Polyphasic sleep

[Redsfan320]

http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/10/polyphasic-sleep/

Anyone ever heard of/ tried this? Sounds awesome if it works, though I don't have the schedule flexibility (college). However, gaining 5 hrs. of waking time per day is a whole, whole lot.

320

[Redsfaithful]

Steve Pavlina is a weird dude. Click around that site some more and you'll see what I mean.

That being said, this never works long term. I think it can be a short term strategy to get someone through a stressful time in life, but I've never seen someone credible claim to do it long term. I have pretty terrible sleep issues in that my awake times shift forward 1-3 hours a day until I'm up all night and I have to stay up for 36-48 hours to reset. This cycle has repeated for me every month or two for the past 12 years, basically since I left high school, so I'm always on the lookout for sleep related advice. I remember reading this article back when it was published and found it intriguing, but I've seen followups over the years and I just don't think it has worked in the real world for anyone long term.

This was the article that finally put the idea to bed (ha) for me:

http://www.supermemo.com/articles/polyphasic.htm

[Rojo]

Polyphasic sounds wildly impractical and a bit daft. But there's a lot of evidence that the eight-hour regimin isn't natural (always a loaded word).

Here's my an article from my paleo guru about biphasic sleep:

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/biphasic-sleep/#axzz1xV0gEoHt


It’s likely that societal expectations about sleep structure – that it’s supposed to be eight hours of unbroken, deep, heavy slumber, as everyone knows – are making problems out of what may be normal sleeping patterns. Clinicians are finding that if they can make insomnia patients understand that waking up in the night is actually normal and natural, they feel better about their condition. Because they “perceive interrupted sleep as normal,” they stop stressing over waking and are able to get back to sleep more easily. Some forms of insomnia, in which people wake up in the middle of the night, might not actually be clinical conditions, but rather the manifestation of the natural human sleep cycle trying to assert itself. Insomnia may just be a problem of perception; if you look at your “problem” in a different light as explained by Ekirch, it disappears.

[vaticanplum]

Buckminster Fuller did something like this for most of his life. He did ok. I mean, he was a little kooky, but I don't think that's attributable just to his sleeping habits.

[Redsfaithful]

I do think there's something to biphasic sleep. I also think many people need more than 8 hours a night (and lucky few who need less.) Our society is bad about regimenting things that are highly individual and variable. Like diet and sleep.

The older I get the more I think it's weird to eat 3 meals a day at predetermined times or sleep 8 hours a night. It seems to make a lot more sense to just eat when you're actually hungry and sleep until you feel rested.

[Rojo]

Our society is bad about regimenting things that are highly individual and variable. Like diet and sleep.

And these things have been so ingrained that people act like their natural.

I'm a night owl. I don't want to go to bed at 11pm, I don't want to get up at 7am. I've tried everything but came to the conclusion that I'm just not wired that way. Every day feels like a hangover.

I'm starting a sideline thing so that I can get out of the 9-5 cubicle thing (eventually). When I tell people that one of the reasons I want to do this is because I hate early rising, I usually get an eye roll. Seems that it's not a valid reason.

[westofyou]

I do think there's something to biphasic sleep. I also think many people need more than 8 hours a night (and lucky few who need less.) Our society is bad about regimenting things that are highly individual and variable. Like diet and sleep.

The older I get the more I think it's weird to eat 3 meals a day at predetermined times or sleep 8 hours a night. It seems to make a lot more sense to just eat when you're actually hungry and sleep until you feel rested.

I have the food battle with my wife all the time, I hate to have to eat at certain times, I prefer to eat when I need fuel. As for sleep, 5 hours is a must, after 7 hours I'm awake.

[SunDeck]

I sleep under my desk at work half the day. That's how I gain some hours.

[zacharync]

http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/10/polyphasic-sleep/

Anyone ever heard of/ tried this? Sounds awesome if it works, though I don't have the schedule flexibility (college). However, gaining 5 hrs. of waking time per day is a whole, whole lot.

320

College would be the perfect time to try it. Space your classes out throughout the day. It's not like your working a 9 to 5.

[Z-Fly]

Luckily, I was built very well for society. I feel great after 8 hours of sleep, but I rarely get that much, since I wake up at 5:30am (I work 6:30am-5:15pm). I sleep like a rock through the night, just about every night.

The three meals work great for me too. I do usually eat a very light Breakfast/dinner, but a heavy lunch.

I feel for you insomnia/night owls. Being tired is terrible. On one of the few nights that I can't sleep, I am hating life the next day. At one time, I honestly would probably have been one of the guys rolling their eyes about someone wanting to sleep in. I used to believe that it was a sign of laziness. As I get older, I am more understanding that the early thing isn't for everyone.

The real reason for my post is, wasn't this the sleep pattern that Kramer tried and ended up in the Hudson?

[Danny Serafini]

The real reason for my post is, wasn't this the sleep pattern that Kramer tried and ended up in the Hudson?

First thing I thought of when I opened this thread. :laugh:

[Scrap Irony]

Didn't Edison survive on a three-hour nap twice daily and ten-minute naps when he felt tired?

[lidspinner]

Didn't Edison survive on a three-hour nap twice daily and ten-minute naps when he felt tired?

You could be right...there is so much evidence out there that proves people used to do that exact thing back in the day.....a few 3 hour naps and catch a light break for some 15 minute shut eye and relaxation when needed......I'll look for some articles I've read about humans using these sleep patterns...it's really interesting.