Micronapping
After reading
Men's Journal article, I've (yet again) became intrigued:
Ok, I'm already conviced that 3 hours of sleep per day is enough, given you're napping by schedule. But being alert and conscious after only 5 minutes of sleep? That's ridiculous!
The only way to tell for sure is to try.
So, the experience so far is the following...
Dec 29. 15:55. Have a tiny headache that usually means that I have to take a nap. 2 hours till the nearest nap, meeting in 15 minutes. Actions:
- Turn off all lights (including monitor)
- Fire calm music track followed by energetic one. I've used Enya - How Can I Keep From Singing (4:30) and Jan Wayne & Charlene remix of Scorpions' - Here I Am (Send Me An Angel) (3:30).
- Lean back on the comfortable chair, close your eyes and relax every muscule you can. If you use to meditate - do it.
Results: Lost track of time at 2nd minute of the first track and woke only as it finished - before the 2nd track began. The eurodance-styled remix filled me with energy, while I was preparing for meeting (walking here and there). Felt like I slept a complete nap.
Men's Journal published lean, concise and up-to-point article about napping. It was surprise for me that the micro-naps (two to five minutes) can also have strong refreshing effect. I wonder what's the technique?
Most useful part is, again, a nap length classification:
THE NANO-NAP: 10 to 20 seconds Sleep studies haven't yet concluded whether there are benefits to these brief intervals, like when you nod off on someone's shoulder on the train.
THE MICRO-NAP: two to five minutes Shown to be surprisingly effective at shedding sleepiness.
THE MINI-NAP: five to 20 minutes Increases alertness, stamina, motor learning, and motor performance.
THE ORIGINAL POWER NAP: 20 minutesIncludes the benefits of the micro and the mini, but additionally improves muscle memory and clears the brain of useless built-up information, which helps with long-term memory (remembering facts, events, and names).
THE LAZY MAN'S NAP: 50 to 90 minutesIncludes slow-wave plus REM sleep; good for improving perceptual processing; also when the system is flooded with human growth hormone, great for repairing bones and muscles.
Polynapping, days 9-11
These days where the most difficult. I had my (offshore) customer visiting me and, thus, couldn't simply go and nap.
Day 9.
Started napping on schedule (30 min nap at 02:00, 30 min nap at 06:00), but after the second one waked up in zombie mode. Could not stand this, so returned to bed in 20 minutes.
Wrong! Overslept for more that hour and woke up with an oversleep headache.
Subsequent naps were on schedule (10:00 and 14:00) and without any unwanted side effects.
Later, since I had to meet my customer at the airport, the 16:00 nap was missed. This resulted in yet another oversleep as soon as I could get to bed - from 20:30 to 22:30.
Just compare this day to my previous transition period, when I've religiously sticked to the nap schedule.
Conclusion. The schedule is a must. Stick to it as much as possible.Day 10.As previous day shown, the schedule is a king. But this day a customer was a king. We had 12hr planning meeting with no chance to escape. The only possibility to nap was a dinner break - and I used it.
So naps today were at 02:20-02:50, 04:00-04:30, 06:00-08:50 (oversleeeeeept), 14:00-14:30, 22:00-22:30.
Conclusion. You have to choose always. Choose wisely.Day 11.This was the third day of meetings burnout and, thanks, the last one. To stay alive and concious I had to take a core sleep at night. Not that it helped much, but at least I looked like a human being. During the day I had a chance to catch only a one 20-minute nap. Strangely, but even at this time I felt like 15-20 minute nap is what I really need.
At 15:00 all questions were finally answered, every point in the list checked and customer was off to a plane. And I was off to have some rest, which resulted in another 2hr sleep. Not sure if I hadn't to have it if I was on regular schedule.
Nevertheless, after all this mess with my original every-four-hour-nap schedule, my body quickly adapted back. Back to polyphasic sleep.
Sleep time: 01:00-01:30, 04:00-04:30, 05:30-07:50 (the core sleep), 12:10-12:30, 16:20-18:30, 22:00-22:30
Conclusion. Your body always knows what it need. Just listen it.Overall feeling.
These three days were the real test of my commitment to the polynapping. I've observed a slowdown, difficulty to adsorb information and drowsyness at time I've used to nap. Nevertheless, as Steve wrote, it was quite possible to get pass this feeling and continue to work.
As soon as an external pressure was removed, the polynapping schedule was again a natural one. Yes, there were several times I've need a core sleep, but I consider this ok, since my goal is not to become a paranoid follower, but just to have more lifetime.
Polyphasic sleep
Steve, thank you for ever trying the polyphasic sleep (and
writing about that!). I am only week on this sleeping schedule - and I am happy.
Now, suddenly, I've got time to do things I love. I've got desire and energy to bring my relations with relatives to new level (esp. with my fiancee). I'm catching up my todo list. I'm catching up my reading list. My mind is full of new ideas.
And I love it.
After reading all Steve's experience I wasn't skeptical - I've had times when I had to sleep four or even two hours a day. But these were definitely the extreme days. I've never considered pursuing this as a long, let alone a lifetime choice.
Now, week after, I see I will never revert completely back to my usual 9-10hr hibernation. I prefer to spend this time in a lifestyle I love.
