Polyphasic sleeping

Anyone ever heard of this (AKA:The Uberman sleep schedule)? It would be extremely interesting to know if anyone here has been able to pull it off with an IT work schedule.

Here's a brief summary of what it is:

Uberman's sleep schedule || kuro5hin.org

Essentially, instead of taking 1 big lump of sleep (8hrs), the idea is to spread your sleep out into multiple short naps. The uberman schedule is 20 minute naps every 4 hours (6 in total), providing you with 22 hour days!

Another schedule, which I am debating giving a go in the upcoming months, is the "Everday" rotation. This is where you sleep for 3 hours, then take 3 additional 20 minute naps throughout the day. Once fully adjusted (assuming you have followed the napping schedule fairly close) most people report high levels of energy, alertness, etc. Think of all the studying that would be possible!

Seems pretty cool, and worth a shot! Sure caught my attention..

Edit: Here is another article I found on a polyphasic blog I have been reading through.. It goes through a lot of FAQ's including energy levels, health questions, etc: http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/10/polyphasic-sleep-response-to-reader-feedback/

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Comments

JDMurray

Something radical to try the next time I'm experiencing a sustained period of unemployment.

Aldur

JDMurray wrote: »

Something radical to try the next time I'm experiencing a sustained period of unemployment.

haha, well said! I don't see how anybody could really do something like this while holding down a real job.

However, I'd love to only have to sleep 2 hours out of the day. I could actually get in some good video gaming for a change

TheShadow

with the holidays coming up it is a perfect time to try it in between the 2nd and 3rd Martini. I don' think it works between 4 and 5 though.

1 beer; 2 beers; 3 beers; floor.

jamesleecoleman

24 hours isn't enough time to get things done. I usually try to get 6 hours of sleep or less just so I can get more things done but it catches up with me.

JavonR

jamesleecoleman wrote: »

24 hours isn't enough time to get things done. I usually try to get 6 hours of sleep or less just so I can get more things done but it catches up with me.

I hear that. I've decided to give the everman a shot, going to start adjusting in about two weeks. It appears about 2% of people who attempt adaptation are successful, so we'll see how I do

. I've already flipped my diet around in anticipation.

Bl8ckr0uter

jamesleecoleman wrote: »

24 hours isn't enough time to get things done. I usually try to get 6 hours of sleep or less just so I can get more things done but it catches up with me.

I would like to do this as well. If I had a fw extra hours of studying time a day it could really help me out.

JavonR wrote: »

I hear that. I've decided to give the everman a shot, going to start adjusting in about two weeks. It appears about 2% of people who attempt adaptation are successful, so we'll see how I do . I've already flipped my diet around in anticipation.

If you don't mind, tell me how have you changed your diet?

Turgon

JavonR wrote: »

Anyone ever heard of this (AKA:The Uberman sleep schedule)? It would be extremely interesting to know if anyone here has been able to pull it off with an IT work schedule.

Here's a brief summary of what it is:

Uberman's sleep schedule || kuro5hin.org

Essentially, instead of taking 1 big lump of sleep (8hrs), the idea is to spread your sleep out into multiple short naps. The uberman schedule is 20 minute naps every 4 hours (6 in total), providing you with 22 hour days!

Another schedule, which I am debating giving a go in the upcoming months, is the "Everday" rotation. This is where you sleep for 3 hours, then take 3 additional 20 minute naps throughout the day. Once fully adjusted (assuming you have followed the napping schedule fairly close) most people report high levels of energy, alertness, etc. Think of all the studying that would be possible!

Seems pretty cool, and worth a shot! Sure caught my attention..

Edit: Here is another article I found on a polyphasic blog I have been reading through.. It goes through a lot of FAQ's including energy levels, health questions, etc: Polyphasic Sleep – Response to Reader Feedback

Not practical for nine to five people. Having a nap in the office could get you canned. Throw in two or three hours commuting time each day as well. You cant sleep if you are driving.

On the other hand if you manage your own time completely you could do it. I believe Margaret Thatcher survived on short cat naps, which probably explains why she could work long hours in committees in Parliament until 2am while everyone else was completely worn out.

tiersten

Whilst it is an interesting idea, I can see you slowly going crazy because of the odd sleep schedule. People already act oddly if they don't get enough sleep and this system is really messing up your natural sleep cycle.

Turgon

tiersten wrote: »

Whilst it is an interesting idea, I can see you slowly going crazy because of the odd sleep schedule. People already act oddly if they don't get enough sleep and this system is really messing up your natural sleep cycle.

Fair comment.

Mrs Thatcher would have 4 - 5 hours sleep, but she would doze for 20 minutes or so a couple of times during the day. But I would imagine some days that just wasn't possible with everyone trying to keep up with her as she would be very busy. It is a strain on the body and mind.

Are you getting enough sleep?

Sleep Habits [Archive] - Omanforum

LACK OF SLEEP - MORE DANGEROUS THAN YOU KNOW

I stared blankly at the list of baby care items I needed to purchase--confused by all the choices of diapers, ointments and baby wipes that lined the store shelves--and promptly burst into tears. A kindly store clerk asked if he could assist me. "Lady," he said, reading my list, "it just says 'diapers, extra-small,' and they're right in front of you." As I rechecked my list, the letters were a blur, and I couldn't focus on what to do next. I made a beeline for the door, leaving an incredulous clerk standing in the aisle.
This first trip to the grocery store after bringing home a premature baby from the hospital reinforced my sense that I had reached a new level of incompetence. What my husband found as humorous lapses in my usually organized household--the milk in the cupboard, the cereal in the refrigerator, and the house payment mailed to the gas company--were growing signs to me that I was losing it. No matter that I was breastfeeding my five-pound son around the clock every hour and a half, and taking care of an active 5-year-old as well. My obstetrician had said I was fine, perhaps just a bit tired, and he cleared me to return to work.

Fortunately for new parents, a lot has changed in the 13 years since I gave birth, most especially in a burgeoning discipline called sleep medicine. According to researchers like Dr. James Maas at Cornell University, what I was experiencing was "substantial sleep debt," and, like an unforgiving credit card company tired of late payments, my body was signaling that my the bill was long overdue.

SYMPTOMS CAN BE DEADLY
The first sign that sleep deprivation is a problem is in the deterioration of one's mood, according to researchers Bradley University researchers June Pilcher and Allen Huffcutt. Other symptoms include impaired memory, lowered alertness, a reduction in creativity and the inability to speak and write clearly. However, if sleep loss continues over time, as in the case of a caregiver who is awake all night with a young infant, the symptoms that persist are much more serious. So serious, in fact, that the National Sleep Foundation issued a wake-up call after their March l998 survey found that over 23 percent of Americans reported falling asleep while driving last year, and as much as one-third reported getting less than six hours of uninterrupted sleep each night.

"The survey findings are a great source of concern," says Dr. Thomas Roth, health and scientific advisor of the National Sleep Foundation. "People have no idea how important sleep is to their lives. Most of us need at least eight hours of sound sleep to function at our best, and good health demands good sleep. Most people don't know how harmful a lack of sleep can be, and the harm we can be to those around us."

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that at least 100,000 crashes in the United States are caused by drowsy drivers. Sleep researchers also report evidence that sleep-deprived parents are more likely to engage in physical or verbal abuse of their children. Further, a lowered resistance to disease and unwanted weight gain are health concerns that have been linked directly to the loss of sleep.

THE BIOLOGICAL CLOCK
Sleep research tells us that the body operates on an internal clock called circadian rhythm, controlled by neurons in the brain. The study of what researchers at Harvard Medical School call "sleep architecture" shows that a normal sleeper moves between different sleep stages in a fairly predictable pattern throughout the night, alternating between REM (rapid eye movement, or dreaming) and non-REM sleep. Researchers believe that REM sleep restores the mind, perhaps in part by clearing out irrelevant information, and facilitates learning and memory. Approximately three to five times a night, or every 90 minutes, a sleeper enters REM sleep for several minutes. The last hour in an eight-hour sleep cycle is when almost a full hour of REM occurs, when the mind repairs itself, grows new connections and puts it all together. If you're a six-hour sleeper, you miss the opportunity to prepare for the coming day. Most deep sleep occurs in the first half of the night, and the body's desire for sleep is strongest between midnight and dawn. In deep sleep, the body is physically restored, and most people spend half the night in this stage of sleep. If this stage is disturbed, no matter how long a person stays in bed, he or she will not feel physically refreshed.

JavonR

knwminus wrote: »

If you don't mind, tell me how have you changed your diet?

Well, I've been living pretty unhealthy lately... tons of fast food, big meals spaced out etc. - so I've switched to 6 small meals a day, and adding tons of veggies + fruits into the mix. As you are awake longer you need to get used to eating more.

Turgon wrote: »

Not practical for nine to five people. Having a nap in the office could get you canned. Throw in two or three hours commuting time each day as well. You cant sleep if you are driving.

On the other hand if you manage your own time completely you could do it. I believe Margaret Thatcher survived on short cat naps, which probably explains why she could work long hours in committees in Parliament until 2am while everyone else was completely worn out.

Completely agreed on the not practical for most 9-5'ers. Luckily I live fairly close to work, so throwing in 1 20 minute nap during my lunch break is no big at all. My napping schedule is basically going to be like this (preliminary): 12am-3am, 7am-7:20am, 1pm-1:20pm, and 7pm-7:20pm. Rinse, repeat

There have actually been quite a few people that have lived like this throughout history. Most notable that come to mind are Nikola Telsa, Da Vinci, and Winston Churchhill.

Also, some food for thought, to quote the blog I posted above on some of the health speculations:

"If there are health risks related to polyphasic sleep, it’s my understanding that they aren’t yet known or documented. Keep in mind that polyphasic sleep is not remotely the same as sleep deprivation. The long-term negative health effects of sleep deprivation have been studied and documented. Not so for polyphasic sleep, especially with its many variations. From what I can tell, the current anecdotal evidence suggests that polyphasic sleep is just fine healthwise, perhaps even better than monophasic sleep. Keep in mind that we’re born polyphasic sleepers by nature, and we’ve adapted to monophasic sleep. If there are health risks to polyphasic sleep, they certainly aren’t obvious."

tiersten

JavonR wrote: »

There have actually been quite a few people that have lived like this throughout history. Most notable that come to mind are Nikola Telsa, Da Vinci, and Winston Churchhill.

Is there actually any solid proof of this?

Winston Churchill for example was a proponent of an afternoon nap. He didn't use this polyphasic sleep system. He's quoted as saying he naps during the afternoon.

Da Vinci also doesn't seem to have any concrete evidence for using the polyphasic sleep system.

Tesla was known to not eat or sleep for long periods of time because he was engrossed in some research or project. He did survive on short periods of sleep but it doesn't appear to be polyphasic but more just sleeping very little.

Turgon

JavonR wrote: »

Well, I've been living pretty unhealthy lately... tons of fast food, big meals spaced out etc. - so I've switched to 6 small meals a day, and adding tons of veggies + fruits into the mix. As you are awake longer you need to get used to eating more.

Completely agreed on the not practical for most 9-5'ers. Luckily I live fairly close to work, so throwing in 1 20 minute nap during my lunch break is no big at all. My napping schedule is basically going to be like this (preliminary): 12am-3am, 7am-7:20am, 1pm-1:20pm, and 7pm-7:20pm. Rinse, repeat

There have actually been quite a few people that have lived like this throughout history. Most notable that come to mind are Nikola Telsa, Da Vinci, and Winston Churchhill.

Also, some food for thought, to quote the blog I posted above on some of the health speculations:

"If there are health risks related to polyphasic sleep, it’s my understanding that they aren’t yet known or documented. Keep in mind that polyphasic sleep is not remotely the same as sleep deprivation. The long-term negative health effects of sleep deprivation have been studied and documented. Not so for polyphasic sleep, especially with its many variations. From what I can tell, the current anecdotal evidence suggests that polyphasic sleep is just fine healthwise, perhaps even better than monophasic sleep. Keep in mind that we’re born polyphasic sleepers by nature, and we’ve adapted to monophasic sleep. If there are health risks to polyphasic sleep, they certainly aren’t obvious."

Tesla, Da Vinci and Churchill basically wrote their own ticket in terms of how they planned their day. I don't think your plan is wise. You have to be somewhere for the best hours of your day. Getting up at 3am will leave you very tired by early morning. Some mornings you won't get your 7am nap in. Sleeping at work isn't sensible and your 7pm nap will end up lasting longer than 20 minutes. Suggest you think again really!

JavonR

Turgon wrote: »

Tesla, Da Vinci and Churchill basically wrote their own ticket in terms of how they planned their day. I don't think your plan is wise. You have to be somewhere for the best hours of your day. Getting up at 3am will leave you very tired by early morning. Some mornings you won't get your 7am nap in. Sleeping at work isn't sensible and your 7pm nap will end up lasting longer than 20 minutes. Suggest you think again really!

I guess it's all a part of the experiment! I have a nice 10 day break from work coming up to make an adjustment attempt. If I can make it past the zombie period then theoretically oversleeping won't be much of a problem. You are supposed to wake up from these 20 minute naps feeling quite refreshed and alert (even more so then you would on a monophasic schedule).

As far as the social aspect - Yeah, it's going to be a little odd.. but I'm used to working crazy shift schedules from my last job, which I believe will aide me. If nothing else, it would be cool to say I gave it a shot.

Turgon

JavonR wrote: »

I guess it's all a part of the experiment! I have a nice 10 day break from work coming up to make an adjustment attempt. If I can make it past the zombie period then theoretically oversleeping won't be much of a problem. You are supposed to wake up from these 20 minute naps feeling quite refreshed and alert (even more so then you would on a monophasic schedule).

As far as the social aspect - Yeah, it's going to be a little odd.. but I'm used to working crazy shift schedules from my last job, which I believe will aide me. If nothing else, it would be cool to say I gave it a shot.

hehehe..Jason I think you are quite mad, but good luck anyway

JDMurray

Turgon wrote: »

Tesla, Da Vinci and Churchill basically wrote their own ticket in terms of how they planned their day.

Tesla, Da Vinci and Churchill were all old men who naturally needed much less sleep and had to take naps in the middle of the day as common for people of their advanced age. Old Winston especially couldn't function without two, 20-minutes naps during the day.

JavonR

tiersten wrote: »

Is there actually any solid proof of this?

Winston Churchill for example was a proponent of an afternoon nap. He didn't use this polyphasic sleep system. He's quoted as saying he naps during the afternoon.

Da Vinci also doesn't seem to have any concrete evidence for using the polyphasic sleep system.

Tesla was known to not eat or sleep for long periods of time because he was engrossed in some research or project. He did survive on short periods of sleep but it doesn't appear to be polyphasic but more just sleeping very little.

Really solid proof? Not really.. all 3 are documented as having odd sleeping patterns at some point or another. Most sources seem to interpret this as polyphasic sleep - but as you say, there are some inconsistencies. Da Vinci would be the most famous, but his sleeping activities were documented sometime after his death - some even refer to it as "The Da Vinci Method".

Churchill's afternoon nap would make him biphasic - not a fully polyphasic schedule, but allowed him to only sleep 5-6 hours a day

I was told Tesla also did this, but upon doing some quick research it looks like I am incorrect. Although there was times where he would stay up quite frequently he would then pass out for 8+ hours the following day, which is not a form of polyphasic sleep. My bad on that one.

It really is uncharted territory - our body's do appear to be able to adapt though, and adapt well. I suggest checking out the blog in my original post (second link), although the author has some interesting life views, he maintained a 6x20minute nap schedule for over 5 and a half months.

Turgon

JDMurray wrote: »

Tesla, Da Vinci and Churchill were all old men who naturally needed much less sleep and had to take naps in the middle of the day as common for people of their advanced age. Old Winston especially couldn't function without two, 20-minutes naps during the day.

Perhaps they were just inclined to do this. Some old people do spend a lot of time sleeping. Personally if I could I would gladly have a nap mid afternoon. At University I had several friends from Spain and Greece who were inclined to do this. I tried it myself in spells and you do feel well after a nap. Churchill's habits are interesting..

Polyphasic Sleep: Facts and Myths

We know quite a lot about Winston Churchill's sleeping habits. As a wartime PM, his daily routine was watched closely by his assistants. Churchill could work his ministers to exhaustion by staying up late, but he would also routinely take a solid 1-2 hour nap in the afternoon. As such, he was a classical biphasic sleeper. At his house at Chartwell, his routine was quite regular. He would wake at 8, spend the morning in bed reading papers, dictating letters, etc., take a long nap at tea time, and work till as late as 3 am. He averaged 5-6 hours of sleep per day. Those words are attributed to Churchill himself: "You must sleep sometime between lunch and dinner, and no halfway measures. Take off your clothes and get into bed. That's what I always do. Don't think you will be doing less work because you sleep during the day. That's a foolish notion held by people who have no imaginations. You will be able to accomplish more. You get two days in one -- well, at least one and a half" (source). Churchill's well-drilled biphasic habits made him one of the most energetic wartime leaders. On a humorous note, F. D. Roosevelt's aides noted that after a Churchill's visit, the US president was so exhausted that he needed 10 hours of sleep for 3 days straight to recover.

tiersten

JavonR wrote: »

Really solid proof? Not really.. all 3 are documented as having odd sleeping patterns at some point or another. Most sources seem to interpret this as polyphasic sleep - but as you say, there are some inconsistencies.

Yeah. I wasn't being picky about you. It just seems that all the articles and blogs about polyphasic sleep just mention the same set of names as famous users of the system.

GT-Rob

Wasn't their a Seinfeld episode about this? And Kramer woke up in the river? :P

I really can't see someone with an active lifestyle being able to go on that much sleep. On my long-run days (15k+), I literally sleep 10hours no problem, sometimes more. Through the week, I get a solid 7-8hrs of sleep each night, and would have to really force myself to get any less.

Back in my 'gamer' days, we used to just have naps through out the week, and maybe have 1 or 2 8hr sleeps each week when it caught up with us. Probably only averaged about 3-4hrs a day, but that was sitting in a chair playing diablo.

It would be nice to have more than a couple of hours each night to myself (after work, commute, and meals suck the other 20 away).

JavonR

tiersten wrote: »

Yeah. I wasn't being picky about you. It just seems that all the articles and blogs about polyphasic sleep just mention the same set of names as famous users of the system.

Hehe, np. I was doing some additional reading and found another recent person in history that is documented. Here's a 1943 time magazine article that talks about Buckminster Fuller: Science: Dymaxion Sleep - TIME

He was able to do two hours/day for two years before deciding to switch back.