal?"
 
I've read a lot about that plan of sleep. Most people wind up going crazy trying it. They become unable to think clearly or process emotions. Many sleep specialists will tell you it is a bad idea. Your body just isn't made for that. Just ask any new parent. They do say if you are going to nap during the day you should do it in 20 minute increments because that is the amount of time it takes a normal person to go through a sleep cycle. I had to take a class about sleeping once.
 
This sounds way too complicated and plain squirrely nuts!

I live on abt 5-6 hrs a night. Seems if I get more than that, I feel shitty.