Polyphasic sleep - Brilliant idea or Sleep deprivation?

[ARG]

Required reading: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyphasic_sleep

Basically you break up your sleep into six segments, and sleep 20 minutes in each segment for a total of two hours a sleep every day, which means there's more time in your life.
In those 20 minutes you fall asleep and go straight into the REM stage (rapid eye movement) where your body rests, stores memories and dreams. This skips the other stages of sleep that fans of polyphasic sleep say are unimportant (No solid evidence or research to prove or disprove this)

I want to know what your thoughts are on polyphasic sleep. I am thinking of attempting the uberman sleep cycle in a couple of weeks. I have a life style with flexible hours so I can get more time out of my day.

Pros:
-Being able to power nap easily when you switch back to the monophasic cycle
-More time in your day
-Possible lucid dreams
-More dreams

Cons:
-Inflexible sleep times
-The world is made around monophasic sleep (store hours, ect.)
-Possible sleep deprivation (Speculated, no conclusive research as of yet)
-No NREM sleep

To start polyphasic sleep I hear that the easiest way is to stay up for a long time (35h+) then start trying to nap in 20 minute segments until you start falling asleep. The first 100 hours are the worst as you will be feel like you haven't slept at all, then after a week it gets better and after two weeks you're fully accustomed to polyphasic sleep.


Thoughts? Comments? Questions? Have any of you tried polyphasic sleep?

 

[HitShane]

I know when I work a lot and try to take power naps I have a problem; no alarm will wake me up... I will build a dream around whatever sound is selected for my alarm. I even have a dream where I am screaming at the people in my dream to shut that off!!! I would feel exhausted all the time... Probably start seeing things also.

 

[Stin]

From what I have heard about it, you while feel absolutely awful for 1-2 weeks when you are trying to get into it. Unless you ween into it (I think there are different cycles you can split them into with more sleep like 6 hrs, then 5hrs ... so on). Then once you are into it, you cannot miss a sleeping period. You only have like 30min-1hr to find time to nap or you will collapse and pass out.

If it fits in your schedule, I say (research it some more and) go for it. But make sure you know everything about it.

That's all I really know about it. I was thinking of trying one of the longer ones before, but its hard to get on a schedule for me.

Edit: guess the wikipedia articles offers the different cycles

 

[Leodahsan]

I have tried it. IMO its hard to start because you will need at least a month; or two; for getting used to it.

My routine was 10 hours sleep
I tried to halve it; 5 hours sleep
Yeah I failed. It becomes a living hell when you are around the first 40 minutes of sleep and the phone starts ringing... in 3 or 4 days I became a living zombie, with caffeine making no effect anymore...

yeah.. sad history. The ending was good tho. I slept around 20 hours

BTW: To go poly don't ingest caffeine. The are nootropics that will promote REM that are more effective, and I was privileged to try some... but when the vacations ended I couldn't try poly again. It is on my 'todo' list.

edit: there are different polyphasic types. Don't do the 20min 6-naps... its the most advanced poly... stick with more sleep first if you want to succeed. And no caffeine/stimulants!!

Edit2: The 35h+ first time awake is true. IMHO your cognitive capabilities WILL BE inhibited for some time.

 

[ARG]

I know when I work a lot and try to take power naps I have a problem; no alarm will wake me up... I will build a dream around whatever sound is selected for my alarm. I even have a dream where I am screaming at the people in my dream to shut that off!!! I would feel exhausted all the time... Probably start seeing things also.

I never did think of that. I've never had an alarm not wake me up, but then again that was never in the REM stage of sleep.

From what I have heard about it, you while feel absolutely awful for 1-2 weeks when you are trying to get into it. Unless you ween into it (I think there are different cycles you can split them into with more sleep like 6 hrs, then 5hrs ... so on). Then once you are into it, you cannot miss a sleeping period. You only have like 30min-1hr to find time to nap or you will collapse and pass out.

If it fits in your schedule, I say (research it some more and) go for it. But make sure you know everything about it.

That's all I really know about it. I was thinking of trying one of the longer ones before, but its hard to get on a schedule for me.

Edit: guess the wikipedia articles offer the different cycles

Yeah, I am not looking forward to the first two weeks while I attempt it. From what I've read the weaning is more gently on the body, but it's hard to stick to (and I think I may have a problem with that) where as if you go straight into it after an all nighter it is rough on the body but much easier to commit to.

I've read the similar about the naps, there's about a 15 minute tolerance of when you can take the naps else extremely fatigue will set in.

Still got plenty to research before I try I want to make sure this wont have any long term negative effects on my body before I do.

I have tried it. IMO its hard to start because you will need at least a month; or two; for getting used to it.

My routine was 10 hours sleep
I tried to halve it; 5 hours sleep
Yeah I failed. It becomes a living hell when you are around the first 40 minutes of sleep and the phone starts ringing... in 3 or 4 days I became a living zombie, with caffeine making no effect anymore...

yeah.. sad history. The ending was good tho. I slept around 20 hours

BTW: To go poly don't ingest caffeine. The are nootropics that will promote REM that are more effective, and I was privileged to try some... but when the vacations ended I couldn't try poly again. It is on my 'todo' list.

edit: there are different polyphasic types. Don't do the 20min 6-naps... its the most advanced poly... stick with more sleep first if you want to succeed. And no caffeine/stimulants!!

Edit2: The 35h+ first time awake is true. IMHO your cognitive capabilities WILL BE inhibited for some time.

Thanks! Does it really take months to get used to? I was thinking of trying it for 2-3 months then going back to monophasic.

The caffeine/stimulants won't be a problem, I don't drink coffee regularly (maybe once or twice a month if it's convenient, I won't go out of my way for it)

What cycle would you suggest to start with?

 

[daguin]

The brain needs more than just REM sleep.

Peace,
dave

 

[Stin]

Another thing you could do too: I have this app on my phone and when I go to bed it computes what time I should wake up so I don't interrupt sleep cycles. It's pretty accurate, but every person is different. I tend to have a little fast cycle than the app gives me so I just go from that. I did it a lot, when I wasn't up late and I found that I woke up more refreshed, even with 7hrs or less of sleep. (usually got less than 7hrs). Plus it has a nap option too.

If you have an android phone here is the app : https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.doubleTwist.alarmClock

 

[Leodahsan]

Thanks! Does it really take months to get used to? I was thinking of trying it for 2-3 months then going back to monophasic.

The caffeine/stimulants won't be a problem, I don't drink coffee regularly (maybe once or twice a month if it's convenient, I won't go out of my way for it)

What cycle would you suggest to start with?

It all depends. Believe me. I have friends that can take 2 days without sleep... without any "visible" effect. I've been awake for 16 hours NOW, and I'm feeling weird already

There are some cycles that use caffeine as a helper (its half life is 5 hours) heheh.

I'd say there is no best cycle to choose. I choose to halve my sleep at first (from 10 to 5 hours) and it went bad... a little bad imo. I failed because my vacations finished, and I wanted to focus on studies...

I drew a pizza shaped graphic using ms-word and divided my sleep, with a main sleep (around 3 hours) and 3 naps of ~40min each, all at right times (main sleep always at 00:00, etc...). You can try lowering your sleep by 33%... But you NEED the first awake time... mine was >48 hours IIRC... Just get something to do in the free time (I played with electronics)...

If you have some time to try it, just do it. You won't die for that I'd recommend some kind of neuroprotective agent if you are worried. :beer:

PS: even pepsi have caffeine... its everywhere....... :drool: (addicted here)
edit: Caffeine ingested just before a nap makes it last around 30 to 40 minutes... then you wake up... Its useful when you need to sleep @ lunch time @ work... :wave:

@Dave

The brain needs more than just REM sleep.

Peace,
dave

Sure. Poly cuts out other phases, but it leaves the needed phases (like rem, and more) intact. It in fact, makes you sleep deeply, faster. The hard thing to do, is to overcome the body natural sleep mechanism.

If your brain is not being enough repaired @ your sleeping cycle, it will slow down (sleep deprivement cognitive impairment) or you will crash. Thats all

 

[Things]

I can't miss my sleep, at all. If I do, I get to the point of feeling like collapsing. If I stay up all night, I have to sleep all day after to make up for it

 

[Stin]

I'm a part of an organization where you dance/stay on your feet for 24hrs to raise money, and my first time doing it, I wasn't real smart. I had class, so I woke up at 7am went to a full day of classes, went back did some things and before you know it, it was time for the event. Stayed up bout 40hrs (I was pretty active the whole time, plus 24 of those hours I didn't sit down). No caffeine either. But I stay away from it anyway (no pop or coffee for me)


I slept about 15 hours after that.

 

[ARG]

The brain needs more than just REM sleep.

That's what I keep hearing. I feel like that there must be some truth to it, else why would we naturally sleep in monophasic cycles?

However, there has been no evidence to support or refute the need for NREM sleep :/

Sure. Poly cuts out other phases, but it leaves the needed phases (like rem, and more) intact. It in fact, makes you sleep deeply, faster. The hard thing to do, is to overcome the body natural sleep mechanism.

If your brain is not being enough repaired @ your sleeping cycle, it will slow down (sleep deprivement cognitive impairment) or you will crash. Thats all

Depends on the cycle, doesn't it? Uberman cuts out all but the REM.

It all depends. Believe me. I have friends that can take 2 days without sleep... without any "visible" effect. I've been awake for 16 hours NOW, and I'm feeling weird already

I'd say there is no best cycle to choose. I choose to halve my sleep at first (from 10 to 5 hours) and it went bad... a little bad imo. I failed because my vacations finished, and I wanted to focus on studies...

I drew a pizza shaped graphic using ms-word and divided my sleep, with a main sleep (around 3 hours) and 3 naps of ~40min each, all at right times (main sleep always at 00:00, etc...). You can try lowering your sleep by 33%... But you NEED the first awake time... mine was >48 hours IIRC... Just get something to do in the free time (I played with electronics)...

If you have some time to try it, just do it. You won't die for that I'd recommend some kind of neuroprotective agent if you are worried. :beer:

Sounds like a plan. I guess it will greatly depend on my ability to stick to the cycle (should I choose to do it)

 

[Leodahsan]

@Arg
Sure its a plan! You just try adapting yourself... start when you don't have anything that needs cognition for a few days...

You can synchronize your first cycle with your first time awake... I can't explain what I mean LOL.
If you sleep deeply on the adapting phase (first month iirc) you will waste all your efforts.

If being sleepy through the day makes you angrier... I've read somewhere that waking with a light slowly turning on (simulating sunlight) overcomes this a little...

After some time you will get used to poly...

Regarding the NREM... I've not tried uber first because I was afraid of losing nrem, so a 5 hours cycle (3 main for NREM, just in case, +3 naps, for REM) made complete sense... and I felt good with it during the whole process but my brain was on slowmo all the time. heheh.

EDIT: OOH I forgot to say... Some foods and WHEN you eat makes it harder or easier to achieve all of that... Dunno exactly what, but there is a difference between eating before a polyphase nap, eating after, etc...

I can't miss my sleep, at all. If I do, I get to the point of feeling like collapsing. If I stay up all night, I have to sleep all day after to make up for it

My record is a whole weekend playing online games @ computer with a friend... when I was younger... I woke 7AM at a friday for school... 1pm I was at home and had some sleep... up to 6 or 7PM iirc.
Then we started playing.
Monday I crashed around 2 or 3AM. Can't recall. I woke 9AM (school uh? 2 hours late) and my friend gone to his house. He didn't sleep.
its around 57 hours without sleep...

 

[IsaacT]

Worst lack of sleep experience I had:

A few years ago my family left on vacation. I had to work though so I stayed home and watched the house. I would work 7-8 hours during the day, come home, play video games, then at night I stayed up all night teching myself Mixed Martial Arts techniques(was learning how to butterfly kick). Long story short, I stayed up for over 72 hours straight while being fairly active(work I cannot stop walking around or they bitch at you, and MMA....well. yeah).

At the 48hr mark I was going to go to sleep but the house needed a good cleaning, so I stayed up all night even though I worked a 9hr shift the next day. I was tripping balls you guys. It was like I was on acid or something. The door kept writhing and the floor was breathing. During my lunch break I went home to take a shower(to wake myself up). Somehow ended up passing out and waking up laying in the shower 3 hours later.

I got a write-up at work :/ So with that said, be careful and pay attention to your body. It will tell you if you are abusing it, and just because scientists cannot find a REASON that we need the other cycles of sleep, doesn't mean that we don't.

Also...consult a doctor or call a sleep experiment place. Maybe they can offer advice.

:beer:
Isaac

 

[Kartracer00]

Worst lack of sleep experience I had:

A few years ago my family left on vacation. I had to work though so I stayed home and watched the house. I would work 7-8 hours during the day, come home, play video games, then at night I stayed up all night teching myself Mixed Martial Arts techniques(was learning how to butterfly kick). Long story short, I stayed up for over 72 hours straight while being fairly active(work I cannot stop walking around or they bitch at you, and MMA....well. yeah).

At the 48hr mark I was going to go to sleep but the house needed a good cleaning, so I stayed up all night even though I worked a 9hr shift the next day. I was tripping balls you guys. It was like I was on acid or something. The door kept writhing and the floor was breathing. During my lunch break I went home to take a shower(to wake myself up). Somehow ended up passing out and waking up laying in the shower 3 hours later.

I got a write-up at work :/ So with that said, be careful and pay attention to your body. It will tell you if you are abusing it, and just because scientists cannot find a REASON that we need the other cycles of sleep, doesn't mean that we don't.

Also...consult a doctor or call a sleep experiment place. Maybe they can offer advice.

:beer:
Isaac

Holly F*** dude. I'm glad your still alive!

Sounds like you had a party or two though

And this is a crazy subject i didnt even know existed, i must have been poly all throughout highschool :beer:

 

[ARG]

@kart
do tell, how were you polyphasic?

@isaac
That sounds pretty awful. I wouldn't just skipped cleaning. Cleaning is a low priority for me.

@leo
interesting, I did not know about the foods having effects. I'll have to look that up.

 

[Dr_Evil]

I thought it said "polyphasic sheep" at first. That got me thinking WTF.

I've heard about this before. It sounds interesting but I can't try it because of my job.