Polyphasic Sleep.

I just read it on wikipedia, and it looks kind of interesting, but don't you think it's annoying if you want to do an activity where you need to do something 8 hours straight, like working?
And is it hard?

 

Ha. I didn't know people had invented terms about sleep cycles.


Anyway, I have had this "Uberman sleeping cycle" (and "dysmaxion sleeping cycle) you're reffering to (even though I didn't know they also had names) out of necessity when I was a student. I was the kind of student that was bored studying through the year (procrastination FTW), and instead dedicated 2-3 weeks of full time studying right before the exams. And since 2 weeks weren't enough to understand and memorise thousands of pages of political theory, sleep deprivation was necessary.

I remember I used to study for 2-3 hours then sleep for 30-45 mins then wake up and study again every day for at least two weeks. What I noticed was that my memory was much clearer, and my learning capabilities were much higher, same with my understanding of complex notions and ideas. On the other hand, it affected my diet, I was nervous all the time, my eyes twitched, sometimes I just couldn't understand what I was reading and I had to read it again and again, and some times It was impossible for me to communicate with people (as if they were talking to me and I couldn't picture their words). I also used to have this feeling, especially at late night, that some sort of epiphany would come out of nowhere, as if I would understand everything. I don't remember anything else. Note that I used to consume 5-6 cups of coffee every day, and I smoked about 2-3 packs of cigarretes, so it may have had some additional effect on me.


What I do remember is that, right after the exams, it would take me a whole week to be used to sleeping normaly again. I would just wake up after 2 hours of sleep feeling like I had slept for days.

 

I remember hearing about someone... Thomas Edison I think... some fable about him taking 15 minute naps or something every hour. That would seem to really throw off the circadian rhythm as well as your sense of time in general, eventually perceiving every distinctive day as one long day. Haha I can't imagine intentionally doing this

 

This sounds like a really bad idea. At least, it seems really unpleasant to me.

 

I'm with Dragon haha, It seems like a bad idea. Wouldn't this make you extremely tired?

 

This would not work for me at all. I don't even want to think about trying it. I need a long continous sleep period (ideal is 10 hours) for me to function right. My brain wouldn't function right, and I would be nodding off all the time, constantly. I'd also have a very hard time remembering what is going on because I would not be able to tell the difference from something in reality, and something in the dream world around me. I would seriously feel ill the entire time, and would likely catch colds like no tomorrow. Bad idea all around for me.

 

It might give you some kind of high, but I doubt its healthy for your body.

 

Personally I would probably think 'Aah what the heck I'll skip this hours 15 mins... It won't make a difference' xD

 

Woah. Actually... I think that I'm a perfect person for this now.

2 hours awake, 20 minutes sleep
2 hours awake, 20 minutes sleep
2 hours awake, 20 minutes sleep
2 hours awake, 20 minutes sleep

And so on.

I shall start at 2100, and wake up at 2120.

 

But wont you have to set an alarm every time? AND you will loose REM sleep.

 

Wow then it sounds rather amazing. Its like beating time AND on top of that having lucid dreams!!!

 

Now that is really interesting... and would explain why after waking up prematurely every morning, eating breakfast, then going back to sleep I have dreams I can actually recall later in the day.

 

If I change my sleep cycle at all I lose all appetite and feel sick all day and find it difficult to speak. I like sleeping 12-8, that would be the pattern I would choose....