Uber Sleep

Ubersleep
Using Polyphasic Sleep Schedules to

Cut your Sleep Time by Half (or more!)
and
Do All inds of !nteresting Things to your "ife
by PureDo#y$ % &''(
Ubersleep 1
Dedications
"i$e many pro)ects* this boo$ couldn+t ha,e happened -ithout the direct or indirect help
of a lot of people. This one measly page at the beginning -ill ha,e to suffice to than$
them all* though ! hope they $no- that ! $no- that it+s -oefully inade/uate. !f you
should be in here* and ! forgot you* ! o-e you a drin$. 0)
1or the Pri ncess Psu$e 2ari ah*
-ithout -hom none of this -ould e,er ha,e happened (at least not to me)0 my friend and
co3cra4y3person* -ho patiently -o$e me from my first thousand or so naps* and* )ust so
-e+re clear* -hose idea this -hole thing -as...
1or St. 5ohn+ s Col l ege*
home of the most intense curriculum in all of boo$-ormdom* for being the $ind of place
-here something li$e this almost had to happen...and for the professors there -ho didn+t
call the men in -hite* o,er this or all the rest of my cra4iness...
1or al l the other e#peri menters*
-ho collecti,ely ha,e learned more than ! e,er e#pected anyone -ould about polyphasic
sleep* and -ho indi,idually ha,e sho-n me that ! really had no idea -hat it meant to be
hardcore after all0 than$ you for sharing your e#periences -ith me...
1or my daughter*
-ho tuc$s me in -ith a glint of re,enge in her eyes...
And for my -onderful husband*
good god the crap you put up -ith.
Here+s hoping you+re interested in many more years of it!
6#tra than$s to7 The maintainers of informational polyphasic -eb3pages0 the many
people -ho+,e emailed me o,er the years -ith their /uestions and personal e#periences0
my family0 my ,ery tolerant bosses0 my friends0 my professors0 my Sifu0 and finally than$s
to -hate,er t-ist of fate ga,e me that horrible insomnia all those years ago.
89! :! ;A" C8<69 A9T 2= Conor Sul l i ,an* than$s for a great )ob!
2 Ubersleep
!. >hat is Polyphasic Sleep?.............................................................................................................@
Introduction.................................................................................................................................................................7
Some Terminology.....................................................................................................................................................8
History & Known Applications...............................................................................................................................9
Modern Researc........................................................................................................................................................9
Modern Rele!ance....................................................................................................................................................""
!!. Polyphasic Schedules in Detail.................................................................................................AB
#eginning at te #eginning$ Te %&erman Sleep Scedule............................................................................."'
#eing A (rownup$ Te )!eryman Scedule....................................................................................................."*
So +ic is #etter,.................................................................................................................................................."7
-ter Scedules .Te /0ormula/1........................................................................................................................."7
!!!. The 2ig Cuestion7 Should =ou 2e Polyphasic?..............................................................&'
+anting To................................................................................................................................................................23
#eing Te Rigt 4erson...........................................................................................................................................23
5ontraindications......................................................................................................................................................22
!<. Adapting to Polyphasic Sleep................................................................................................&D
Researcing................................................................................................................................................................2*
6eciding.....................................................................................................................................................................2*
Sceduling..................................................................................................................................................................2*
-ter Items on te 4re70ligt 5ec8list..............................................................................................................28
%nderstanding Sleep 6epri!ation..........................................................................................................................'"
+at9s te 4urpose o: Sleep 6epri!ation Here,...........................................................................................'2
Handling ;arcoleptic Symptoms.....................................................................................................................''
Ac8
Success= Ad?usting to your ;ew Scedule..........................................................................................................'>
@ou Know @ou9re Adapting +en.................................................................................................................'7
@ou Know @ou9re Ha!ing Trou&le Adapting +en....................................................................................'8
Twea8ing @our Scedule.........................................................................................................................................'8
#e:ore Twea8ing te Scedule$ Red7:lag #ea!iors tat are Known to Inter:ere wit 4olypasic
Sleep.......................................................................................................................................................................'9
I: @ou Really ;eed to Twea8............................................................................................................................'9
I: Twea8ing 6oesn9t +or8................................................................................................................................A"
+en To (i!e %p .................................................................................................................................................A"
Ubersleep 3
<. "i,ing Polyphasically...................................................................................................................EB
-n te ;ature o: Screwing %p..............................................................................................................................A'
(etting #ored............................................................................................................................................................A*
Sceduling and Real Bi:e.........................................................................................................................................A>
Sic8ness.................................................................................................................................................................A>
Tra!el.....................................................................................................................................................................A8
)mergencies.........................................................................................................................................................A8
Summing %p$ Re7Ad?usting.............................................................................................................................A9
)ating< )Cercise & Su&stances...............................................................................................................................A9
Te D5ras TeoryE.................................................................................................................................................*"
4ysical )::ects.........................................................................................................................................................*2
+eigt (ain and Boss........................................................................................................................................*2
Sleep 6isorders< 5essation -:..........................................................................................................................*'
6reaming..............................................................................................................................................................*A
4sycological & Social )::ects...............................................................................................................................**
5anges in te 4erception o: Time.................................................................................................................**
)uporia...............................................................................................................................................................*>
5anges in your Social Bi:e...............................................................................................................................*>
Bearning to Bo!e Sleep.......................................................................................................................................*7
#eing A +eirdo...................................................................................................................................................*7
<!. Philosophical !mplications........................................................................................................DF
<!!. Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................G&
<!!!. APP6;D!C6S..................................................................................................................................GB
AppendiC I$ Sleep 6rugs........................................................................................................................................>'
AppendiC II$ Arguments to #osses......................................................................................................................>A
AppendiC III$ (radual Adaptation.......................................................................................................................>*
AppendiC IF$ Re:utations......................................................................................................................................>*
AppendiC F$ Resources..........................................................................................................................................>>
About The Author.............................................................................................................................G@
H!. ICheat SheetsI7 Things to cut out J use for reference.....................................G(
+y I +ant to &e 4olypasic$................................................................................................................................>8
+at is 4olypase,...................................................................................................................................................>8
+en @ou 0irst +a8e %p.......................................................................................................................................>9
#e:ore you (o To Sleep..........................................................................................................................................>9
+en you (et Tired................................................................................................................................................73
Ha&its and Successes................................................................................................................................................7"
H. Changelog..........................................................................................................................................@&
4 Ubersleep
The Di scl ai mers7 P"6AS6 96AD TH6S6!
1. THIS IS ;-T S5I);5). Tere is little real scienti:ic data on 4olypasic Sleep at te time o:
tis writing. +at you9re reading ere is te personal eCperience and collected researc .mostly
?otted on nap8ins1 o: one o: te &etter78nown eCperimenters wit polypasic scedules .me1. I
coined te term /%&erman9s Sleep Scedule/ and a!e li!ed on &ot te %&erman and )!eryman
scedules< as well as tal8ed wit< attempted to ad!ise< and learned :rom many oter people wo
sowed interest in adapting to a polypasic scedule. +ile it9s all @MMF .@our Mileage May
Fary1 at tis point< tis is te &est data I9m aware o: at tis moment. Please take this as serious
advice, which it is, but not as scientifically-validated fact, which it isn't.
2. SB))4 6)4RIFATI-; IS ;-T H)ABTH@. Gust as canging diets o:ten means going
troug some unger< canging sleep scedules< especially into a super7e::icient .or at least
restricti!e1 scedule< in!ol!es some sleep7star!ation. In some cases< suc as wit %&erman< it can
&e Huite eCtreme :or a :ew days .li8e :asting< to 8eep up te :ood analogy1. #ut e!en wen te
sleep dep isn9t eCtreme< it9s tere< until you adapt :ully to te new scedule. Bi8e unger< sleep
depri!ation won9t 8ill you< or e!en urt you< as long as it9s temporary and you o&ser!e &asic sa:ety
guidelines .wic are discussed in detail in te capter on Adaptation< and elsewere1. #ut< also
li8e unger< sleep depri!ation is not a ealty state to &e in :or too long I it can a!e many
detrimental e::ects o!er time. As more people &ecome interested in polypasic sleep< I9m earing
more cases o: people &eing sleep depri!ed :or monts or e!en longer< as tey ma8e al:earted
attempts to adapt &ut 8eep o!ersleeping or :udging teir scedules< resulting in a long< drawn7out
period o: low7to7mid7le!el sleep depri!ation. The point of polyphasic sleep is to GET THROUGH the
adaptation period as quickly as possible, by making CO!"!TET changes to one#s sleep schedule and sticking
$ith them in spite of the initial tiredness% I: done correctly< te period o: sleep depri!ation is sort and<
I &elie!e< totally sa:e. If consistency is lacking, however, this kind of experimentation can
have negative consequences. I strongly urge e!eryone wo may consider polypasic sleep to
tin8 long and ard a&out weter you a!e te moti!ation and discipline to &e consistent in
spite o: &eing eCtremely tired at :irstJ and i: you disco!er tat you can9t seem to 8eep to your new
scedule long enoug to adapt77you 8eep messing up< o!ersleeping< etc.77ten please stop &e:ore
you damage yoursel:. Re7esta&lis a regular< normal sleeping scedule asap< and ten< a:ter a long
/resetE< you can try again i: you :eel it9s wise. #ut please don9t use polypasic sleep as an eCcuse
to sleep randomly< or try to stay awa8e :or long periods and ten cras and try it again. Tis 8ind
o: &ea!ior is li8ely to &e !ery &ad :or you. 4lease don9t do it. -r at te !ery least< i: you do<
don9t go telling people I ga!e you te idea=
3. !" #!$ %I&'. Tose wo are still eCperiencing ig le!els o: pysical and mental growt 77
typically anyone under "8723 years o: age 77 sould not &e messing wit depri!ing teir &odies o:
sleep or :ood< owe!er temporarily. I: tis is you< please tin8 a moment$ @ou don9t get a
second sot at te growt period in your li:e< &ut you9ll a!e decades and decades a:ter it9s done
to mess a&out wit tings li8e polypasic sleep< :asting< weird diets< etc. It doesn9t ta8e muc to
trow a serious mon8ey7wrenc into your mental or pysical de!elopment< and tere9s no :iCing it
i: you do. I: you9re interested in polypasic sleep now &ut you aren9t old enoug to sa:ely attempt
it< ten I suggest you use te time to researc and plan ow you9d li8e it to wor8 wen you are old
enoug 77 te eCtra planning will greatly increase your cances o: success< so consider it an
opportunity=
...Tan8 you :or reading Te 6isclaimers. ;ow< on to te good stu::=
Ubersleep 5
I. What is Polyphasic Sleep?
!ntroducti on
4olypasic sleep is sleeping in more tan one /pase/ or cun8< as opposed to /monopasic/
sleep< wic is wat most people do I sleep in one &ig cun8 at nigt.
4olypasic sleep is not new= In :act< it9s as old as it gets. Many animals are polypasic< as are
uman &eings...at :irst. In:ants are polypasicJ tey a!e to &e trained to sleep at nigt< as many a
:raKKled parent 8nows. #esides /natural/ polypasers li8e in:ants and animals< di::erent :orms o:
polypasic sleep a!e &een used &y groups o: people o!er muc o: istory. Te most common case tat
I9m aware o: is te soldier< wo< una&le to sleep :or an eCtended period wile &eind enemy lines< is
trained to ta8e sort naps< eiter at regular inter!als or< i: tat9s not possi&le< simply wene!er e or se
can. Sailors and pilots< scientists and eCplorers 77 anyone wor8ing alone o!er an eCtended period o: time
77 o:ten does te same ting.
It9s well 8nown already tat< &y ta8ing sort naps o:ten< a person can sleep muc less tan wat
we consider /normal/ and still :unction mostly witout impairment< and tat tis can &e maintained :or a
wile witout doing any damage. #ut wat a&out o!er te long aul, +at a&out sleeping polypasically
as a lifestyle, 5an it &e done I and i: so< ow, +ic scedules wor8, 6oes it ma8e you tired all te
time< or do &ad tings to your memory< concentration< or ealt, And wat are te psycological< and
e!en social< e::ects o: li!ing on a polypasic scedule,
Tese are Huestions I9!e &een prodding at :or a long time. I :irst slept on a polypasic scedule
:or a little under siC monts in te year "999< as an eCperiment. Te results surprised me< so I ended up
writing a&out my eCperience wit wat my co7conspirator and I du&&ed /Te %&erman Sleep Scedule/.
+at I didn9t 8now was tat< at te time I wrote te article< tere wasn9t muc oter in:ormation out
tere a&out using polypasic sleep scedules /in real li:e/ as opposed to in eCtreme situations< and tat
interest in my success would &e !ery ig. In te years since ten< many oter people a!e adopted
polypasic scedules< and I a!e tested out a :ew oters scedules as well. I9!e compiled te in:ormation
I a!e on te scedules tat wor8< teir e::ects< te practical side o: adapting to tem and using tem<
and lots o: tips and tric8s :or ma8ing polypasic sleeping wor8< into tis &oo8.
Tis &oo8 is meant to &e a resource :or people wo are curious a&out or would li8e to try sleeping
polypasically. 4lease note tat I9m not a scientist< so wile I9m reasona&ly certain tat< :or instance< tere
are no negati!e pysical e::ects resulting :rom polypasic sleep< I can9t spea8 wit te autority o:
controlled eCperimental researc. My secondary goal in writing tis &oo8 is to encourage te people wo
are eHuipped to carry out tat 8ind o: researc to do so. I tin8 polypasic sleep can &e a !alua&le ting<
especially in modern times and :or modern people< and I9!e gotten noting &ut good :rom it. I sincerely
ope tat oters will &ene:it :rom te in:ormation I9!e gatered ere< and use it as a plat:orm to learn
more.
6 Ubersleep
Some Termi nol ogy
Some language7con!entions a!e already &egun to ta8e old in te polypasic world .te word
/polypasic/ is one o: tem1< and I will operate witin te community9s lingo
"
as :ar as I can witout
&eing con:using to a new reader. Here are some terms tat you migt see< ere and elsewere< in
re:erence to polypasic sleep$
Polyphasic( many7pasesJ re:ers to sleeping in se!eral smaller cun8s ./naps/1
)onophasic( one7paseJ re:ers to sleeping in one< usually nigttime< cun8
*quiphasic( any sleep scedule were te /cun8s/ are o: eHual lengt
on-*quiphasic( any sleep scedule were te cun8s are o: uneHual lengt .i.e. one sleep o: a :ew
ours and se!eral sort naps1
+ore( in a non7eHuipasic scedule< te longer sleeps are called /core naps/
ap( a sorter sleep7cun8< usually understood to mean less tan an our. Te ma?ority o:
polypasic naps are 23 minutes long< toug some scedules use '3 minutes instead.
,berman( re:ers to a speci:ic< eHuipasic< polypasic scedule. ;amed &y my :riend and I wen we
:irst undertoo8 polypasic sleeping. It9s a simple ;ietKsce re:erence I we9re &ot pilosopy ma?ors.
2

&ymaxion( anoter eHuipasic< polypasic scedule< coined &y te scientist #uc8minster 0uller. Aside
:rom my own eCperiences and tose since< 6r. 0uller9s 6ymaCion eCperiment is te only documented
case o: a polypasic scedule &eing adopted long7term. .It was a success< &y is reporting.1
*veryman( re:ers to one o: se!eral non7eHuipasic< polypasic scedules
Polyphasers - ,bersleepers( people wo sleep polypasically .typically< e!en i: tey9re not on te
%&erman scedule per seJ people on )!eryman or 6ymaCion are still called %&ersleepers.1
)onophasers - .ibernators( people wo sleep monopasically. J1
/dapting or /d0usting( Te :irst '3 days minimum o: any new polypasic sleep scedule are te
/ad?ustment period/< te time during wic te &rainL&ody gets used to te new scedule. Sleep
depri!ation is normal during tis period< and strict aderence to te new scedule is o: utmost
importance. Te eCperience o: sleeping polypasically a:ter te adaptation period is signi:icantly di::erent
tan it is during adaptation=
" Some o: tis /lingo/ is not pure 77 :or instance< te term /polypasic sleep/ as originally coined &y 6r. Stampi would not normally include te )!eryman
Sleep Scedule in its de:inition. Howe!er< te community widely recogniKes )!eryman as a polypasic scedule. 0or simplicity9s sa8e< I9!e stuc8 wit wat
te community o: polypasers< and tose interested in polypasic sleep< typically mean &y teir ?argon< rater tan teCt&oo8 de:initions .were tere are
any1.
2 +e9re also &ot women< so toug ;ietKsce9s original teCt .predicta&ly1 used te masculine der Ubermensch< te %&erman Sleep Scedule is de:initely a das
Ubermensch< a gender7neutral. -ccasionally ILwe get accused o: naming te central polypasic scedule in a seCist .patriarcal1 :asion< and ten one o: us
as to point out tat< translated witout its der&das&die< te word %&erman &y itsel: as no gender. It9s not our :ault tat te )nglis :or mensch .person1 is
man% Also< mlauts are a pain to type< so we lea!e tem out. Translating to American includes translating te tendency to ta8e sortcuts. J1
Ubersleep 7
Hi story J no-n Appl i cati ons
#esides soldiers and in:ants and animals generally< tere a!e &een lots o: people tat istory
speculates were polypasic sleepers< and a :ew tat we 8now were. %n:ortunately< real data is scarce in
most circumstances.
Tere is a small culture o: :orest7dwellers 8nown as te /4iraa/ wo< according to te reports o:
.un:ortunately< it seems ?ust one1 scientist< sleep :or &etween 23 minutes and 2 ours at a time. It9s
possi&le tat< &ecause tey are a unting culture .or :or anoter reason1< tey9!e adapted to sleeping
polypasically in order to maCimiKe alert7time< muc te way some animals do. .It9s also possi&le< as
someone elp:ully pointed out< tat tey were wa8ing up all te time in order to 8eep an eye on te craKy
scientist in teir midst.1
4ro&a&ly te most per!asi!e istorical attri&ution is to Beonardo 6a Finci. +en I :irst eard
a&out polypasic sleep< it was attaced to 6a Finci9s name< and e!en toug tere isn9t any actual
istorical e!idence tat I9!e &een a&le to :ind to support te assertion tat 6a Finci was polypasic< e9s
not suc an odd a!atar :or polypasic sleep. Te man was 8nown :or &eing up at all ours< and :or
getting an un&elie!a&le amount o: wor8 done in an almost ridiculous num&er o: categories. Tat sounds
li8e a polypaser to me=
Speci:ically< te traits 6a Finci ad are accurate representations o: someone on te scedule we
called Uberman. Bong &e:ore I did my eCperiment< 6r. 5laude Stampi I pretty muc te only person to
do a real study on te /all naps/ polypasic scedule I ad called te scedule /6a Finci sleep/ in is
&oo8 '(hy (e ap'
'
%
-ter istorical attri&utions a&ound< as well< and tey include #en 0ran8lin< Al&ert )instein<
Tomas )dison and many more people. And toug tere9s no ard e!idence o: :act tat tese men
were polypasic sleepers< reading a&out teir li!es< it9s easy .:or someone :amiliar wit polypasic sleep1
to see wy tey migt a!e gotten la&eled as polypasic< or wy someone migt a!e tougt tey were.
And peraps tey really were a:ter allJ or peraps tey were ?ust weird sleepers witout any speci:ic
scedule< or wit a scedule tey made up all &y temsel!es tat doesn9t :it any o: te types and
categories tat we9!e :igured out so :ar. .Many o: tem were 8nown :or in!enting tings< a:ter all.1
Tere is one great istorical :igure tat we do 8now :or a :act was polypasic< at least :or a :ew
years< and tat9s #uc8minster 0uller< te scientist
A
. 6r. 0uller de!ised a scedule o: '37minute naps at
regular inter!als .eHuipasic1 and called it te 6ymaCion scedule .e used te word 6ymaCion to name
many tings wic e considered ideal and e::icient1. He li!ed on is 6ymaCion scedule :or two years<
during wic e 8ept is usual .astonising1 amount o: notes and records. Signi:icantly< 6r. 0uller was
seen &y at least one pysician wile li!ing on is 6ymaCion scedule< and pronounced /sound as a nut/.
He also reported :eeling more rested and energetic tan e ad in is wole li:e< wic may sound odd<
&ut I eCperienced te same ting on te %&erman scedule< as a!e many oters &y now.
*

Kodern 9esearch
0ar less as &een done in te realm o: modern scienti:ic researc o: polypasic sleeping tan I
and many oters would li8e to see. Te latest researc was conducted &y 6r. 5laudio Stampi< :ounder o:
' (hy (e ap, ed. 5laudio Stampi< #ir8Muser #oston< "993.
A An a&solutely :ascinating :igure< wom I encourage e!eryone to read up on i: tey li8e :ascinating people.
* -n te )!eryman scedule< wic will &e discussed in detail later< I simply :eel rested< normal< eCcept tat I a!e more time a!aila&le to me. I tend to re:er
to te uniHue energiKing e::ect o: %&erman L 6ymaCion as /euporia/.
8 Ubersleep
te 5rono&iology Researc Institute in #oston< and a!id sailor. 6r. Stampi9s nap7researc appears to
a!e &een moti!ated &y is lo!e o: sailing< wic led im to notice ow lone sailors o:ten success:ully
trade teir monopasic scedules :or ones tat center around many sort naps< and to study te e::ects o:
ma8ing tat switc. He9s written articles on polypasic sleep in sailors< as well as a &oo8 containing some
o: te :oremost researc on napping< (hy (e ap< pu&lised in "992. .Mind you< tat means tat te
newest researc we 8now a&out was conducted se!en years &e:ore my eCperiment. @i8es.1
Tat &oo8 is an interesting< i: grueling< loo8 at te pysiology o: sleep< and sort sleeps speci:ically< &ut
un:ortunately a1 it9s out o: print and eCpensi!e< &1 it9s !ery scienti:ic< and not an easy read :or laypersons<
and c1 te eCperiment using D6a Finci sleepE .an %&erman7li8e eHuipasic scedule1 is sort and< :rom
te perspecti!e o: someone interested in sleeping polypasically long7term< incomplete. All it pro!es<
:rom our perspecti!e< is tat /ad?ustment/ is possi&le< &y sowing tat a su&?ect put on te /6a Finci/
scedule eCperienced a drop in mental per:ormance< &ut ten reco!ered all o: it wen te initial
adaptation period ad passed. Tis is an important ting to 8now< :or tose trying to pro!e tat
polypasic sleep isn9t damaging to ad?ust to< &ut it lea!es a lot o: unanswered Huestions. 0or instance$
A su&?ect was :ound wo was willing to try sleeping only in > '37minute &loc8s< wit no longer sleep
period. In te modern parlance< tis is usually .&ut not always1 associated wit te 6ymaCion
sceduleJ %&erman< properly spea8ing< is generally accepted to in!ol!e 23 minute naps< not '3.
>
Tis
may &e a tri!ial di::erence< &ut many people would li8e to 8now i: te more commonly7used sorter
nap would wor8 as well or &etter. Many people &elie!e tat it does .mysel: included1.
Te su&?ect ad?usted to te new scedule gradually< &y replacing regular sleep wit naps o!er a period
o: time. I and oters wo adopt %&erman or 6ymaCion a!e tended to go :or it all at once. It would
&e nice to 8now i: one metod is easier or more e::icacious tan te oter. .See te Appendices :or
more in:ormation on (radual Adaptation.1
Te su&?ect wasn9t really /in control/ o: te sleep sceduleJ e was &eing told &y te researcer ow
to sleep and wen< including &eing gi!en a day to sleep /at will/. Since psycology plays suc a ma?or
role in &eing a&le to wa8e up and stay awa8e< one wonders ow te eCperiment would a!e di::ered i:
te su&?ect was simply gi!en te scedule and told to stic8 to it.
Te eCperiment was relati!ely sort in duration< raising te Huestion tat9s non7scienti:ically answered
ere$ 5an polypasic sleep wor8 as a real7li:e sleep scedule< in te long term< including normal
acti!ites, And wat are te long7term e::ects and side7e::ects o: tis type o: scedule,
And< o: course< tis was an eCperiment wit one su&?ect. It sows tat it9s possi&le to adapt< &ut not
wy< or wat ma?or :actors are in!ol!ed. Knowing wat traits ma8e it easier< or arder< to adopt a
polypasic scedule could &e !ery use:ul to a lot o: people=
+en I planned my second adaptation in 233>< one o: te tings I did to prepare was to contact
se!eral local sleep clinics and sleep7researc7department eads< and o::er mysel: as a guinea pig i:
any&ody wanted to study te adaptation process. I was surprised tat no7one did< &ut again< I ope tat
tat will cange. .And I continue to case leads in tis area today< in te ope tat e!entually more
researc will &e done. %n:ortunately my own li:e now 77 ?o&< 8id< scool 77 ma8es it impossi&le :or me to
cec8 into a sleep clinic :or a long study .not tat any&ody9s as8ed me to yet1< &ut I9m sure tere are
polypasers wo9d &e willing.1
Additional researc is important -ddly enoug< all te data I9!e gatered :rom my eCperiments and oters9 points to a 237minute nap &eing more re:resing tan '3 minutes. Most
%&ersleepers eCperiment a &it wit te eCact duration o: te naps< &ut te general consensus is tat less tan "* minutes is too little< and more tan 2* is too
muc. Some people do sleep '3 minutes< &ut tey9re te minority. I usually sleep "8723 minutes :or a napJ longer tan tat and I wa8e more tired.
Ubersleep 9
Kodern 9el e,ance
Te :uture is a tric8y ting. 4eraps te tric8iest ting a&out it is deciding weter we< as people<
are in control o: our destiny or not. +e seem alternately elpless and all7power:ul wit regard to ow we
steer te de!elopment o: our world.
-n te one and< sleep seems to already &e under attac8 in many places< were rapid growt and
digital7industrial economies are plowing o!er anyting tat gets in te way o: maCimum .sort7term1
e::iciency. Te pysical downtime tat people need sould &e protected :rom eCploitation &y a system
eager to sHueeKe e!ery dollar :rom e!ery la&orer...)!en I worry tat some greedy sono:aNNN is going to
use polypasic sleep as an eCcuse to in!ent te 237our wor8day.
-n te oter and< te 2A7our society< properly en!isioned< allows greater :reedom :or
indi!iduals to pursue a wider selection o: li:estyles. Reducing te amount o: sleep people need< i: it can
&e done sa:ely and wit due respect :or indi!idual rigts< seems li8e it could &e a uge &ene:it to most
&usy< modern people. Bi8e me< tey could gain time :or o&&ies and relaCation tat tey migt not
oterwise a!e< and restore te &alance tat9s &een lost &y dedicating most o: e!eryone9s entire wa8ing
day to wor8. I9m sure someone will say tat to &e so &usy tat you a!e to cut into your nigt9s sleep to
a!e any :ree time is symptomatic o: terri&le tings o!erall< and souldn9t &e encouraged. Tat9s not a
stupid argument to ma8e$ Sleeping monopasically< it9s &een sown tat people need a certain amount o:
sleep< and simply not getting it will de:initely impact your ealt and per:ormance. I 8now tons o: adults
wo do tat
7
< and I always tougt it was stupid. @ou don9t neglect to maintain your car rigt &e:ore you
dri!e te 5annon&all Run. +y would you neglect your &ody wen you most need it to :unction well<
&ecause you9re really &usy, Tat9s true o: not sleeping enougJ I totally agree. #ut wat i: you could
sleep less< &ut still sleep enough)
It's a common misconception that polyphasic sleep means being sleep deprived, &ut
common or not< it9s still a misconception. Sleep depri!ation is a pase tat must &e gotten troug in
order to adapt to a polypasic scedule 77 ?ust li8e unger is a pase tat must &e gotten troug in order
to adapt to a strict diet. #eing on a polypasic scedule is not supposed to mean &eing sleep7depri!ed<
nor does it< :or te people wo are currently success:ully ad?usted< li8e mysel:.
It9s already 8nown tat polypasic sleep /wor8s/ 77 tat di!iding up sleep7periods di::erently can
impro!e te efficiency o: sleep< allowing less o!erall sleep to pro!ide adeHuate rest wile maintaining .or
e!en impro!ing1 per:ormance and ealt. Sailors and soldiers< as I9!e mentioned< already use polypasic
scedules :reHuently wen it9s incon!enient or impossi&le to sleep many ours at a time< and tey9re a&le
to per:orm well enoug to :ly planes< steer &oats< and engage in com&at and reconnaissance acti!ities. I:
sleeping polypasically in!ol!ed a systemic loss in per:ormance< I don9t tin8 te military or te long7
distance tra!elLracing communities would recommend it= Tere9s also e!idence< owe!er anecdotal< tat
ancient uman8ind may a!e used polypasic sleep during times o: :ood7sortage or especially &ad
weater< to gain an edge in unting or sur!i!al a&ility were one was &adly needed. I :ind none o: tis
surprisingJ a:ter all< a Huic8 loo8 at te animal 8ingdom sows tat it9s not at all unnatural to sleep &ased
on te needs o: one9s surroundings< and yes< many animals are polypasic< too.
Te Huestion &eing as8ed in tis &oo8 is weter napping can &e more tan a stop7gap measureJ
weter it ma8es a good /de:ault/ scedule o!er te long7term. +an you sleep polyphasically 1 taking
naps throughout the day, and cutting your total sleep time to four or less hours per 23 1 and get
away with it for many months, or years4 And wat would suc a li:estyle in!ol!e,
7 Kids< including teenagers< are usually smarter. Tey may want to stay up late< &ut ten tey also want to sleep until noon< as any sane person would. J1
10 Ubersleep
I9m going on one and a al: years o: uninterrupted
8
polypasic sleep .I9ll eCplain my scedule and
istory in te neCt section1 as I write tis< and I9m not te only success:ul long7term adapter< toug tere
certainly aren9t a :lood o: us yet. It9s also li8ely tat< i: polypasic sleeping /catces on/< it9ll remain a
minority underta8ing. Still< te longer I continue to en?oy and &ene:it :rom my polypasic li:estyle wit
no ma?or negati!e e::ects< te neater an idea it seems. So let9s ta8e a closer loo8 at ow it wor8s=
8 %ninterrupted eCcept :or periods o: minor illness< tra!el or oter sceduling sa8e7ups< wic I9ll descri&e in more detail later. Te periods o: &eing Do::
my sceduleE a!e ne!er eCceeded one wee8< and tere a!e &een relati!ely :ew o: tem. Also< e!en toug I9ll tal8 more a&out it later< I want to point out
rigt up :ront tat e!ery single time I D:ell o::E my polypasic scedule< I eCperienced no DcrasE 77 no long reco!ery sleep I wic would a!e indicated
tat te polypasic sleeping was causing me to &uild up a sleep de&t.
Ubersleep 11
II. Polyphasic Schedules in Detail
2egi nni ng at the 2egi nni ng7 The Uberman Sl eep
Schedul e
A< %&erman. 0ond memories< :or me.
Bet9s not mince words I I was one o: tose craKy eCperimenter types in college. I: tere was a
pysical or psycological &oundary in me< I was messing wit it< :eeling it out< loo8ing :or gi!e. ...To an
eCtent< I9m still li8e tat. I ?ust a!e a little less leeway to get really strange a&out it now. .I loo8 :orward
to old age< wic I9m told allows one to get away wit &eing strange again.1
-: course< eCperimenting wit sleep is ardly a uniHue underta8ing :or college students. In my
case< I was moti!ated &y more tan ?ust curiosity< toug I I ad a terrible time sleeping< and I was loo8ing
:or a way out. I9!e always &een a computer gee8 and tus ad nec8 pro&lems< and !irtually any way I
slept< i: I did it :or as long as I needed in order to :eel rested< would mean wa8ing up in a &all o: crac8ly
pain. 4lus< I9!e always needed a lot o: sleep 77 te /8 ours/ tat we call te adult a!erage is<
unsurprisingly< sortand :or /779 ours/< and I was a nine7our person. Bess tan tat and I :elt li8e
some&ody9d used me to clean a restaurant :loor. And needless to say< tat was &ecoming more and more
incon!enient< te older and &usier I got.
I also a!e a rater intimate istory wit depression
9
< and &eing &y mysel: and away :rom my
ometown :or te :irst time did really :unny tings to my ead I among wic was trasing my a&ility to
sleep. I ad &outs o: insomnia tat could last a wee8 or moreJ I ad near7constant nigtmares< nigt
terrors< sleep7wal8ing episodes< recurring incidents o: sleep paralysis and co8ing and e!en wrec8ing my
room in te middle o: dreaming...:un :un :un. So wile< in my eCperiments< I was partially doing tings
li8e playing /How Bong 5an I (o +itout Sleep -n 4urpose,/ &ecause tey were interesting< I was also
desperately trying to ?og my mindL&ody into &ea!ing itsel: so tat I could rest.
Te original %&erman attempt was directly related to all tis. It was some wee8s a:ter my &ig no7
sleep7at7all eCperiment .I got ?ust past 82 ours &e:ore my sa:ety7&uddy put te ammer down and ended
tat eCperiment1< and I was a!ing te worst and weirdest insomnia &out e!er. 0or almost two wee8s< I
couldn9t sleep more tan a&out 23 minutes at a time I I would :all asleep normally< and ten wa8e up<
sometimes in a state o: paralysis
"3
< and &e una&le to go &ac8 to sleep :or many ours. Sometimes I would
gi!e up and get up< and oter times I would lie misera&ly in &ed :or a :ew ours< &ored out o: my s8ull<
listening to te minutes tic8 away. It was not :un< and I was desperate :or a way out< &ut noting was
wor8ing 77 music< melatonin< eCerciseJ I9d tried wate!er I could tin8 o: sort o: drugs< and I didn9t want
to cross tat line into medicating mysel: in order to get rest:ul sleep. My :riend< wo9d &een my sa:ety7
&uddy during pre!ious eCperiments and pretty muc ung out wit me constantly anyway< was te one
wo suggested te sleep scedule se9d read a&out somewere tat in!ol!ed only sleeping :or 23 minutes
at a time anyway< e!ery :our ours< around te cloc8. ./I tin8 6a Finci did it/< was a&out te eCtent o:
9 #ecause it &ears on te eCperiment.s1 and on polypasic sleep< I9ll add tat I was not< at te time o: tese :irst eCperiments or at any time since ten< on
psyciatric medication. I9!e :ound tat olistic metods and li:estyle ad?ustments wor8 &etter :or me. J1
"3 Actually< it was more li8e my &ody was asleep< &ut my mind wasn9t. I could mo!e i: I wanted to< &ut i: I did I would Dwa8e upE 77 as long as I laid still<
toug< I could :eel tat my &ody was totally relaCed and DunderE. #ut my mind was wide awa8e. @ea< it was really weird< and i: it adn9t &een inter:ering
wit any sort o: normal sleep< I migt a!e tougt it was cool= Mostly I ?ust got &ored and :rustrated a:ter laying tere mentally awa8e :or a wile< and got
up< eCausted< to do someting else.
12 Ubersleep
te in:ormation and prior researc we ad. +e tin8 te article se migt a!e read was one pu&lised
in an old issue o: Time magaKine< a&out #uc8minster 0uller9s 6ymaCion eCperiment.1 I would a!e to go
to sleep a lot< &ut wa8ing up a:ter 23 minutes would &ecome an ad!antage< rater tan an eCausting
detriment.
It sounded li8e te per:ect solution at te
time< &ut loo8ing &ac8< I still tin8 it9s amaKing tat
it actually $as. My :riend e!en gamely o::ered to try
te scedule wit me< &ot as a /control/<
scienti:ically spea8ing< and so tat I wouldn9t die o:
&oredom and would a!e elp stic8ing to it. +e
&ot agreed tat i: it was going to wor8< it needed to
&e adered to wit te utmost strictness at :irst< and
tat9s eCactly wat we did. ;aps appened at
precise times< and we called eac oter immediately
upon wa8ing .i: we weren9t togeter anyway1. To
my eternal cagrin< I did not 8eep a care:ul log o:
te transition tat we underwent< &ut wat I seem to
remem&er clearly does not contradict wat oters
a!e eCperienced in te same situation.
To put it &luntly I we9ll get into te
adaptation process more speci:ically in 5apter
0our I wat we eCperienced was a&out :our days o:
mind7&lowing sleep depri!ation. +ell< te :irst day
wasn9t so &ad< o: course. Really te tird and :ourt
days were te worst< and a:ter tat< it &egan to get
easier. .#ut tose tird and :ourt days seemed to
last eons=1 I really< onestly can say tat I9!e ne!er
&een troug anyting li8e tose days o: eCtreme
sleep7dep< nor a!e I done !ery muc in my li:e tat impressed me as muc as I was impressed wen we
managed to get troug tat period witout o!ersleeping. It really :elt li8e doing te impossi&le= And
tan8:ully< it was sort$ a:ter a wee8< it wasn9t muc arder to wa8e up tan getting up early on a normal
morning< and a:ter two wee8s< it wasn9t ard at all. A:ter tat point< all traces o: tiredness Huic8ly
!anised< and we were :ull o: energy andOere9s a strange word &ut it descri&es us wellO*im%
And :or se!eral monts terea:ter< tings only got &etter. +e were sleeping a total o: two ours
e!ery twenty7:our< a :eat wic e!eryone readily agreed was a&solutely insane and impossi&le< and yet it
was undenia&ly wor8ing. -n a campus o: a&out :i!e undred people total< you can9t :ool e!eryone into
tin8ing tat you9re rested all te time wen you9re not< and you certainly can9t :a8e weter or not you9re
up all nigt= +e ad a lot o: amaKed o&ser!ers .as well as a lot o: people screaming :or us to stop<
especially in te &eginning 77 sleep depri!ation doesn9t ma8e you loo8 so good1. 0or a sort wile< we
also ad :ollowers$ a&out :i:teen oter people< total< attempted to adapt to te scedule. Tey all :ailed 77
&ut my :riend and I did not. Te :unny ting is< tat ratio< inso:ar as I can tell wit noting &ut my
intuition to guide me< is pretty close to te a!erage :ail7rate :or adaptation to a polypasic scedule.
.@ou9d tin8 tat %&erman would a!e a iger :ailure rate< &ut I9!e noticed tat all it seems to really
a!e is more people wo drop out witin te :irst wee8. Te /easier/ scedules still lose people< &ut
since te :irst wee8 isn9t so &ad< tey o:ten don9t lose tem until a :ew wee8s in.1
Ubersleep 13
5hat is the ,berman 'leep 'chedule4
Te original polypasic scedule$
/)HuieCipasic/ in tecnical terms.
Fery similar to wat9s 8nown a&out 6r. 0uller9s
6ymaCion scedule
23 minute naps 7 "* minutes minimum< 2*
minutes maCimumJ '3 minutes is sometimes
used &ut seems to &e less e::ecti!e
)!ery :our ours 7 must &e precise .not more
tan "37"* minutes !ariationJ pre:era&ly little or
no !ariation on a regular &asis1
;o longer naps or /sleeps/
Ad?ustment is !ery di::icult :or te :irst wee8 or
soJ ta8es a&out '3 days to &ecome :ully ad?usted
mista8es during ad?ustment set &ac8 adaptation
noticea&ly
Scedule is relati!ely strict e!en a:ter ad?ustment
Time7dilation is o:ten !ery noticea&leJ may a!e
di::iculty 8eeping trac8 o: days
Many aderents a!e reported :eelings o:
euporia< eigtened awareness< mental clarity<
and oter psycological e::ects
4ysical e::ects reported .post7adaptation1 a!e
included increased energy< weigt loss< weigt
gain< dryness or tiredness o: te eyes...most seem
to &e related to li:estyle wile polypasic< rater
tan te scedule itsel:J no purely7%&erman7
related pysical e::ects are 8nown to te autor
Try to imagine wat it was li8e :or us wen tis wor8ed. A normal day
""
< as I remem&er it<
consisted o: an 8$33 a.m. nap &e:ore classJ classes .or wor8 77 we &ot wor8ed part time1 troug te
morning< a nap at noon .wic o:ten made eating lunc di::icult or impossi&le< &ut we learned to
compensate1J classesLwor8 in te a:ternoon< nap at A$33p.m.J more classesLwor8 .or teatre< or anoter
o: te acti!ities we o:ten !olunteered :or1 in te late7a:ternoon< nap at 8$33 p.m.J more acti!ities or
anging out wit :riends .and sometimes classes1 in te e!ening< nap at midnigtJ ten eiter more
:riends7and7parties or Huiet time .I used to write or wor8 on computers at nigt a lot1< nap at A$33 a.m.J
and ten we9d get up and go study togeter at te all7nigt 6enny9s until it was time :or our 8$33 a.m. nap.
Tat means we were up and mo!ing :or 22 ours e!ery day. +e wor8ed. +e too8 o!er 23
credit7ours eac o: classes. +e ung out wit people e!ery dayJ we went to almost e!ery party and
e!ent .and roleplaying game< cough nerds cough1 tat we wanted to. +e got good grades .studying '7A ours
e!ery day will do tat1< our dormsLapartments were sometimes ilariously clean< we ad time :or all our
o&&ies .well< most o: tem1< and $e $ere ne*er tired. 0rom our perspecti!e< it :elt li8e you ne!er got a
chance to &e tired< since once you wo8e up< it was only tree ours and :orty minutes until it was time to
go &ac8 to sleep=
And tat9s wy we< pilosopy students as we were< cose to call te scedule /te %&erman9s
Sleep Scedule/. It really wasn9t &ecause it was so ard to ad?ust to I it was mostly &ecause o: te
superuman a&ility to get tings done tat te scedule imparted. +e 8ept saying to eac oter< /I :eel
li8e Superman=/
Anyway< at te end o: tat year< I le:t scool and got a ?o&< and dropped my ni:ty sleep scedule
due to di::iculties wor8ing it into te wole 97* :ramewor8. .It is still true< in e!ery case tat I 8now< tat
%&erman ?ust doesn9t play nice wit regular :ull7time ?o&s< un:ortunate as tat is.1 I remem&er crying te
:irst nigt I slept all nigt. .Actually< I slept a&out tree oursJ te neCt nigt I slept siC< and ten I was
&ac8 to eigtLnine. And amaKingly< I did not eCperience a return o: te insomniaLnigtmaresLetc
pro&lem at all.1
+at tat eCperience ga!e me< unsurprisingly< was a !ery positi!e !iew o: tis scedule.
+ene!er I tal8ed a&out it later on< I preaced my guts out .and mostly ?ust got loo8ed at :unny1. #ut I
was soon to learn tat it wasn9t all peaces and roses< &ecause a&out siC years later< I would land a ?o& tat
ad a little more :leCi&ility< and o: course one o: te :irst tings on my mind was getting my precious
%&erman scedule &ac8
"2
...
2ei ng A :ro-nup7 The 6,eryman Schedul e
A< rigt< &ut wat ad appened in tose siC years, +ell< :irst o: all< I9d gotten into a line o:
wor8 tat was signi:icantly more demanding tan &eing a goper :or te Student Acti!ities 6epartmentJ
and second o: all< I9d ad a cild. #ot o: tose tings ad an impact I adn9t eCpected< and tat was to
ma8e it nearly impossi&le to lay down :or a nap e+actly e!ery :our ours .or stay asleep :or a wole 23
minutes1. In college< my scedule was pretty regular< and my o&ligations relati!ely :orgi!ingJ i: I ad to
&ow out o: a teatre reearsal :or a :ew minutes< or tell wor8 to ang on a sec< it wasn9t a &ig dealJ my
only ma?or time7related o&ligations were classes< and tose con!eniently appened in suc a way as to
allow a sort &rea8 e!ery :our ours.
"" It9s ard to tin8 a&out /days/ wen you don9t sleep at nigtJ our li!es :elt li8e one long unwinding day< an e::ect I discuss in more detail in te /4sycology
& Sociology/ section.
"2 Actually< I tried to get it &ac8 one oter time< sortly a:ter my daugter was &orn< wen I wasn9t sleeping :or crap anyway. ;eedless to say< it didn9t wor8 I
se wouldn9t let me nap< and I was too tired all te time already to &e anywere near a&le to andle te ad?ustment. I tin8 I lasted two days. J1
14 Ubersleep
#ac8 ten< I tougt I was napping so regularly &ecause it was easier< and &ecause psycologically
it made stic8ing wit my weird scedule a lot simpler. +at I came to realiKe is tat getting tose naps as
on7time as possi&le is not in any way optional wit %&erman% Bi!ing &y te minute7and o: my watc
was part o: te price to &e paid :or sleeping only two ours a day. And it wasn9t &ad< reallyJ it ardly e!er
&otered me at all< especially since te naps were so sort< te interruptions were &arely noticea&le.
A:ter college< toug< I ad pone calls I
couldn9t put down< meetings tat wouldn9t let me
&ow out or &e late< and most importantly< a
wal8ing< tal8ing< !ery demanding &undle o: ?oy wo
certainly couldn9t &e le:t alone :or twenty
minutes. I also< :or a wile tere< ad a ?o& tat
simply would not allow sleep anywere witin a 9
or "3 our &loc8 o: time. .Se!eral attempts a!e
&een made to de!elop a polypasic scedule tat
doesn9t reHuire interrupting a long wor8dayJ I9m
sorry to report tat I don9t 8now o: any yet tat
wor8. More on te deri!ation o: new types o:
polypasic scedule later< toug.1
#ut ten< a :ew years later< I realiKed tat
tings ad canged. My daugter was old
enoug to &e watced &y someone else during
my naptimeJ and my ?o& canged to one wit
enoug managerial power to let me ta8e naps.
.All it really too8 was a!ing enoug !oice in te
company :or someone to ear me wen I
eCplained tat one our a day .eac nap ta8es
a&out '3 minutes in real7time away :rom my
des81 wasn9t more tan most smo8ers .and e!en
non7smo8ers1 too8 in /&rea8s/< and tat i: I came
in an our earlier I could ma8e up :or it anyway.
-ter tan getting some odd loo8s< it asn9t
caused any pro&lems at my current ?o& 77 in :act<
te re:resing &rea8s seem to elp my
producti!ity a lot. ;oting cases away tat
/a:ternoon slump/ li8e a Huic8 nap=1
%&erman still wouldn9t wor8< toug$ my
?o& is :leCi&le enoug to manage to get naps
witin rougly te rigt our7or7two7long
&rac8et< &ut no way can I get to any 8ind o:
precision in a ectic o::ice en!ironment.
.Boo8ing &ac8...tat was not :un=1 Howe!er< my :ailure to get my
precious sleeping scedule &ac8 ad an upside$ 4eople ad &een tal8ing to me :or a wile a&out anoter
possi&le !ersion o: te scedule< one tat in!ol!ed a longer nap at nigt and was supposedly easier to
modi:y.
Ubersleep 15
5hat is the *veryman 'leep 'chedule4
A !ariation on %&erman tat de!eloped in te
early 23339s. /;on7eHuipasic/ in tecnical
terms.
Most common !ersion in!ol!es one '7our /core
nap/ at nigt plus tree 237minute naps spaced
trougout te day. Some aderents report
needing 2 naps instead< or :our.
Additional !ariants eCist tat seem to wor8< suc
as ".* our core P A naps< and A.* our core P 2
naps.
;aps sould &e relati!ely e!enly spaced< &ut
need not &e eHuidistant77 most people :ind tey
can stay up a little longer &etween two o: te
daytime naps tan te oters< and it doesn9t seem
to matter as long as te o!erall scedule is
regular< and distance &etween naps doesn9t
eCceed > or so ours
4recision is still needed during adaptation .a&t.
>3 days1< &ut a:terwards< naps can &e mo!ed as
muc as one our in eiter direction on a daily
&asis wit no apparent negati!e e::ects
Ad?ustment is not as di::icult at :irst as wit
%&ermanJ owe!er< it seems to ta8e 27' monts
to &ecome ad?usted compared to %&erman9s '3
days< and one is less tired< &ut tired :or longer
tan wit te %&erman adaptation
Mista8es during ad?ustment are still deleterious<
&ut not as muc as wit %&ermanJ mista8es a:ter
ad?ustment tend to &e easier to reco!er :rom
.some users e!en sleep in regularly< suc as once
per wee8< and still 8eep to teir scedules wit
little or no tiredness1
Time7dilation is present &ut usually minorJ most
users can 8eep trac8 o: days witout ta8ing eCtra
measures
)uporia< eigtened awareness and oter
psycological e::ects are !ery mild or a&sent
;o pysical e::ects reported tat do not seem to
&e o&!iously caused &y li:estyle .i.e. spending
uge amounts o: time in :ront o: te computer1
rater tan te sleep scedule.
I sco::ed at :irst. Te reason %&erman wor8ed< I tougt< was its per:ectly symmetrical and
rytmical nature 77 ta8ing a /long nap/ was ?ust a cop7out and &ound to ma8e ad?usting impossi&le.
Tan8:ully< se!eral people insisted tat I try it &e:ore I condemn it totally< and really. As I sit ere writing tis< I9!e &een li!ing on .wat I could not resist calling1
te )!eryman scedule :or one year and ten monts. I am not tired on a daily &asis< or I sould say< I
eCperience tiredness during wa8ing periods muc less o:ten tan I did wile I was monopasic
"'
< and I
a!e 23 ours o: usa&le wa8ing time during te wee8
"A
. I a!e ad my ciropractor .wo is my regular<
I9m7not7sic8 doctor1 doing cec8ups on me< including &lood pressure and eart rate< since I started te
sceduleJ e!eryting is normal.
"*
'o 5hich is 6etter4
I :ind tat wile te ma?ority o: people are interested in te %&erman Sleep Scedule up :ront<
many more people actually wind up doing te )!eryman scedule. Tis isn9t at all ard to understand<
since most people a!e ?o&s andLor :amilies or oter responsi&ilities tat tey can9t sacri:ice to a
draconian sleep7scedule< no matter ow amaKingly cool it is. And I don9t want to discount te !iew tat
)!eryman is an /in:erior/ scedule to %&erman 77 in many ways< it is. It doesn9t produce te /:eeling o:
&eing Superman/ to a!e ?ust a :ew eCtra ours o: time a!aila&le per day. And it9s lac8ing most o: te
cool psycological e::ects o: %&erman. It doesn9t feel te same to &e on )!eryman as %&erman
">
.
#ecause o: tat< to me and oters< it sometimes seems tat %&erman is Hualitati!ely di::erent< in a class all
its ownJ some people call %&erman /pure/ polypasic< and I don9t o&?ect to tat eiter. )!eryman is a
compromise< tat gi!es a person some eCtra time wile letting tem retain some :leCi&ility 77 at te cost o:
some e::iciency. I9m not /ne!er tired/ on my )!eryman scedule li8e I was on %&erman< toug I am
tired signi:icantly less o:ten tat I e!er was wile &eing monopasic. I sometimes :eel energetic and /:ull
o: !im/ in ways tat I tin8 I can attri&ute to my )!eryman scedule< &ut it9s a tric8le compared to te
:eeling o: &eing on %&erman. )!eryman is completely wort it and I9m !ery grate:ul to &e a&le to use it
to ma8e my li:e &etter 77 wic it does 77 &ut< in all seriousness< i: I could get my %&erman scedule &ac8<
I wouldn9t esitate to.
%&erman and )!eryman are< :or now< te scedules most used &y polypasic sleepers. Tere are
oter polypasic scedules tat get attention ere and tere< some o: wic seem to wor8. Bet9s co!er
tem< and wat te /:ormula/ is< i: tere is one< :or sleeping polypasically.
8ther Schedul es (The I1ormul aI)
I9ll con:ess< I was surprised wen people &egan letting me 8now tat tey seemed to a!e
disco!ered a :ormula o: sorts :or de!eloping a polypasic scedule.
"7
Trut &e told< I9m esitant to tal8
a&out it< &ecause one o: my goals in communicating wit te pu&lic a&out polypasic sleep as &een to
"' I9m not usually tired during a typical day< &ut i: a nap gets mo!ed too :ar or missed< I9ll yet yawny< o&!iously.
"A It9s sometimes .not always1 a couple ours less on one o: te wee8end days< wen I9ll ta8e a longer core or a longer nap during te day i: I9m :eeling laKy and
a!e te time to spare. -lease note< toug< I couldn9t a!e done tis &e:ore I9d &een on a strict scedule long enoug to adapt :ully. Te eCtra sleep won9t
&oter me as long as it doesn9t appen more tan once 77 two or more days in a row< toug< and sleeping eCtra will &egin to ma8e me tired at nigt.
"* ;aturally< e!eryting :rom my general appearance o: ealt to my reaction times and mental per:ormance was somewat negati!ely impacted during te
ad?ustment period 77 tis is a normal result o: sleep depri!ation. Howe!er< witin a :ew wee8s e!eryting was &ac8 to normal< and as &een since.
"> And< I gater< 6ymaCion< wic seems more li8e %&erman in its e::ects and ow it :eels.
"7 +ic ?ust goes to sow< :or e!ery crac8pot de!iant on te Internet< tere are at least one and a al: closet geniuses. +at te al: a genius is tere :or< I9m
not sure< &ut I &et tere9s a we&7:orum :or tem somewere.
16 Ubersleep
discourage unsa:e &ea!iorJ and eCperimenting wit di::erent scedule7types< i: you9re not already a
seasoned polypaser and moreo!er< !ery care:ul wit yoursel:< is de:initely unwise< i: not outrigt unsa:e%
I urge e!eryone< i: you9!e ne!er done polypasic sleep and you9re interested in it< start wit a kno$n good
scedule li8e )!eryman or %&erman< and don9t eCperiment :urter until you9re :amiliar wit wat
polypasic sleep is li8e. To do oterwise is to ris8 messing up your eCisting sleep scedule &ut good<
witout a!ing a wor8a&le one to replace it wit.
Howe!er< I9m not te type to outrigt witold in:ormation< so ere9s wat I 8now a&out te
0ormula.
;aps o: 23 minutes seem to &e more e::icient tan longer or sorter napsJ
/5ore naps/ or long sleeps tat appen in multiples o: 93 minutes also seem to &e easier to wa8e
:rom and pro!ide &etter rest< toug A*7minute inter!als or multiples o: tem a!e also &een
suggestedJ
Tiredness and decreased per:ormance seem to set in once a polypaser as &een awa8e more tan >
ours< no matter ow long te nap prior to tat wa8ing period wasJ
A 937minute core sleep seems to ta8e te place o: a&out .not eCactly1 one and a al: 237minute naps.
Tus< a !ery roug outline o: /te :ormula/ would loo8 li8e$
;A4S...........5-R)
>....................3 .%&erman1
A7*.................93 min .".*7our )!eryman1
'7A.................' r .'7our or /standard/ )!eryman1
2....................A.* r .A.*7our )!eryman1
"....................> r .&ipasic1
A note a&out tat last one$ Ta8ing one mid7a:ternoon nap and sleeping a long core at nigt is a
well78nown sleep scedule tat wor8s. 4olypasers tend to call it /&ipasic/< &ut most people
8now it as te a&it o: /ta8ing a siesta/< widely used in se!eral societies. A siesta nap< owe!er< is
o:ten :rom A* to "23 minutes longJ and aderents sleep anywere :rom A to 7 ours at nigt wile
doing it. I suspect tis is &ecause te nap as to &e enoug to 8eep one awa8e :or most o: a day
.i.e. te >7" scedule /&rea8s te rule/ a&out &eing awa8e more tan > ours1. #ipasic is a special
type o: scedule< so we gi!e it its own category :or te most part. It9s also special in tat it9s widely
8nown to wor8< and tere9s e!en some e!idence tat it9s ealtier tan monopasic sleep=
As to sleeping > ours at nigt wit one 237minute nap7our7wa8ing7period rule. #ut it9s used &y polypasers< not
in:reHuently< as a one7sot$ I do it wen te world messes wit me and I only get one napJ I 8now
tat i: I sleep > ours tat nigt< I won9t &e a Kom&ie in te morning. It9s also wat I do wen I9m
:eeling laKy< a!e te time< and ?ust want to sleep in I it9s my analog o: te monopasic Dcrasing
until noon on a Saturday morningE. I sometimes also do it wen I9m sic8 I li8e I said< it9s Dsleeping
way inE :or meJ wit !ery :ew eCceptions< siC ours is te a&solute longest I can sleep< and I9m
Huite a&ituated to polypasic sleep &y now< so no matter ow long I sleep at nigt ours ours or so
witout a nap< no matter ow long I9!e slept. I also can9t really sleep A* minutes li8e a &ipaser
wouldJ I wa8e :airly automatically a:ter 23 minutes now.1 Howe!er< te num&er o: naps needed
as some !ariance< as you can see :rom te 0ormula. Tis is analogous to te /779/ ours o: sleep
Ubersleep 17
tat constitutes te typical Adult 8 Hours...some people tend to need more sleep and some less. I
ta8e tree naps on my )!eryman scedule success:ully< &ut i: I can get a :ourt< I9ll ta8e it< and
wen I do ".*7our )!eryman< I li8e to a!e :i!e naps 77 I9m ?ust one o: te people wo sleeps a
lot. .Ironic< isn9t it,1
Regarding su&stitutions suc as te a&o!e< some polypasers seem to &e a&le to com:orta&ly switc
&etween te types o: scedule listed a&o!e 77 as one7o::s< as long as one o: tem is te regular
scedule< and tat one is 8ept as strictly as possi&le :or te most part. Tis generally wor8s :or
)!eryman sleepers muc &etter tan %&erman sleepersJ &ut it doesn9t wor8 :or all )!eryman
sleepers eiter 77 :or some people< messing up te scedule is messing up te scedule< and means
eiter &eing tired wile re7ad?usting to te correct scedule< or :alling &ac8 into monopasic sleep
"8
.
0or my part< as long as I a!e a good *7> days a wee8 o: my usual '7our )!eryman scedule wit
no ma?or sa8eups< su&stitutions don9t seem to &oter me at all. I will occasionally sleep A.* ours
at nigt wen I9!e missed one nap during te day< or sleep a :ull > ours on a wee8end ?ust :or :un.
As long as I get te appropriate daytime naps< I don9t seem to su::er any ill e::ects :rom te
su&stitutions. I: tings are craKy or crisis7y< I will occasionally do a day o: ".*7our )!eryman< or
e!en %&erman< wit little more tan a :ew yawns and a co::ee. So tey seem to &e intercangea&le
:or me< as long as it9s not !ery o:ten.
Te important ting to remem&er a&out te scedule /:ormula/ is tat it9s still in its in:ancy< and
represents little more tan a collecti!e educated guess. +en you9re coosing a scedule< 8eep te :ormula
in mind< &ut also remem&er tat only %&ermanL6ymaCion and '7our )!eryman a!e &een actually
sown to wor8 in real people o!er te long aul. Start wit one o: tose< and i: you need to modi:y< do it
care:ully and slowly< respecting always the fact that your body needs a consistent schedule in order
to be healthy. ...#ut we9ll get more into coosing and modi:ying scedules later. 0irst tings :irst$
"8 I no longer seem inclined to /:all &ac8/ into monopasic sleeping< e!er since a:ter a&out a year o: polypasic 77 &ut monopasic sleep is a a&it you9!e ad
:or a long time< pro&a&ly< so te tendency to :all &ac8 to it will &e tere :or Huite a wile.
18 Ubersleep
III. The Big Question Should !ou Be Polyphasic?
>anti ng To
Tere are people in te world wo a!e no interest in sleeping less.
"9
#ut te eCperience o: &eing
ali!e .wat we call /a!ing time/1 is< a:ter all< te most &asic and :undamental currency o: our li!es$ I: we
ad noting else in te world< we would still :ind it precious. (i!ing someone more /eCperience o:
ali!eness/ is a8in to eCtending teir li:espanJ it9s no small gi:t to &e conscious :or :our ours more e!ery
day tan you used to &e. Tat comes to >3.8 days more li!ing per year< ey. Two monts= Tat means
tat e!ery siC years< you9!e gained a year. And i: you9re on %&erman< gaining a&out siC eCtra ours a day<
you get 9".2* eCtra days 77 a wole eCtra Huarter o: a year.
23
@ou gain an eCtra year o: wa8e7time e!ery :our
years< wic means tat i: you did %&erman :or 23 years< you9d &e :i!e years more eCperienced in wa8ing
li:e tan te monopasic people your age. +eird< isn9t it,
-: course< tis is not e+tra time in te pysical senseJ you9re not really going to li!e longer :rom
&eing polypasic
2"
. And pilosopically< a good argument can &e made tat sleep may &e ?ust as important
to te eCperience o: li!ing as &eing awa8e .toug it9d &e an argument glaringly lac8ing in e!idence1. I9m
not o: te opinion tat sleep is e!il
22
< or wrong< or stupidJ only tat it9s not as good a use o: one9s li:e7time
as &eing awa8e is. I: it9s possi&le to &e awa8e more witout incurring some oter &ig penalty .li8e illness1<
ten wy wouldn9t one want to do it, And in tat< at least al: te people I tal8 to seem to agree wit me<
and want to do it too.
2ei ng The 9i ght Person
/Sould I adopt a polypasic scedule,/ is one o: te most :reHuent Huestions I get. It9s usually
accompanied &y a /&ut/< as in< /I want to &e polypasic &ut77/. Since wanting to is te :irst step< we9ll start
wit tat and mo!e on to te /&uts/ later.
+anting to in te pilosopical sense I ?ust spo8e a&out isn9t enoug. 4ilosopically spea8ing< we
all pro&a&ly /want/ to &e and do lots o: tings< &ut many o: tem aren9t wort te e::ort. 4olypasic
sleeping is definitely an e::ortJ pro&a&ly as muc o: one as &ecoming !egan or ta8ing up an atletic regime.
Sleep is a pretty :undamental ting to cange= So first you need to figure out if you want the change
enough to make it worth the effort.
Tat means as8ing yoursel: some Huestions and getting some onest answers. ;one o: te
answers &y temsel!es are a deal7&rea8er< &ut i: more tan one o: tese Huestions re!eals a pro&lematic
issue :or you< you sould seriously reconsider any plans to &ecome polypasic< and i: you decide to go
:orward wit it anyway< eCpect some callenges.
Here are te Huestions< toug tere may &e oters tat can also &e elp:ul$
1. +y do you want it, +at9s your primary reason, Is it power:ul enoug to &e wort spending
eiter se!eral incredi&ly long days slapping yoursel: to stay awa8e< or se!eral wee8s :eeling li8e you
"9 I9!e met se!eral...we get along< &ut I don9t tin8 we gro8 eac oter. J1
23 +ic could do orri&le tings to your &oo88eeping< so i: you run a &usiness< &e care:ul=
2" Actually tere9s no science on tis one way or te oter. So may&e you will.
22 -8ay< granted< I used to &e o: tis opinion. #ut I was young and :iery< and I did tings li8e go all winter witout soes so tat I wouldn9t get too /so:t/. I:
sleep is really te nemesis I imagined it was ten< ten< well< so are soes. J1
Ubersleep 19
ad al: a nigt9s sleep,
2'
Tin8 a&out wat it :eels li8e wen you s8ip a wole nigt9s sleep< and
ten dou&le tat and drag it out :or a wee8 77 tat9s a good general image o: wat you9ll :eel li8e
wile you9re adapting. Is te reason you want to &e polypasic compelling enoug to &e wort
tat,
2. 6o you a!e a reason oter tan wanting to try it out, I: your reason a&o!e is /&ecause it9s cool/
or /I ?ust want to try it/ or /I want to see wat it9s li8e/< tin8 ard$ Most people do muc &etter i:
tey a!e a compelling reason< e!en i: tey don9t tin8 tey need one. I: you don9t a!e a
compelling reason< can you create one< or do you really tin8 you can moti!ate yoursel: su::iciently
witout one,
3. 6oes sel:7discipline come naturally to you, I: not< you may ?ust need to ta8e eCtra steps to elp
you succeed. I: you9!e ne!er ad to really discipline yoursel:< you may want to study up on some
metods :or doing tat &e:ore attempting to cange your sleep scedule drastically. 6iscipline is a
a&it< wic means tat once you /a!e/ it< you9ll :all &ac8 on it &y de:ault< and tat9s wy it9s
important 77 &ecause you $ill reac a point< at least once during adaptation< were you simply can9t
eCert rational power o!er yoursel: anymore. Rationality can &e a power:ul :orce< &ut !ery rarely is
it more power:ul tan your &rainL&ody in :ull7on sur!i!al mode. +en you reac tat point< te
only tings tat will 8eep you on scedule are a1 someone else or some eCternal ting :orcing you
to stic8 wit it< or &1 your a&it o: &eing disciplined.
4. How are you wit pysical discom:ort, I: you can9t stand :eeling diKKy< spacey< tingly< dry7eyed<
acy< wea8< nauseous< stupid< and generally li8e you9!e &een it &y a &us and ten &uried in peat
moss< you9re going to :old up< pro&a&ly during or a:ter day two. It ta8es a certain s8ill to let your
&ody9s discom:ort &e a &it separate :rom you< and witout tat s8ill< adaptation will &e !ery< !ery
di::icult. I: you don9t a!e te s8ill and want to learn it< I suggest getting tattoos .piercings don9t
wor8J tey appen too :ast1 ...or gi!ing &irt. $1
5. How are you wit mental discom:ort, #esides te Kom&ie7li8e le!els o: intelligence you9ll possess
:or a :ew days during adaptation< it9s also common to eCperience oter psycological e::ects wen
depri!ed o: sleep. @our &rain is a sur!i!al macine< and it panics wen it :eels treatened< wic it
will wen it suddenly stops &eing a&le to get te sleep it9s used to .and until it gets used to sleeping
on te scedule you gi!e it1. 0or a sort time< you will pro&a&ly eCperience dou&ts< mood swings<
possi&ly some depression< may&e some psycosomatic pysical symptoms< and Huite li8ely a :ew
allucinations. Bi8e :asting or any oter eCtreme pysiological callenge< ad?usting to a polypasic
scedule means &eing a&le to &eat your own &rain at te game o: controlling your &ody. It9s not
easy< &ut te :eeling o: !ictory is amaKing. .And tere are oter rewards too< in tis case.1
6. How are you wit people tin8ing you9re a weirdo, Tis can range :rom :unny loo8s to &eing
pu&licly called a lunatic and told tat you souldn9t &e allowed to loo8 a:ter yoursel: i: tat9s te
8ind o: crap you9re going to do...it can &e mild or se!ere depending on your li:estyle< &ut it ne!er
stops< really< :or as long as you9re on te scedule. Also< are you o8ay wit occasionally &eing
cornered and as8ed tons o: Huestions &y people you wouldn9t normally tal8 to, .It9s ta8en me a
wile to get used to tat=1
7. How muc do you need company, -ne e::ect o: polypasic sleeping is tat you tend to spend a
noticea&ly iger percentage o: time &eing &y yoursel:. @ou9re awa8e more o:ten wen oter
people are asleep< and sleeping during some o: te time tey9re awa8e. Ma8e sure your :amily and
2' +ic one depends on te scedule you coose< o&!iously. It souldn9t &e o!erloo8ed< toug< tat wice!er scedule you pic8< i: you mess up during
your adaptation< you could &e in :or &ot. .More a&out te Adaptation process in te neCt capter.1
20 Ubersleep
social sel!es .and companions1 are o8ay wit tat. .I: you get lonely and a!e a :riend or partner
wo9ll do tis wit you< tat can &e great...&ut i: you li8e &eing alone< &e care:ul o: a!ing anyone
adapt wit you< &ecause you9ll pro&a&ly &e seeing tem a lot,.
8. Are you punctual, #ecause tere9s a massi!e amount o: sceduling and timing in!ol!ed in &eing
polypasic .compared to /regular/ li!ing< were your scedule is typically ?ust an automatic
outgrowt o: your acti!ities1. It9s arder .i.e. craKy strict1 wile you9re ad?usting< &ut you still a!e
to do some 8ind o: sceduling :or pretty muc te wole time you9re polypasic. I: you ate
cloc8s< ate planning your acti!ities< or are always &eind7scedule and late getting places< you may
want to eiter reconsider polypasic sleep< or wor8 on your punctuality :irst.
Contrai ndi cati ons
-8ay< so let9s assume you9!e decided tat you9re te rigt 8ind o: person :or tis. Tere are still
o&stacles< un:ortunately 77 some o: wic can &e o!ercome< and some o: wic< sometimes< can9t. Te
general rule :rom te last section applies ere too$ I: more tan one o: te :ollowing is an issue :or you<
you may really want to reconsider< &ecause &eing polypasic could &e !ery di::icult :or you. Ha!ing ?ust
one o: tese o&stacles is usually wor8a&le< toug it9s still good to 8now wat your o&stacle is< &ecause it
gi!es you an idea were you9re going to put te most wor8 into adapting to and li!ing on a polypasic
scedule.
1. 6o people depend on you, #y wic I mean< do you a!e cildren< elderly relati!es< or oters wo
need you to &e a!aila&le on a drop7o:7te7at &asis, 4olypasic sleeping can &e a tempting idea :or
o!erwor8ed moters and caregi!ers< &ut te pro&lem wit sleeping muc less is tat you need te
sleep you do get. I: you9re going to &e wo8en up :rom your naps< you simply won9t &e a&le to
ad?ust< no matter wat. .@ou also need enoug &ac8up to &e a Kom&ie :or a :ew days wile you
ad?ust initially< o: course.1 Howe!er< i: you can &e assured o: not &eing wo8en at all during your
ad?ustment< and in:reHuently a:ter tat< ten it can &e wort a sot.
2. 6o people &oss you, Go&s aren9t necessarily insurmounta&le< &ut it depends on weter you can
get a little :reedom in your daily grind< to ta8e your naps. I: you wor8 on a :actory :loor wit
someone monitoring wat you do e!ery minute and sending you memos a&out cutting down on
te duration o: your &atroom &rea8s< ten polypasic sleep pro&a&ly won9t wor8 :or you. .Tat is<
unless you wor8 part7time< or your ours are sort enoug andLor &rea8s spaced rigt so tat you
can sleep at least once during te day< wic e!en te most :orgi!ing )!eryman scedule will
reHuire you to do.1 @ou can also try con!incing your &oss.es1 tat letting you a!e a nap is
&ene:icial .see /ppendi+ "" :or sample arguments to &osses1.
3. 6o you li8e to party, Sure< polypasic sleep ma8es te /roc8 and roll all nigt and party e!ery day/
dream loo8 tantaliKingly acie!a&le< &ut un:ortunately te two pursuits are usually incompati&le.
-nce in a wile doesn9t seem to &e a pro&lem< &ut I9!e ne!er seen a regular partygoer also manage
to &e polypasic. 0irstly< partying doesn9t lend itsel: to ta8ing a &rea8 precisely at Q o9cloc8 to get
your nap .no matter wo is currently itting on you< pic8ing a :igt wit you< trowing up on
you...1. It can &e di::icult< i: you9re /out/ a lot< to :ind good and sa:e places to sleepJ and e!en i: you
do always a!e a place to sleep< calming down :rom partying7mode into nap7mode< and ten
getting up and &ac8 into party7mode< is ?ust too muc o: a ?ump :or most people9s systems. Also<
alcool and polypasic sleep don9t get along wellJ a glass o: wine or a &eer ere and tere doesn9t
seem to pose a pro&lem< &ut getting drun8 will a&solutely ma8e you o!ersleep< so i: you li8e to
Ubersleep 21
drin8 !ery o:ten< I would say don9t e!en &oter wit polypase
2A
.
4. Are you on a !ery strict diet, It9s not impossi&le to maintain a strict diet on a polypasic sleep
scedule< &ut it de:initely is arder. 0or one ting< sleeping less can cange your meta&olism .te
?ury is still out on ow< toug te e::ects do seem to usually &e mild< wic is wy it9s only a
8nown pro&lem i: you9re on a strict diet1< and i: your diet relies on proscri&ed amounts o: certain
tings< you will pro&a&ly need to cange tose amounts to account :or needing more energy. Also<
i: your diet is !ery /&are &ones/ I i.e. low7calorie< !egan< macro&iotic< etc. 77 ten you may a!e
trou&le wit te ad?ustment period< wic is ard on your &ody anyway. .;o&ody9s e!er gotten
seriously ill
2*
or in?ured as a result o: te sleep7depri!ation in!ol!ed in ad?usting teir sleep scedule
tat I 8now o:< &ut I do 8now tat people wit stricter diets seem to a!e more trou&le
maintaining enoug energy to :unction.1 Also< ma8ing two ma?or canges at once is almost
impossi&le
2>
< so don9t decide to &ecome polypasic and go !egetarian at te same time< :or
instance.
5. Are you ill, Tis sort o: goes witout saying< &ut i: you a!e a cronic or long7term illness< or are
currently sic8 wit anyting< you souldn9t e!en &e tin8ing a&out messing wit your system tis
way< at te !ery least not witout te input o: a doctor. A doctor will pro&a&ly tell you tat your
&ody needs all te sleep it can get in order to eal or maintain your ealt< and I :ind little reason to
argue< tere. +en I9m sic8 wit one o: te usual winter or sinus tings tat go around
27
< one o:
te :irst tings I do is sleep my &utt o:: :or a day .or two< i: it9s a &ad one1< and it really elps me
eal. .In :act< a side7&ene:it o: polypasic sleep tat I9!e eCperienced is tat sleep is muc more
ealing tan it used to &e. +en I routinely slept 8 ours< sleeping in was use:ul &ut not magicJ
now tat A is te norm< sleeping :or > or 7 is amaKingly restorati!e wen I9m ill. I can9t imagine
restricting your amount o: sleep wile you9re ill< &ut di::erent illnesses :unction di::erently .some
illnesses< :or instance< actually &ene:it :rom :asting< wic is also somewat counterintuiti!e1 I so
in te end< it comes down to as8ing your doctor and &eing responsi&le a&out it.
6. Are you uninterrupti&le, #eing polypasic does sometimes mean a!ing to put down wat you9re
doing< sleep< and come &ac8 to it. I: you :ind tis incredi&ly di::icult or impossi&le< eiter :or
personal reasons .you9re autistic or a!e -56< or you ?ust ate &eing interrupted< or you9re terri&le
at pic8ing tings &ac8 up a:ter you9!e put tem down1 or :or real7world reasons .you9re a surgeon<
or you conduct inter!entions or run a suicide otline< etc1< ten you will pro&a&ly a!e trou&le wit
polypasic sleep. Ten again< i: your acti!ities tend to interrupt your regular sleep anyway< you may
&ene:it :rom polypasic sleep< were you can reco!er .somewat1 wit a nap rater tan go a
wole day &eing tired. .@ou pro&a&ly want to stay away :rom %&erman< toug< were missed or
:udged naps can really wipe you out.1
7. Are you craKy &usy...enoug, A polypasic li:estyle can mean a lot of boredom i: you don9t a!e
enoug to do to :ill it up. I: you already spend some time e!ery day wondering wat to do neCt<
ten adding on A7> ours to eac day is pro&a&ly ?ust going to dri!e you insane. +ile you can use
some o: your new:ound time to relaC and a!e :un .:or some o: us< it9s te only reason we e!er can
relaC=1< you can9t use all o: it< or e!en most o: it< tat way. .0or one ting< i: you tell your &ody tat
2A I realiKe tis tecnically isn9t a word< &ut I9!e gotten used to using /polypase/ and /monopase/ as sortand :or polypasic7 andLor monopasic sleep. I:
it &oters you< I apologiKe< &ut not too sincerely since I9ll pro&a&ly 8eep doing it. J1
2* +it te eCception o: people wo don9t success:ully adapt A;6 don9t Huit trying< tere:ore 8eeping temsel!es sleep7depri!ed :or a stupid long time. I9ll
repeat mysel: a&out tis somewat< &ut tis is wy attempting polypasic sleep< i: you9re going to do it< needs to &e done right or not done=
2> A:ter I9d &een polypasic :or a year< I started eCperimenting wit 2A7our wee8ly :asts. It wasn9t orri&le< &ut a:ter a :ew wee8s I ad to ma8e some
canges< since te :asting was running me out o: energy and I wasn9t sleeping well. A 2A7our :ast isn9t really a &ig deal I &ut it9s enoug to a::ect a
polypasic scedule.
27 I get tese less o:ten now tan I did wile monopasic< &ut tat may &e attri&uta&le to oter positi!e canges I9!e made to try and ta8e care o: mysel: &etter
77 eating &etter and using a neti pot< :or instance.
22 Ubersleep
it9s 2 a.m. and you9d li8e to relaC now< it o:ten says< D-8ay< let9s go to sleep=E1
28
As8 yoursel:
onestly i: you are< or can &e made< &usy enoug to use an eCtra "L' o: a day< e!ery single day. I:
te answer is no< you9re pro&a&ly &etter o:: ?ust learning to manage your time more e::iciently< tan
you are pic8ing up a polypasic scedule.
8. Are you loud, 6epending on your li!ing situation< polypasic sleep may mean a lot o: time &eing
awa8e and &eing Huiet< &ecause oter people are sleeping. As8 yoursel: i: tat9s o8ay< and i: you
can stay occupied .not watcing7TF occupied< &ut really occupied1 wile maintaining te le!el o:
noise7control you need. @ou can also plan tings to do out o: te ouse during 8ey Huiet7reHuiring
ours< &ut tat can &e di::icult or impossi&le depending on were you li!e.
28 -n te :lipside< you can9t wor8 your &utt o:: :or 23 ours a day< eiter. +at9s ealty !aries &y person< &ut generally spea8ing< you9ll need a good miC o:
pysical and stationary acti!ities< and o: &rain7wor8 and &rain7candy.
Ubersleep 23
I". #dapting to Polyphasic Sleep
So< ere9s te nitty7gritty. @ou9!e decided tat you want to adopt a polypasic sleeping sceduleJ
now< ow to go a&out it,
9esearchi ng
@ou9re already doing a !ery important prepatory step$ R)S)AR5H. Knowing a&out polypasic
sleep< wat it is and wat you want :rom it< and wat to eCpect :rom te transition and a:terwards< ena&les
you to anticipate and plan :or &ot te transition and your own li8ely di::iculties< and to spot wen
someting isn9t wor8ing rigt. #esides reading tis &oo8< you may also want to :ollow some oter
adaptation stories in &logs or discussion groups< i: you want a &etter idea o: /wat it9s li8e/J and i: you9re
scienti:ically minded or a!e a special concern< suc as a&out a ealt condition< you may want to do
additional researc :or tat as well.
Deci di ng
-nce you9!e done some researc on polypasic sleep itsel:< suc as you9!e gotten :rom reading te
pre!ious capters< determine wic scedule you want to adapt to. 4ic8ing a scedule tat9s rigt :or you
and your li:estyle will elp sa!e you te agony o: an unsuccess:ul adaptation< so coose care:ully.
Here9s a use:ul int$ If you have to heavily customi7e a schedule to get it to work around
your life, then it's not a good one to start your adaptation to polyphasic sleep on. (hy te
%&erman< )!eryman and 6ymaCion scedules wor8 is still someting o: a mystery< and wile it seems
li8ely tat oter scedules &uilt on similar :ormulas sould wor8< testing tem sould &e le:t to people
wo9!e already success:ully adapted to polypasic sleep in some :orm
29
. +en you9re going :rom
monopasic to polypasic< you a!e no :rame o: re:erence :or wat it :eels li8e wen a scedule is
wor8ing. @ou ris8 :ailing< eiter &ecause te scedule you pic8ed simply won9t wor8< or &ecause you a!e
no way o: 8nowing wen it is wor8ing and so Huit early. )iter eCperience would &e misera&le< so wy go
troug it, I: you9re adapting :rom a monopasic or &ipasic .siesta1 scedule< pic8 a 8nown polypasic
scedule to try< and aim to ma8e as :ew /customiKations/ to it as possi&le.
Also< don't fudge the details &ecause someting /sounds &etter/ or more li8ely to wor8. A
common eCample is te 237minute duration o: te naps$ Many people decide to ma8e it '3< or A3 minutes<
tin8ing tat tis will ma8e te scedule easier to adapt to. In :act< it will ma8e it almost impossi&le to
adapt< and 23 minutes really is te most optimum time to start wit. 6on9t ma8e canges D?ust &ecauseE<
and i: you really want to ma8e a cange< try as8ing some oter polypasers :irst to see i: any&ody9s tried it.
Schedul i ng
-nce you9!e pic8ed wic scedule you tin8 is :or you< write down your sleep scedule< noting
acti!ities tat a!e to ta8e place around it< suc as wor8 or classes. Aim to a!e all o: your sleeping
appen at te same time eac day. I: you9re coosing an )!eryman scedule< you can allow :or some sway
in te timing o: your naps< &ut you sould still plan to get tem in at te same time wene!er you can. I:
you a!e to permanently mo!e a nap :arter tan you sould .or at all< on %&erman1< say< an our later on
Tuesdays< ten eCpect tis to ma8e you tired at tat time .:or a wile1< and plan accordingly. Ha!ing an
une!en nap scedule may also ma8e your adaptation period sligtly longer< &ut i: you stic8 tigt to your
29 -r wo< at te !ery least< a!e a wole lot o: li:estyle7:leCi&ility to wor8 wit
24 Ubersleep
scedule< you will e!entually get used to te une!enness< too. Tis is wat one o: my written7down
scedules loo8ed li8e$
Kon Tues >ed Thurs 1ri Sat Sun
midnight read or relax read or relax read or relax read or relax read or relax read or relax read or relax
1a
2a
3a
4a
3-hour core nap
5a writing writing writing writing writing writing writing
6a leave for
wor
leave for
wor
leave for
wor
leave for
wor
leave for
wor
7a !reafa"t w#
gran
8a
$a
morning nap !etween 8-$ a.m.
1%a
11a
12p "hort nap
!efore &ai'i
1p lunch lunch lunch lunch lunch &ai'i cla""
1(%% - 3(3%
2p
3p
afternoon nap !etween 2-3 p.m.
4p afternoon nap
5p
6p &ai'i cla""
6(%% - 7(3%
home from
wor
&ai'i cla""
6(%% - 7(3%
home from
wor
home from
wor
7p pla) time pla) time pla) time pla) time pla) time
8p iddo*"
!edtime
iddo*"
!edtime
iddo*"
!edtime
iddo*"
!edtime
iddo*"
!edtime
iddo*"
!edtime
iddo*"
!edtime
$p 8(3% - $(%%
evening nap
8(3% - $(%%
evening nap
8(3% - $(%%
evening nap
8(3% - $(%%
evening nap
8(3% - $(%%
evening nap
8(3% - $(%%
evening nap
8(3% - $(%%
evening nap
1%p homewor homewor homewor homewor homewor homewor homewor
11p homewor homewor homewor homewor homewor homewor homewor
;ow< tis wasn9t te :irst scedule I e!er wrote< nor te last. I9!e included tis !ersion &ecause it
contains se!eral use:ul tings to notice$
I did a!e to mo!e one nap< :or my Tai?i class on Saturday. At :irst I tried to ?ust ma8e it later< &ut I
realiKed a:ter a :ew wee8s tat I couldn9t do ".* ours o: eCercise wile sleepy .or at least< it was no
:un1< so I added in a "3 minute nap &e:ore class to ta8e te edge o::. Tat wor8ed< so I 8ept it.
./Micro/ or !ery small naps don9t wor8 :or e!eryone< and I don9t recommend tem wile you9re still
learning to nap< &ecause tey9ll pro&a&ly ?ust ma8e you more tired. #y te time I added tis< I9d already
done polypasic sleep o: some sort :or Huite a wile.1 I point tis out &ecause it9s te 8ind o: /little
Ubersleep 25
ad?ustment/ tat many people a!e to ma8e< wen li:e gets in te way o: a!ing a per:ect scedule. It
can ta8e se!eral wee8s or monts to get it all ?ust rigt< so don9t &e upset i: at :irst you adapt< &ut tere
are still some times wen you get tired. .As long as you ha*e adapted. I: you don9t adapt< tere9s a
pro&lemJ read te rest o: tis capter :or more in:o on ow to tell te di::erence.1 Aim to a!e to
ma8e as :ew o: tese ad?ustments as possi&le< &ut don9t stress a&out one or two o: tem.
I a!e an our9s sway in wic to ta8e my naps< &ecause I9m doing '7our7core )!eryman. It9s still a
struggle to get tem in on time< some days< i: wor8 is ectic. I: I goo: up a nap< I get tired< ?ust li8e you
get tired i: you stay up late or don9t get enoug sleep on a regular monopasic scedule. -n a
polypasic scedule< toug< you :eel your lac8 o: sleep more .&ecause you9re getting less sleep o!erall1.
It9s !ery noticea&le< especially i: I miss a nap 77 witin an our o: naptime< I9ll :eel li8e a monopaser
wo got sorted &y se!eral ours te pre!ious nigt. .-n %&erman< missing a nap will ma8e you
misera&le :or most o: a dayJ you9ll :eel sleep7depri!ed witin al: an our< and it9ll sometimes ta8e
se!eral regular naps to catc up.1 @ou go :rom Kero to sleep depri!ation !ery Huic8ly on a polypasic
scedule< &ecause you9re sHueeKing more rest out o: less sleep. (etting a nap late may ma8e a
polypaser tired :or part o: te rest o: te day< &ut a:ter a regular< on7time nap .sometimes it ta8es
two1< tis usually dissipates. Mind you< tat9s $hen fully adapted 77 missed or late naps wile you9re still
getting used to your scedule may ma8e you more tired< or less< &ut it will de:initely &e more di::icult
to sleep and wa8e up on time :or a wile a:terwards. Tis is wat9s meant wen polypasers tal8 a&out
/eCtending your adaptation period/ 77 i: you goo: up naps in te :irst mont or two< you ma8e your
wole scedule ta8e longer to get used to. And you can9t inde:initely drag out your adaptation witout
arming your a&ility to sleep and get rest< so it9s really wort te e::ort to ?ust ma8e sure goo:7ups don9t
appen= 0igure out ow muc leeway you need in your nap7times< and coose a scedule accordingly.
.6e:initely don9t coose %&erman unless you9re con:ident tat you can ta8e your naps rigt on time< in
all &ut te most eCtreme eCtenuating circumstances. Missing sleep wile on< or adapting to< te
%&erman scedule is really unpleasant=1
I scedule in my relaCation time. I: you a!e te tendency< as I do< to /run until you drop/ .or de!elop
pysical symptoms o: &eing o!erstressed1< ten it9s not a &ad idea to designate some &oo8< t!< !ideo7
game< art< or stare7at7te7wall time. +en polypasic< it9s e!en easier tan normal :or a person wo
tends to o!erwor8 to get going and 8eep going...and going...and going...= Howe!er< wile you9re
adapting< you don9t want your relaCation time to &e were mine is< late at nigt or rigt &e:ore a nap<
wen you9ll &e tired. Try to put it during te day< or in &etween naps< instead< so you don9t ris8 :alling
asleep.
I le:t unsceduled time on te wee8ends 77 it9s important< at least to me< not to :eel li8e e!ery second o:
my li:e is predetermined. 6uring unsceduled time I get to do wate!er I want< and e!en toug tat
sometimes means mowing te lawn or running errands< it9s still /up in te air/ until it actually appens.
-terwise I start to :eel li8e I9m in an -rwell no!el. +eter you do tis or not is up to you< &ut I do
ad!ise minimiKing /unsceduled time/ during te :irst wee8 or two o: your adaptation. +en you9re
tired< it9s *ery ard to decide wat to do neCt. It9s muc &etter to always 8now wat you sould &e
doing< so you don9t a!e to tin8 a&out it .&ecause cances are noting will sound :un< at times< eCcept
sleeping=1
I ad to gi!e up eating &ig lunces < &ecause eating too muc &e:ore a nap ma8es te nap less re:resing
and arder to wa8e up :rom. Howe!er< I couldn9t get a nap in &e:ore lunc .sometimes I can< in real
li:e< &ut I couldn9t scedule it tat way1< so I canged my diet to include small< ligt lunces. Tis as
wor8ed :ine< &ut it sows ow sometimes canges oter tan sleep are necessary.
26 Ubersleep
Tere are many oter ways to 8eep a scedule< i: you get creati!e$ To
te rigt is a sceduling7style &ased on a 2A7our cloc8< suggested to me &y
)!eline< a reader. .Tan8s=1 Te &lue sections are naps .tis is an )!eryman
scedule< o&!iously1. Tis type o: scedule lets you easily see weter your
naps are e!enly spaced< and would &e great :or sceduling oter regular tings
li8e meals and eCercise< as well.
@ou won9t necessarily a!e to li!e on a scedule li8e tis te entire
time you9re polypasic. Some people will coose to< and oters will loosen up
or a&andon teir set scedules .eCcept :or te sleeping part1 once tey9re adapted. +at you do is up to
you. I9!e done &ot< and o!erall I pre:er a!ing a sceduleJ &ut I9!e &een polypasic witout one and it
wor8ed o8ay. Tey9re a good idea to a!e wile adapting< toug< :or te reasons sown a&o!e.
8our schedule doesn't have to be perfect, and you will make changes to it. 6ut the better it
is to start with, and the closer you stick to it, the easier and more quickly the adaptation period
will go.
8ther !tems on the Pre31l i ght Chec$l i st
"he 6ig #at 9ist. Tis is your &est :riend< and one o: te tings I credit te most wit getting me
troug my adaptations. It9s a monster list o: e*erything you can think of to do wit your eCtra time wile
you9re adapting. .;o matter ow well you scedule your days< you9re 99R li8ely to a!e eCtra time. -n
%&erman< it can seem li8e endless eCtra time at :irst< so to adopt tis polypasic scedule< you9ll want a really
&ig list. To gi!e you an idea< wen I adapted to %&erman< my list was o!er 83 items long...and I did all o: it
in a&out tree days.1 6on9t :orget to include some items that can be done specifically at night< wic
may in!ol!e &eing Huiet or not a!ing muc ligtJ items that don't require much intricate thinking or
coordination< since you9ll &e sleep7depri!ed :or some o: tisJ and items that keep your body moving<
&ecause sometimes it9s :lat impossi&le to stay awa8e witout mo!ing around wen you9re sleep depri!ed.
Tat9s not to say you can9t or souldn9t put /Bearn Gapanese/ or /practice :lamenco guitar/ on your BistJ
only tat you sould ma8e sure to also include tings you can do wen you9re not at your &est< pysically or
mentally. Also< wile one &it undi::erentiated list is :ine< it9s also a good idea to set aside some /ma?or
underta8ings/ to accomplis on nigts two< tree< :our< and may&e :i!e too. @ou don9t want to &e stuc8
wondering wat to do neCt wen you9re eCtremely tired< &ecause guess wat you9ll pro&a&ly decide to do,
And i: you really want to &e aead o: te cur!e< try to come up wit tings to do tat you plan to do e!ery
nigt< so you can set up tose a&its early.
Here are some o: te #ig 0at Bist items tat really sa!ed my &utt< troug &ot adaptations$
Cleaning is pro&a&ly te &est one in my &oo8. -rganiKe te soc8 drawer. Re7arrange all te &oo8s.
Scru& te corners o: te room wit an old toot&rus. 6e7tarnis all te sil!er. 6ust te ceilings.
Tese are all easy tings to do wen you9re &rain isn9t wor8ing too well< tey 8eep you mo!ing< and
tey a!e te &onus o: gi!ing you a sense o: accomplisment 77 loo8 wat you did wit tat eCtra time=
+ow= Add some music :or a little eCtra stimulation< i: desired.
Correspondence is also pretty good< &ecause writing letters< preparing cards and little presents to mail< and
ma8ing pone calls is relati!ely entertaining< and &eing engaged wit oters .e!en indirectly1 will
distract you :rom :eeling tired andLor crappy. %se some o: your time to catc up wit people you9!e
lost touc wit< or owe some 8ind o: attentionJ again< you9ll :eel good a&out it< too.
(alking comes igly recommended< especially at nigt< i: you li!e in a sa:e area. 0res air and &ris8
wal8ing can really elp wa8e you up< and i: you9re at te stage were you9re a!ing trou&le sleeping :or
your naps< it can elp tire you out rigt &e:ore a nap< too. .It elped me out so muc during my :irst
Ubersleep 27
adaptation tat< wen I planned to re7adapt< I made sure to do it during te summer so I could wal8 at
nigt=1
Cooking, i: you li8e to do it or want to learn. #e care:ul tougJ some polypasers a!e gained weigt
wile adapting< &ecause eating is a good way to rouse yoursel:< and te smellLpresence o: :ood will elp
8eep you awa8e. .Gust ma8e sure you9re around mostly ealty :ood. #eing awa8e longer< it9s o8ay to
eat a &it moreJ ?ust &e sure it9s not a &it more ?un8=1 Also< &e sa:e I don9t ma8e flambe at ' a.m. on day
tree=
-ro0ects tat are sitting on your Dperpetual to7do listE can &e great ways to :ill te time< &ut loo8 out :or
two tings$ -ne< wat speci:ic acti!ity does te pro?ect reHuire rigt now, I: it9s at a stage were it
needs two ours o: Internet researc< ten A a.m. pro&a&ly isn9t a good time to do it. Second< don9t &e
!ague or you9ll tal8 yoursel: out o: it. Ma8e sure you write down wat e+actly to do< not ?ust Dwor8 on
tat pro?ectE.
1eing !ocial can elp< as long as you9re a1 a&le to lea!e te social situation precisely on time to get your
nap< and &1 staying so&er. I: you9!e got a :riend wo wants to play !ideo games wit you at 2 a.m.
toug< tat can elp a lot. .)specially i: you can tal8 your :riend into stic8ing around wile you nap<
and stic8ing te controller &ac8 in your ands wen you wa8e up again.1
E+ercise gets tossed around a lot as a good stay7awa8e acti!ityJ personally I9m am&iguous a&out it. I9!e
ne!er ad muc luc8 tal8ing mysel: into wor8ing out wen I a!e tat run7o!er7&y7a7train :eeling tat
accompanies parts o: adaptation. And you de:initely don9t want to drastically increase your eCercise
regimen wile you9re adapting to a new sleep7scedule I your &ody can only ta8e so muc at once= #ut
te occasional ?umping7?ac8s or teir eHui!alent do wa8e you up. 6one moderately< and especially i:
it9s someting you en?oy< eCercise can really elp you< not only to stay awa8e< &ut to :eel more alert and
less li8e you9!e &een sat on &y a ippo.
2eel free to get $eird% Here9s one I didn9t tell any&ody a&out< &ecause .at least :or a wile tere1 e!en I
didn9t want to admit to &eing tis weird. #ut ec8< it wor8ed< and you &ougt te &oo8< so you
deser!e to 8now a&out it. Sometimes &eing tired< especially :or a solid wee8 straigt< &ecomes
emotionally eCaustingJ you get sic8 to deat o: telling yoursel: not to tin8 a&out it< not to act on it.
And e!eryone .in my eCperience1 wo goes troug tis its a point< or se!eral< were you ?ust :eel li8e
you can9t do it anymore. +en it was nearly morning o: 6ay Tree
'3
o: my :irst %&erman adaptation<
I it tat point$ ?ust couldn9t ta8e it anymore< and I certainly couldn9t ta8e it Huietly. So I stood up in
my dorm room< were I9d &een trying to do someting or anoter to stay awa8e< and souted< DI9m
S&leepTing sic8 o: &eing tired= I :eel li8e my &rains are made o: Gell7- and melting down into my soes=
I :eel li8e a Kom&ie too8 a crap in my ead= And wy te ec8 are my arms tinglingJ wat possi&le
e!olutionary good does that ser!e,E And so on. I ranted and ra!ed pretty muc straigt troug until
I ad to go to class< and lo< I :elt tons &etter. So i: all you can do is tin8 a&out ow tired you are< use it
77 compose some poetry to tat e::ect< or a song< a speec< or a one7act play. (et eCcited a&out it$
pace around< wa!e your armsJ do te mad7composer ting. Sometimes wen all tat9s le:t in your
mind is eCaustion< te sense o: eCaustion itsel: can &ecome your :uel :or a wile.
6ackup /larms. Tese are an a&solute necessity. ;ote tat it says /&ac8up alarmS/ 77 two will wor8
i: one o: tem is really ardcore< &ut tree is &etter< and :i!e or siC ne!er urts. Here9s wat I 8now a&out
alarms$
+at wa8es you up te &est di::ers &y person< so gi!e it some tougt< &ut in reality /wat wor8s &est
:or you/ matters more later on$ 6uring adaptation< you want to :ocus on quantity. +y, #ecause
you9re sleep7depri!ed< and so you9re going to sleep troug anyting at times. Te more mecanisms
you a!e in place to wa8e yoursel:< te &etter=
6o stagger alarms< &ut 8eep in mind your goal is to get up on time< not al: an our late a:ter you9!e
sut o:: siC alarms. @ou are training your &rain ereJ consistency and precision counts. Try to ma8e
'3 It migt a!e &een te same time on 6ay TwoJ I9m not positi!e. Te end o: te nigt o: 6ay Two is a common place :or people to it te s8ids< &ut I
seem to remem&er getting luc8y< &ecause I was out in pu&lic te nigt o: 6ay Two. It was tree< I tin8< tat really it me li8e a :reigt train.
28 Ubersleep
your :irst alarm someting tat< unless you ?ust sleep rigt troug it< will compel you to wa8e up
completely< and aim to ne!er a!e to use your &ac8up alarms. .@ou will< &ut te point is to tin8 o:
tem as emergency &ac8ups only.1 -r use &ac8up alarms to ma8e you mo!e around 77 set tem all :or
te same time< &ut put a :ew in your room< one in te all< two in te 8itcen...&y te time you get
done sutting tem o::< ope:ully< you9ll &e away :rom your &ed and somewat awa8e.
+ate!er else you a!e< &uy se!eral .at least two1 8itcen timers. Aim :or loud ones and< i: possi&le<
ones tat aren9t too easy to reset. Tese are igly porta&le
'"
< awesome alarms :or use as &ac8ups or
wen sleeping away :rom omeJ and tey can also :unction to remind you wen it9s naptime 77 ?ust set
one :or tree ours and :orty minutes
'2
wen you :irst wa8e up.
Te single most e::ecti!e metod o: wa8ing up wen you9re sleep depri!ed is pro&a&ly to a!e
someone wa8e you< especially i: tey put someting in your ands tat needs doing. .My awesome co7
conspirator in te original %&erman eCperiments used to pop open a can o: 5o8e and and it to me<
and I ?ust couldn9t go &ac8 to sleep wen tere was someone in my room and I was olding a :ull
can=
''
1 Te telepone also wa8es many people .including me1 relia&ly I I9ll stand up and go answer it<
e!en i: I9m dead out...e!en i: I don9t wa8e up until a ways into te con!ersation= Tese two metods
can &e toug to arrange< &ut i: you can get tem< especially :or some nigttime naps o!er te :irst .and
may&e second1 wee8 o: your adaptation< I igly recommend it.
5ec8 and see i: a wa8e7up call ser!ice is a!aila&le to you 77 tey9re a weird per8 tat gets tac8ed onto
te end o: a lot o: pac8aged ser!ices. -r you could use someting li8e www.telepiCie.com< wic is .at
time o: tis writing1 a :ree computer ser!ice tat will call your ouse. It9s greatJ te only downside to it
is tat< in my eCperience so :ar< it9s not !ery accurate a&out wen it calls. It its te &allpar8< &ut can &e
o:: &y as muc as ten minutes< wic ma8es it really only use:ul as a &ac8up. I &elie!e tere are pay
ser!ices a!aila&le< too.
6on9t :orget your appliances= Anyting tat can &e plugged into a wall can &e put on a timer. -utlet7
timers are ceapJ I recently &ougt a two7pac8 at I8ea :or someting li8e siC dollars. @our TF can &e a
good alarm< &ut don9t stop tere 77 one genius used to load up is &lender wit te ma8ings :or a
smootie< and ten plug it into a timer< so rigt wen is alarm .a 8itcen timer1 went o::< te &lender
started up 77 noisy and reHuiring immediate attention< plus it produced :ood .cold< ealty :ood< e!en1
tat wo8e im up :urter.
A !ariation on te Appliances teme is te ingenious idea o: te Dwater cloc8E
'A
. It ta8es a little
gee8iness to put togeter< &ut &asically< i: you can rig up a pump .on a timer1< ose< and water source<
you can &e !irtually guaranteed o: getting up on time< e!ery time=
I pro&a&ly don9t a!e to mention ow computers can &e use:ul as alarmsJ i: you a!e one and use it
enoug :or its presence to rouse you< you pro&a&ly 8now se!en or eigt di::erent ways to program it to
wa8e you. I: not< don9t worry a&out itJ computers can9t do muc as alarms tat can9t also &e done
some oter way.
DSleep trac8sE are Huite popular I tese are sound recordings< o: te rigt lengt :or your nap< typically
o: silence or wite noise< :ollowed at te appropriate time &y someting raucous to wa8e you up. A
gentleman wit te nic8name D4lace&oE made te :irst o: tese tat I e!er eard o:< and I used one o:
is mysel: :or a wile< &ecause it was con!enient and e::ecti!e as an alarm. .@ou can still :ind tem on
is we&siteJ cec8 te Resources at te end.1 I didn9t use it wile adapting< toug< so I can9t spea8 to
its e::icacy wile going troug sleep7dep.
Among te many< many reasons :or adapting right the first time is te e::icacy o: alarms$ Tey all
wor8 S- muc &etter wen you9re not used to tem= I: you start o:: rigt< ten you9ll only need your
million7&ac8up7alarms :or a :ew wee8s total< and te really ardcore ones :or only a&out a wee8 o: tat.
'" Tin8 /alarm going o:: tat I stuc8 on te &ac8 o: te :ridge/.
'2 -n %&erman< o&!iously.
'' -ur diets &ac8 ten would ma8e any car&on7&ased li:e7:orm wince 77 I9m certainly not ad!ocating drin8ing tat stu::. Anymore< I use it to clean my car
&attery=
'A (reat< now tat I said tat< I want to go get my dice and pencils. J1
Ubersleep 29
+en tey9re all /new/ to your &rain< tey wor8 great 77 &ut i: you goo: up and start o!er< tey9re not so
new anymore< and it &ecomes arder to wa8e up to tem. +at9s more< people wo :ail to adapt and
/8eep trying/ a lot can e!en ma8e temsel!es somewat immune to alarms in general< wic in turn ma8es
adapting nearly impossi&le. I :eel terri&le :or tese people< &ecause< wile tey want to &e polypasic
enoug to 8eep trying to adapt o!er and o!er .and tat9s no picnic=1< te more tey don9t get it rigt and
8eep coming &ac8 to it< te less li8ely tey are to succeed. A:ter any :ailure at adaptation< I recommend at
least a :ew monts o: regular< monopasic sleep
'*
< and tat e!ery e::ort &e made to adapt properly and
completely te neCt time. I9!e 8nown plenty o: people wo goo:ed it once &ut were a&le< a:ter a &rea8< to
ma8e it wor8 te neCt time ... &ut I a!en9t 8nown anyone wo goo:ed se!eral times in a row and /ten got
it/< un:ortunately.
Understandi ng Sl eep Depri ,ati on
Most people a!e eCperienced mild sleep7depri!ation< suc as you get :rom staying up :or a wole
2A ours or so. Acute sleep depri!ation is a &it di::erent. @ou won9t :eel te acute sleep7dep :or !ery long
wile ad?usting to a polypasic scedule
'>
< &ut e!en getting troug a couple ours o: it can &e a ma?or
underta8ing.
Sort7term sleep dep< e!en acute sleep dep< is :or te most part not dangerous. .It can &e i: you<
say< operate ea!y macinery< &ut you9re not going to do tat< now< are you,1 It9s ?ust li8e unger$ It9s your
&ody attempting to get you to :ul:ill its need. Gust li8e unger< you don9t want to li!e wit sleep7
depri!ation in te long7termJ it would almost certainly do ic8y tings to your system. In te sort7term<
toug< &ot my eCperience and my reading &ac8 up te :act tat it9s generally armless.
Howe!er< your &rain is not an insigni:icant opponent 77 you migt say it9s your per:ect nemesis.
And wen it really pulls out te &ig guns77most o:ten during parts o: nigts two< tree and :our o: your
adaptation77te results can &e Huite intimidating. 6on9t underestimate ow callenging tis will &e=
+en te serious sleep7dep its< you may eCperience any o: te :ollowing pysical symptoms$
+hills, body ache, di77iness, headache, dry-sore eyes, and narcolepsy :falling asleep against your
will.; @ou may also eCperience nausea< pric8ling or tingling sensations< or oter pysical mani:estations.
%sually< you9ll also eCperience at least one o: te :ollowing mental symptoms$ Mood swings<
irrita&ility< auditory or !isual allucinations< con:usion
'7
< :eelings o: elpless and a desire to gi!e up.
;ow. +at do do a&out it,
"he first thing is to be, and stay, aware of what you're up against( @our own &rainL&ody< in
sur!i!al mode. Knowing tis will ma8e te symptoms seem less scary and random< and you9ll &e &etter
a&le to respond appropriately to eac one. Sometimes you9ll want to alle!iate te symptom to ma8e
yoursel: more com:orta&le 77 wit a warm sower< or eyedrops< etc. .?ust not sleep=1 77 and sometimes you9ll
:ind it &est to ignore it and plow :orward. Knowing wat you9re dealing wit will also elp greatly wit te
mental symptoms< especially as gi!ing up &egins to sound li8e a sweeter and sweeter plan. .Staying aware
o: te nature o: te pro&lems77tat tey9re caused &y sleep7dep and normal and temporary77can also elp
you stay calm. AnCiety eCacer&ates almost e!ery symptom< pysical or mental.. Remem&er< your &rain is
acti!ely going to encourage< e!en try to :orce< you to cange your mind a&out not sleeping. It will aim to
'* Anoter reason :or tis is tat unsuccess:ul adaptation &uilds a sleep7de&t and ma8es you sleep7depri!ed .you9!e gotten to te sleep7depri!ed part o:
adaptation &ut not past it1. Adapting is di::icult enoug wen you start it :res tat I can9t imagine ow anyone could e!er do it i: tey began te process still
sleep7depri!ed :rom a pre!ious attempt=
'> Assuming you9re doing it properly< wic is te idea a:ter all.
'7 Tis one loo8s innocuous< &ut don9t underestimate it...it can &e really distur&ing to realiKe tat you can9t :igure out ow to put your soes on at te moment.
30 Ubersleep
ma8e it misera&le to continue< and :or a sort time< it will succeed= @ou9ll need to a!e decided :irmly<
&e:ore &eginning te eCperiment< to 8eep going in spite o: any amount o: misery
'8
. It elps to 8eep
reminders on and o: wy you don9t want to Huit77stic8y7notes< recorded messages< wate!er you tin8 will
wor8. $emind yourself that if you stick to your schedule, this part will be over soon<
+at9s te 4urpose o: Sleep 6epri!ation Here,
Sleep depri!ation< wile no :un< is an important part o: ad?usting to any polypasic scedule. Te
sleep7dep is your &rain /tal8ing to you/< telling you tat it9s no longer getting its sleepJ and you9re
/answering/ it &y ta8ing regular naps
'9
. @our mindL&ody is !ery muc a macine in some ways< and te
way it wor8s ere is predicta&le$ Sleep7dep is te normal< :irst7line response. +en increasingly acute
sleep7depri!ation doesn9t ma8e you cange< your &rain will go to te second response$ It will ad?ust to
te circumstances it9s stuc8 wit< and switc to getting its sleep &y adapting to your new scedule. +en
tis wor8s< you9ll stop a!ing symptoms. It9s te sleep7dep I a!ing it and &eating it I tat ma8es
polypasic sleep wor8< in a sense.
A3
Tis< to say it again< is wy consistent aderence to your new polypasic scedule
is so important$ I: you respond to sleep depri!ation &y sleeping eCtra< ten
you9re telling your &rain tat it doesn9t a!e to adaptJ tat applying te rigt
pressure will ma8e you cange &ac8 to te com:orta&le old a&it o: sleeping :or
long periods o: time. I: you gi!e in .e!en once1< your &rain ta8es it as a sign
tat it sould 8eep up77e!en increase=77te sleep7depri!ation symptoms< since
tey9re wor8ing. It9s imperati!e tat tey not $ork3 tat no matter wat te
symptoms< you sleep on your new scedule eCactly. Tis will get your &rain to
gi!e up on sleep dep as Huic8ly as possi&le77usually witin a :ew days77and
resort instead to canging your sleeping patterns so tat your naps gi!e you te
rest you need. "he more =mistakes=, the more sleep-dep.
'8 Tell yoursel: .loudly< constantly< in writing 77 wate!er it ta8es1 tat no matter ow muc it suc8s< you9re going to do it per:ectly :or one wole wee8. I: you
do< and a:ter a wee8 you don9t :eel 9*7"33R &etter< ten tere9s someting !ery wrong wit te scedule you9re adapting to< or ow. I: you do :eel &etter<
ten remind yoursel: tat it ta8es at least '3 days to &ecome :ully adapted< so don9t start slac8ing o:: now=
'9 Regular naps in a pattern 8nown to pro!ide te rest you need< once you adapt. As we discussed pre!iously< ?ust any old naps won9t do it.
A3 Some people claim tat a more gradual adaptation can wor8 wile minimiKing sleep depri!ation symptoms. Tere9s an AppendiC tat descri&es tis more
:ully.
Ubersleep 31
6esignating a Kill Switc
In order to tell yoursel: to /8eep going no matter wat/< you need to put aside te worry tat it
really migt &e time to Huit< tat you migt &e getting sic8< etc. Te &est way I 8now to do
tis is to designate someone else to &e your /Kill Switc/< wose ?o& it is to 8eep an eye on
you and call a alt to te eCperiment i: it gets out o: and. Tat person will a!e to &e a&le to
watc you &e misera&le and loo8 li8e crap :or a wile witout :rea8ing out. .Hint$ (enerally
spea8ing< your parents are a &ad &et.1 )ducate te person a&out wat you9re doing< wat
symptoms are normal< and wat your goals are. Ma8e sure tey 8now tat you may try to tal8
tem into letting you Huit< and set up some concrete instances o: tings tat sould ma8e
tem worry< so tey a!e some &encmar8s tat are o&?ecti!e o: wat you tell tem. Ma8e
sure tey 8now tat it9s normal :or acute symptoms to continue :or a wee8 .%&erman1 or two
.)!eryman1. Ten< let tem worry a&out Huitting< and don9t you e!en consider stopping
unless your Kill Switc says to=
.andling arcoleptic 'ymptoms
0or most people< out o: all te sleep7dep symptoms< te narcolepsy is te really toug ting to
andle. Most people are luc8y enoug not to a!e eCperienced prolonged narcolepsy< toug it can &e a
disease all on its own :or some un:ortunate indi!iduals
A"
. 6uring te course o: normal sleeplessness<
people will usually get sleep7depri!ed enoug to eCperience narcolepsy as a symptom< and ten tey eiter
:all asleep< or are 8ept going &y some emergency or oter eigtened situation wic o!errides or &lunts
te narcolepsy. %n:ortunately< you9re unli8ely to a!e< or &e a&le to manu:acture< enoug emergency7li8e
situations to get you troug all te narcolepsy o: your polypasic adaptation. Almost e!eryone as to
Dtoug it outE at least once.
So< narcolepsy is te :ancy term :or wat9s commonly< sometimes ?o8ingly called /:alling asleep
standing up/. #ut tat9s no ?o8e 77 you really can :all asleep standing up. -r in te &at< or dri!ing< or
wile stu:: is on te sto!e...needless to say< wen you9re eCperiencing tis symptom .wic typically comes
in our7or7less7long spurts1< it9s imperati!e to o&ser!e sa:ety rules< li8e you would i: you were ta8ing ea!y
pain8illers.
+, -,& operate a vehicle or other heav) or dangerou" machiner). .f )ou are in the middle of
doing "omething dangerou"/ lie driving/ and )ou "tart to notice narcoleptic ")mptom"/ 0&,1
immediatel)/ tae "ome of the "tep" li"ted here to alleviate the ")mptom/ and don*t continue
until )ou*re sure it*" "afe.
0or dri!ing speci:ically< i: you &egin to nod o::< do one o: te :ollowing$
-pen te windows all te way and cran8 te radio
Sing !ery loudly and entusiastically
6o /Te Su::le/ .see te 5eat Seet at te end on /Tings to do wen you9re tired/ :or a
description o: tis tecniHue1
4ull o!er< get out and ta8e a sort< &ris8 wal8
6- ;-T /?ust 8eep dri!ing/ or try to /get troug it/=
Sa!ing a little time is not wort a!ing an accident==
Also< wile narcoleptic symptoms are typically worst at nigt< tey can sometimes appen during
te day as well. I always ad!ocate &eing o:: wor8 :or te :irst :ew di::icult days o: your adaptation
.typically days 27* or so1< &ut i: you do a!e to do sensiti!e tings during tis time< you9ll want to 8eep a
sarp eye out and ta8e steps to alle!iate narcolepsy as soon as you notice it coming on.
A" I re:er to narcolepsy as a symptom< &ecause te word is commonly used to descri&e te state o: :alling asleep uncontrolla&ly< e!en wen it9s temporary. Te
disease /narcolepsy/< wic is te more tecnical use o: te word< is caracteriKed &y :reHuent uncontrolla&le sleeps< o:ten ruining someone9s li:e andLor
reHuiring medication. ;arcolepsy7te7symptom can also &e a side7e::ect o: some medications.
32 Ubersleep
Physical 'ymptoms of the /daptation Period
Te process o: adopting a new sleep scedule puts your system under a pretty good load o: stress.
-&!iously i: anyting eCtreme appens< or i: you tin8 someting9s wrong< see your doctor7:igure. #ut you
may notice pysical symptoms li8e tese :or a wee8 or two< wic are< to my 8nowledge< normal$
Increased or decreased appetite
Tendency to :eel coldJ goose&umps
6ry eyesJ periods o: &lurred or dou&led !ision
Muscle aces or eadaces .dull ones< not splitting ones1
Tinnitus .ringing in te ears1
+ea8 immune system< especially i: you9re prone to suc wea8ness
/lleviating the narcoleptic symptoms of sleep deprivation is not always possi&le 77 tere will
&e sort periods were your &ody is a&solutely trying to :all asleep< rigt ere rigt now. All you can do
ten is :orce yoursel: to stay awa8e until te :eeling passes$ #y opping into a cold sower< sa8ing your
ead or slapping your :ace< ?umping or running in place< or ta8ing a &ris8 wal8 outside< :or instance. .-r77
tis one I tougt was particularly smart77&y olding dises. -ne creati!e polypaser told me
a&out wal8ing around is ouse carrying a &ig stac8 o: dises< wic not only 8ept im
:rom :alling asleep< &ut guaranteed tat i: e did< e9d wa8e &ac8 up immediately=1 Almost e!ery
polypasic adaptation in!ol!es getting to te point o: needing to do tose tings at least once 77 &ut don9t
worryJ typically tose spells are !ery sort. .%n:ortunately< tey don9t seem sort.1
+en you :eel narcoleptic symptoms coming on< tere are a :ew tings you can do rigt away to
try to sta!e o:: tat :alling7asleep7standing7up :eeling< &e:ore it gets to te point were you9re slapping
yoursel: wile &laring !tar (ars on te TF as loud as it will go. Te /early warning signs/ typically include$
6iKKiness and a :eeling o: gently :alling< or spiraling downwards .into sleep1
%ncontrolla&le closing o: te eyelids
Hea!y< di::icult7to7mo!e lim&s
5oldnessJ a tendency to /curl up/
6i::iculty standing or sitting straigt
+en tose tings mani:est< your &ody is trying to sut te ligts o:: on you< so pay attention=
-:ten< i: you do one o: te :ollowing tings .or someting li8e tem1 wen you &egin to :eel tis way< it
will pass.
+ombating arcolepsy 6efore it 'ets In(
STA;6 %4= @ou9ll typically notice te a&o!e symptoms wile you9re sitting or recliningJ te !ery
:irst ting to do is get up and M-F)< no matter ow muc you don9t want to. In :act< wal8ing
itsel: can &e a good cure 77 ?ust 8eep going until you :eel &etter. 6ancing wor8s great too.
Ma8e and eat a small meal or snac8. Someting tat ta8es a little preparation< andLor e::ort to eat<
typically wor8s &etter tan trowing a :roKen &urrito in te microwa!e. I used to coo8 a wole
artico8e< and melt &utter to dip te lea!es in 77 &y te time I was done ma8ing and eating it< an
our could a!e passed< and any nasty sleep7dep symptoms I9d &een a!ing were o!er.
4ic8 up or put on a &oo8< mo!ie< or oter entertainment tat you :ind !ery interesting< wic tends
to engross you completely.
A2
.Sometimes one you ate can &e as e::ecti!e as one you li8e< i: you
really ate it. 4olitical media :rom an eCtreme opposite your pre:erence can &e !ery use:ul.1
#egin a personal7care routine< especially one tat you eiter associate wit mornings or only do
rarely. Gust &e care:ul i: you9re wor8ing wit sarp tings or cemicals= .I9!e ennaed my air wit
great success :or tis purpose 77 enna is messy and tric8y to wor8 wit< and te process ta8es
se!eral ours.1
5ange your clotes< and ta8e some care pic8ing tem i: you can. +at wor8s particularly well is
to cange into someting tat9s not too easy to get into< and wic you9d ne!er normally sleep in<
li8e :ormal clotes. .+at te ec8< do your airLma8eupLwate!er too< i: it elps. @ou9re upJ
you migt as well &e pretty=1
Ta8e a cool or cold sower 77 not a bath, owe!er< since te ris8 o: :alling asleep in a &at is too
dangerous. Along te same lines< consider opening windows or lowering te temperature were
you are some oter way$ +armt contri&utes to sleepiness.
A2 I9!e eard tat polypasic adaptation is a great time to rentL&orrowL&uy an eCciting &oo8< TF series or oter type o: entertainment. .-r &etter yet< more
tan one.1 And I can see te rationale< &ecause I9!e gotten /suc8ed in/ to new media and stayed up late ?ust as muc as te neCt guy. It9s a good idea i: tat
8ind o: ting engrosses you< &ut take care sitting do$n 44 putting in your 6F6 or pic8ing up tat &oo8 $hile standing may &e a muc &etter idea. Also< ma8e
sure you don9t get UsoU engrossed tat you miss naptime=
Ubersleep 33
Tal8< recite poetry< sing< or play a musical instrument .weter or not you can do it well1$ Te
concentration reHuired to eCpress yoursel: out loud will distract you :rom :eeling sleepy.
5ourt a little .?ust a little=1 danger. (oing :or a wal8 at nigt i: you9re scared o: te dar8 77 or going
to a cemetery or oter /creepy/ place 77 getting ?ust a little &it o: a scare on 77 is a :antastic way to
wa8e up. 4ut on a !ery scary mo!ie< e!en. Gust ma8e sure you don9t scare yoursel: so &adly tat
you can9t sleep wen it9s actually time to=
Ma8e a pone call. ;ow is a great time to 8now someone in anoter time7Kone=
Tings tat you don#t want to do wen you9re :eeling te onset o: real :alling7asleep7standing7up
narcolepsy include :lipping cannels on te TF< reading magaKines< sur:ing te 9;et< or ?ust staring at a wall
.wic is pro&a&ly wat you9ll :eel li8e doing1. In order to tal8 your &ody out o: ea!y7andedly pusing
you towards sleep< you need to con!ince it tat you9re too &usy rigt now< in a way it :inds legitimate.
A'
I: you miss tat golden opportunity< toug< and actually start to eCi&it narcolepsy 77 you awa8e
wit a start< in te middle o: doing someting< and it9s only &een a :ew seconds or minutes .you9re a!ing
wat polypasers call /microsleeps/1 77 ten tings get more di::icult. #ut tis will appen to you at least
onceJ it does to almost e!ery&ody. 0ending o:: narcolepsy once it9s already appening is no :un< &ut don9t
gi!e up= It doesn9t last !ery long< and i: you get troug it you9ll :eel &etter in no time. .Remind yoursel:
tat tis is it, tis is te important part o: te wole process< te point you9!e &een waiting :or=1
Te :ollowing tips sould wa8e you up enoug tat you can go back to the pre*ious list. 0or all o:
tem< it9s important tat you :ollow up wit someting tat9ll 8eep you awa8e< li8e a meal or con!ersation.
I: you do any o: tese tings and ten go sit on te couc< you9ll &e &ac8 to sHuare one=
.-r as my :riend used to tell me< /(et up= +e9re going to &e awa8e 22 ours a day 77 you9ll a!e time to
relaC later=/ ...And se was rigtJ once we adapted I could relaC plenty.1
+ombating arcolepsy !nce It's 'et In(
Stomp= Stomp< stomp< stomp. Bi:t your legs ig and stomp77te ?arring :eeling o: your :eet
landing ard will elp< as will te &alance callenge. I: you 8now any martial7arts :orms .kata1<
you9re luc8y< &ecause practicing tem is also an e+cellent way to &ac8 away :rom te edge o:
narcolepsy.
Similarly< it someting$ puncing &ags are a$esome, or su&stitute wate!er you9!e got tat9s sa:e.
Stand near a sin8 or &owl o: ice7cold water and splas yoursel: in te :ace< arms and nec8 wit it
repeatedly.
Step into a really cold sower. .In your clotes< i: you a!e to. 6ealing wit te mess and canging
clotes wen it9s o!er will elp 8eep you awa8e< too.1
(o :or a run or &ris8 wal8< especially outside i: it9s cool out.
6o ?umping7?ac8s or anoter Huic8 aero&ic eCercise. Keep going until you9re out o: &reat< &ut
don9t pus it too :ar< or you9ll ma8e yoursel: e!en more tired.
4ut yoursel: in as .pysically1 uncom:orta&le a situation as you can$ i: you can9t sleep wit ligts
on< turn tem all on &rigtJ i: you don9t li8e noise< turn e!eryting up or put on loud eadpones ...
wen you :eel a little more awa8e< go &ac8 to te pre!ious list and :ind someting sleep7un:riendly
to do tat9s a little more com:orta&le.
6o some ad!anced &reating eCercises< i: you 8now any. .Simple ones are usually relaCation7
oriented and not a good idea= #ut i: you9re :amiliar wit any energiKing &reating eCercises 77 Ven
and Tai?i &ot a!e some tat I 8now o: 77 you may want to practice tem until your ead clears.1
#eware o: sitting or lying down< owe!er 77 do standing eCercises wene!er possi&le.
A' Tat means tat di::erent tings wor8 &etter :or di::erent people$ Some people can snoK out wile eatingJ oters9 &rains could care less a&out &eing in te
middle o: a manicure. 0ear is one o: !ery :ew tings tat seems to wor8 uni!ersally.
34 Ubersleep
Anoter callenge will present itsel: a:ter you get troug a &ad sleep7dep spell< andLor :igt o:: a
&out o: narcolepsy$ Te e::ort will wear you out= It9s not uncommon to :eel weary< drained< and generally
crappy a:ter a!ing success:ully na!igated a period o: sleep7dep symptoms. (oing to &ed ?ust sounds
good on principle< e!en i: you9re not tired anymore. And o: course< ten e!entually you do go to &ed...and
a!e to wa8e up 23 minutes later= .;ote$ #uy at least one eCtra alarm cloc8 to compensate :or te :act
tat you9ll almost certainly &rea8 one at some point< out o: seer rage L atred. 0or similar reasons< i: you
a!e a really nice alarm cloc8< may&e put it away until te :irst wee8 as passed.1 #ut all tese tings pass
Huic8ly< and i: you 8eep your eye on te &all< te ard part will &e o!er wit &e:ore you 8now it.
Here is a sort list o: te tings I personally :ound most use:ul in managing te sleep depri!ation
troug my own adaptation7periods.
Also< don9t :orget tat :or tese ideas to &e e::ecti!e< you have to think of them at the right time 77
wic ?ust so appens to &e a time wen your &rain is :unctioning a&out as well as &oiled ceese. I igly
suggest +RITI;( 6-+; a list o: tings to do wen you9re Kon8ed< and putting it in places were
you9ll see it at te critical time. @ou can use te Tiredness 5eat7Seet at te end o: tis &oo8 as a
template< and add your own ideas as you tin8 o: tem. .Tere are also a :ew more /eCtreme/ and
/weird/ ideas on tat ceat7seet< ?ust in case you really get stuc8.1
/ck, I +an't 'leep<
)specially i: you were su::ering :rom insomnia &e:ore you cose to start a polypasic scedule< you may
notice tat you can9t sleep :or your naps at te &eginning. Almost e!eryone :inds tey can9t nap during
te daytime naps on te :irst< and sometimes te second< day< &ut :or insominacs .and sometimes :or
non7insomniacs too1< it can &e se!eral days &e:ore you get a good rest:ul nap. Tis isn9t a &ad tingJ it9s
?ust anoter pat to ad?ustment tat te &rainL&ody sometimes ta8es. @ou won9t &e any more tired tan
someone wo9s getting 23 minutes o: sleep and ten wa8ing up< trust me. As long as you start to sleep
during your naps witin a couple days< and are :eeling somewat &etter &y te end o: wee8 one< you
sould &e :ine. I9!e ne!er eard o: anyone wo started a polypasic scedule and :ound tat tey
couldn9t sleep at all &ecause o: it. .And I ad pretty se!ere insomnia wen I started %&erman< remem&er.1
Success! Ad) usti ng to your ;e- Schedul e
#y te time you get troug te :irst *77 days< you sould &e :eeling dramatically &etterJ sleep7dep
symptoms sould only &e appening once or twice a day :or sort periods o: time< and i: you 8eep it up
witout mista8es< &y 6ay "3 .or earlier1 you sould :eel no depri!ation symptoms at all. Te process o:
ad?usting usually wor8s li8e tis$ 0or a day or more< you can9t sleep at all< or you only sleep :or a nap or
two .and ten are less tan appy wen you a!e to wa8e up a:ter 23 minutes=1. Ten you &egin to sleep
Ubersleep 35
P&'s 6est 5ays to #end !ff 'leepiness
Sadow7&oCing 6ancing Singing #ris8 +al8ing
Reading aloud :rom :a!orite &oo8s L poetry Tal8ing on te pone
Sculpting< 4ainting< or oter /messy/ art pro?ects -rganiKing drawers & closets
Ma8ing smooties or omemade ?uice Scru&&ing not7o:ten7cleaned places
(oing to te store .wate!er9s open1 Ma8ing lists .o: anyting1
:or a nap< or two naps< during te day I tat9s a good sign tat tings are progressing. #y te end o:
wee8 one< you sould &e a&le to sleep :or most or all o: your sceduled
naps< and &e only a little tired< i: at all< during te nigt. I: you reac
day "3 .witout ma?or screwups1 and you still can9t sleep during your
naps< andLor you9re still :eeling terri&le at nigt< someting9s wrongJ
you9re not ad?usting.
Altoug you sould mostly or
entirely stop :eeling tired &y te end o:
wee8 one< the imperative to keep to your
schedule exactly remains until /"
9*/'" 5**% #!,$. It9s a scienti:ic
:act tat it ta8es a&out a mont :or te
&rain to de!elop a new a&it< and tat9s
wat you9re doing ere$ 6e!eloping te
a&it o: polypasic sleep. It9s a &ig a&it to
ingrain< and it doesn9t stic8 easilyJ
consistency is 8ey. Remem&er tat te
a&it o: sleeping monopasically was
ingrained in you< most li8ely< wile you
were an in:ant. And you9!e ad tat a&it
:or ow many years now, 6on9t tin8 tat
&rea8ing it is easy< or tat a :ew days o:
sleeping di::erently will do it. )!en a
mont is cutting it sort 77 I suggest at least
two monts o: strict aderence &e:ore you
ris8 :udging or modi:ying your scedule at
all< unless you a!e good reason to &elie!e tat someting needs canging wit your scedule. I9ll go o!er
ma8ing tose canges in te neCt section< &ut :irst$
8ou %now 8ou're /dapting 5hen...
6uring more and more naps< you9re a&le to$
0all asleep Huic8ly
Sleep deeply
+a8e up :eeling re:resed
@ou &egin to dream during your naps< e!entually during se!eral naps eac day
@ou don9t yawn or :eel tired during te day< eCcept wen it9s almost time :or your nap
@ou :eel clear7eaded and wide awa8e during most o: your wa8ing nigt7time ours
@our memory and motor s8ills are normal
AA
.or wit %&ermanL6ymaCion< sometimes &etter tan
normal
A*
1
AA @ou may want to test your memory and motor s8ills &e:ore adapting< i: you9re worried tat you migt not realiKe wen you9re sleep7depri!ed or i: you9re
adapting. I did tis wen I was testing te )!eryman scedule. I memoriKed se!eral poems &e:ore I too8 on te scedule< and too8 typing7tests e!ery day
:or a wee8. Ten< wile I was ad?usting wee8s :or my typing to reco!er to pre7adaptation le!els< e!en
toug I :elt :ine a:ter ' wee8s.1
A* Impro!ements in cogniti!e :unction a!e &een reported :rom se!eral people wo adapted to %&ermanL6ymaCion. I :elt tem< too< wen I did it< &ut I did
no tests to con:irm te e::ect 77 oters a!e< toug. ;o< I can9t eCplain wat would cause tis. 4eraps te nap7only scedules are more e::icient in a way
tat &ene:its te &rain someow.
36 Ubersleep
"his is where *veryman gets hard.
I: you9re adapting to a core7sleep L non7eHuipasic
scedule li8e )!eryman< tis 77 te end o: wee8 one 77 is
were you pay your de&t. @our :irst :ew days o:
ad?usting weren9t as di::icult as tose o: people adapting
to %&erman or 6ymaCion< &ut now tey9re all done
wit te ard part< and you9re not. Tere9s pro&a&ly
still one< may&e two< times o: day tat you get really
tired< and a!e to tailor your acti!ities during in order
to a!oid :alling asleep. Tis is normal< and it9s not
unusual :or it to last se!eral more wee8s &e:ore you
:ully ad?ust. As long as you :eel good te rest o: te
time< and aren9t eCperiencing any symptoms o: systemic
sleep7depri!ation .your memory is good< coordination is
good< ealt is good< and you9re sleeping well during at
least most o: your naps1< ten you9re :ineJ 8eep it up and
you will ad?ust. It can &e wearying< &ut )!eryman ?ust
ta8es longer 77 tat9s its price.
...and...
8ou %now 8ou're .aving "rouble /dapting 5hen...
A:ter at least one $eek o: per:ect
A>
aderence to your scedule$
@ou regularly a!e trou&le :alling asleep< wa8e up in te middle o: naps< or wa8e up eCausted<
during more than one nap a day. I: you9re only a!ing tis pro&lem :or one speci:ic nap< and anoter
wee8 o: strict aderence doesn9t sol!e it< ten you pro&a&ly ?ust need twea8ing .see neCt section1.
@ou yawn or :eel tired :reHuently
@ou :eel muddy7eaded and stupid all nigt< or during parts o: te day .again< i: it9s ?ust or mostly
&e:ore or a:ter one particular nap< and doesn9t go away on its own< it may &e :iCa&le &y twea8ing1.
@our memory andLor motor s8ills are still /o::/ a:ter se!eral wee8s o: strict aderence
T-ea$i ng =our Schedul e
/Twea8ing/ is a term :or ma8ing a minor ad?ustment to a polypasic scedule. Speci:ically< once
you9!e ad?usted< i: tere9s still a /roug spot/< you twea8 to :iC it. Sometimes< a sleeper gets totally adapted<
&ut still as pro&lems :eeling tired &e:ore or a:ter one particular nap< or at a certain time o: day< or related
to a certain acti!ity
A7
. +en tis appens< sometimes te scedule needs a /Twea8/. Tis may in!ol!e
mo!ing a nap sligtly< or canging te napping en!ironment or oter circumstances surrounding your
sleep.
4olypasic sleep is ?ust li8e regular sleep wen it comes to en!ironment
and li:estyle. Tings li8e diet< te room you sleep in< and wat you do
&e:ore and a:ter sleeping can a!e a de:inite< measura&le e::ect on your
sleep. +at9s more< polypasic sleep is more e::icient< so tings tat may
not a!e a::ected your sleep wile you were monopasic may a!e a
noticea&le e::ect on your new scedule.
I get a lot o: Huestions a&out twea8ing one9s scedule< so let me start wit te &iggest part o:
almost all te answers$ /bout eight times out of ten, if you're having problems adapting, it's !"
because you need to modify your schedule. Se!en o: tose eigt times< te pro&lem is tat you9!e &een
trying to ceat your way troug te ad?ustment period 77 Sleeping eCtra< s8ipping or mo!ing naps< or plain
o!ersleeping. "f you#re doing that, then attempting to t$eak your schedule $ill 0ust make the problem $orse. Tere is no
easy way to adapt to polypasic sleep tat I 8now o:
A8
< and more importantly< i: tere is an easier way< ten
you 77 /you/ &eing a generic term :or a new polypaser 77 pro&a&ly aren9t going to &e te one to :ind it.
6on9t try polypasic sleeping unless you intend to go troug te adaptation< in all its suc8 and glory.
"he other most common reason for ad0ustment problems is that there's an issue related to
lifestyle that's interfering with your sleep. So &e:ore you mess wit te scedule you9!e wor8ed so
ard to get .mostly1 adapted to< cec8 :or tings tat may &e inter:ering< and address tem. .I: tere9s
more tan one< address tem one at a time< lea!ing at least a :ew days &etween canges.1 +it all canges<
you sould ma8e one< stic8 wit it :or a :ew days .8eeping notes i: necessary or desired1< and ten assess
weter te cange sould &e 8ept< eCpanded upon< or re!ersed. Te :irst day9s e::ects o: a cange are not
enoug to ?udge it o!erall.
A> -r /amaKingly close to per:ect/ 77 one ten7minute o!ersleep doesn9t nulli:y a wole wee8< &ut tree ours does.
A7 Suc as &eing tired a:ter eating.
A8 See AppendiC III i: you want to read a&out a possi&ly7easier adaptation metod tat I9!e eard o: &ut can9t !eri:y.
Ubersleep 37
6efore "weaking the 'chedule( $ed-flag 6ehaviors that are %nown to
Interfere with Polyphasic 'leep
Are you eating too close to a nap, Typically< polypasers :ind tat eating sould &e done rigt
a:ter wa8ing up< or in te middle o: a wa8ing7cycleJ not closer tan an our or two to te time you
lay down. 6igesting :ood in te stomac puts you in a deeper sleep and can ma8e you not want to
wa8e up< or wa8e up sluggisly. I: you a!e digestion issues< tey can also inter:ere wit te Huality
o: your sleep.
Are you consuming ca::eine, Some people are :ine wit small< controlled amounts o: ca::eine
wile sleeping polypasicallyJ oters are not. I: you9re a!ing pro&lems and you consume ca::eine<
try limiting andLor canging te time o: day tat you consume your ca::eine< and see i: te
/pro&lem nap.s1/ cange in response. I: so< you pro&a&ly need to limit it or cut it out o: your diet.
Are you consuming alcool or oter drugs .including cigarettes1, -&!iously tese can a::ect your
sleeping. Try a&staining and see i: tat :iCes te pro&lem. .I: it9s someting you9ll a!e a
witdrawal :rom< you sould pro&a&ly Huit sleeping polypasically< Huit te drug.s1< and ten try
again later.1 Tere9s anoter section on Su&stances near te end o: te &oo8< too.
+ere and ow are you sleeping,
6o you use a sleep trac8 or sleep to music, I: so< may&e you9re not getting deep enoug sleep
due to te noise. I: not< may&e you9re sleeping too deeply &ecause o: te silence. Tat sounds
circular< &ut :or some people< a!ing some noise on .especially at nigt1 8eeps tem :rom
sin8ing too :ar underJ wile :or oters it ?ust /inoculates/ tem to noise and tey sleep troug
teir alarms. #eing an indi!idual is a &Utc< e, J1
Is your room too warm .wic can ma8e it ard to wa8e up1 or too dar8 .ditto1, +e all need
our doses o: dar8ness< &ut i: you9re sensiti!e to ligt and dar8ness< try getting your dar8 during
te day .i.e. &y using a sleep mas81 instead o: at nigt. I :ind tat lea!ing a lamp on during my
8 p.m. nap really elps me wa8e up a:terwards. 5on!ersely< i: you9re too cold or it9s too &rigt<
you may not &e a&le to sleep well enoug.
Are you sleeping in your &ed at nigt, Tis can &e a &ad idea< as your &ody is trained to
/i&ernate/ in your &ed .or were!er you normally sleep at nigt1. At least :or a wile< try
sleeping on te couc< in a recliner< or somewere else tat isn9t as com:y and conduci!e to
ours o: V9s. -nce you9re :ully adapted< you may :ind tat you can go &ac8 to using your &ed.
.I did.1
Are you eCercising rigt &e:ore &ed, Tis can inter:ere wit te Huality o: some people9s sleep. I:
you9re not sleeping well :or one or more naps< or a!ing trou&le wa8ing up a:ter tem< try ma8ing
sure you don9t eCercise strenuously too close &e:oreand.
If 8ou $eally eed to "weak
I# >
@ou9!e &een stic8ing to your scedule $ithout mistakes :or at least a wee8 .%&erman1 or two
.)!eryman1 /&
@ou can tell tat you are adapting 6,"
38 Ubersleep
Keep in mind tat wat9s ma8ing you tired may not &e directly related to te nap closest to
your tiredness$ Someting ma8ing a nap less e::icient may &e producing tiredness tat
doesn9t sow up until a nap or two later. I: you9re a!ing pro&lems< loo8 care:ully at all
your &ea!ior.
Tere9s still a place or two in your 2A7our cycle tat you :eel tired during< or a nap you a!e
di::iculty ta8ing /&
@ou9!e already tried modi:ying all te &ea!iors wic may &e causing te inter:erence<
".*
@ou sould consider /Twea8ing/ your scedule.
"he Process
Twea8ing a scedule is li8e trou&lesooting a mecanical pro&lem$ @ou pic8 one small cange tat
loo8s li8ely< ma8e it< watc :or a wile< and i: it doesn9t wor8< pic8 anoter one. I: a cange tat you made
ma8es tings worse< you re!erse it< ten go &ac8 to te &eginning. In tis case< te /canges/ you9re
ma8ing are canges in your nap7times or durations. /gain, ap "weaking should be a last resort -- it9s
so muc easier to diagnose and :iC &ea!ioral pro&lems< and muc more li8ely tat tat will :iC your
pro&lem. #ut :or people on )!eryman scedules especially< Twea8ing is sometimes necessary in order to
get tings down smootJ and unli8e te eHuipasic scedules< wic can &e !ery toucy< minor twea8ing
usually doesn9t /&rea8/ an )!eryman scedule or 8eep it :rom wor8ing. .#e minimalist< toug 77 all
polyphasic schedules require more regularity and consistency than an average ?-hour monophasic
schedule does.1
I: you a!e to Twea8< ere are good places to start. Remem&er to ma8e one change, and wait at least
a :ew days to see i: it sould &e 8ept< 8ept and &uilt upon< or re!ersed< &e:ore ma8ing anoter. Also<
consider writing down ow you :eel immediately &e:ore or a:ter sleeping< :or some or all o: you naps.
Small canges especially can &e ard to 8eep trac8 o:< simply &ecause tey reHuire you to &e !igilant a&out
noticing ow you :eel< o:ten at times wen you9re at your least !igilant=
I: you are regularly tired a:ter wa8ing :rom a certain nap .and a!e addressed possi&le &ea!ioral
reasons1< mo!e tat nap "* minutes closer to te one &e:ore it. I: tis elps a little &ut not enoug<
mo!e it anoter "* minutes< :or a total o: no more tan an our.
I: you regularly a!e trou&le :alling asleep :or a certain nap .and a!e addressed possi&le &ea!ioral
reasons1< and are usually not tired rigt &e:ore tis nap< mo!e te nap "* minutes :arter away :rom
te one &e:ore it.
I: you a!e trou&le :alling asleep and are tired rigt &e:ore your nap< consider sortening te
duration o: all your naps &y 27* minutes< especially i: tey9re currently longer tan 23 minutes total.
Some people do &etter wit naps tat are "8 or e!en "* minutes long. Tis :iC can also elp i:
you9re always groggy immediately upon wa8ing up :rom some or all o: your naps.
Tere9s a tendency to want to lengten your naps i: you :eel you aren9t getting enoug rest 77
counterintuiti!ely< tis rarely elps. Altoug 6r. 0uller proscri&ed '37minute naps :or is
/6ymaCion/ scedule< in my eCperience and tose o: te many people I9!e spo8en to< in te
&allpar8 o: 23 minutes always seems to wor8 &etter. I would e!en go so :ar as to say tat
may&e 6r. 0uller was estimating ./a&out al: an our/1< or tat e was simply not te norm.
I: you9re on )!eryman and always tired a:ter wa8ing up :rom your core nap .and a!e addressed
&ea!ioral issues< wic are !ery common surrounding a core nap1< try ta8ing it al: an our
earlier. I: you naturally a!e low energy at nigt< you may &e pusing your wa8ing7period too :ar
and getting o!ertired.
I: tat doesn9t wor8< try sortening your core &y "* minutes< ten al: an our. I: te pro&lem
persists< try lengtening it &y "* minutes. Te ".*< '< and A.*7our suggested durations o: core
naps are &ased on a 937minute sleep cycle< wic is normal &ut not uni!ersal 77 yours may &e a
little di::erent. Sometimes e!en * or "3 minutes9 duration o: a core nap can mean te
di::erence &etween wa8ing tired and wa8ing up re:resed. 4ay attention to your &ody 77 i:
su&tracting "* minutes elps &ut not !ery muc< try 23.
Ubersleep 39
6on9t &e a:raid to try oter canges i: you :eel you need to. Gust remem&er 77 ma8e tem one at a
time< and 8eep tem small< and gi!e a :ew days to eac to see ow it a::ects you. 0or some people<
:inding ?ust te rigt scedule ta8es monts o: /detecti!e wor8/< &ut 8eep in mind tat you9re not
tired during tat wole montJ ?ust a little sleepy &e:ore or a:ter a certain nap or during a certain
time o: day. 0or many people .including me1< tat still represents an impro!ement o!er ow tey
:elt on a monopasic scedule. And don9t gi!e up 77 once you9re adapted< you 8now you can sleep
polypasically< and it9s ?ust a matter o: sanding o:: te roug edges. @our /per:ect/ scedule may
ta8e a little disco!ering< &ut it9s tere.
If "weaking &oesn't 5ork
Sometimes< :or some reason< e!en twea8ing a scedule won9t produce a situation were you9re
ne!er tired. @ou may :ind tat it9s always a struggle to wa8e :rom your core or a certain nap< or tat you
always get a &it yawny around ' a.m. no matter wat you do.
Tere are two tings you sould do in tis situation. Te :irst is to assess your health( How do
you :eel, Are you :eeling any worse as you continue to sleep polypasically, +ile in my eCperience
polypasic sleep can wor8 :or almost any&ody wo wants it to< it is a more e::icient metod o: sleeping<
and not e!eryone as te constitution to increase te e::iciency o: an in!oluntary pysical processes as
compleC as sleeping.
A9
I: your ealt is o8ay< toug< and you don9t :eel .and a!e no e!idence tat1 polypasic sleep is
doing any damage to you< ten it9s time to as8 anoter Huestion$ .ow do you feel compared to when
you were monophasic4 Are you tired more or less o: te time, 6o you a!e more or less energy< and
ow is your stress le!el, I: tings are &etter :or you &eing polypasic< it may &e wort it to deal wit te
occasional tiredness :or owe!er many monts it ta8es you to :igure out wat will eliminate it. #ut i: you
generally don9t :eel as good< ten may&e you9re ?ust a monopasic sleeper.
Te tric8 is to 8now wen to Huit trying to adapt.
>hen To :i ,e Up
Tere9s a danger limit< wic I9!e tried to mention regularly trougout tis &oo8J a limit to ow
muc you can mess wit a central &iological process li8e sleep and not su::er any conseHuences. +at9s
more< due to te nature o: sleep depri!ation< you may not kno$ wen you9!e passed tat limit.
Tere:ore< it9s eCtremely important to 8eep an eye on your progress< and to 8now wen you need
to Huit< at least :or a wile. .I9!e said tis already< &ut i: you can :ind a sympatetic :riend wo understands
wat you9re doing and won9t ?ump te gun< it can &e elp:ul to gi!e tem te power to ma8e you call it
Huits.1
(enerally spea8ing< if you've been trying to sleep polyphasically for a month or more, and
you can't keep to a regular schedule, then it's time to quit. +eter you :eel it or not< you9re sleep7
depri!ed :rom all te irregular sleep< and i: you sleep irregularly :or any longer< you ris8 training your mind
and &ody to not sleep on a scedule at all. Tis can ruin your cances :or a good nigt9s sleep entirely< and
e!en land you on medication or under medical care &e:ore your scedule can reco!er. So don9t pus it= I:
you didn9t succeed at adapting tis time< ta8e a long &rea8< ta8e some notes< ma8e care:ul preparations< and
try again later.
A9 Most people witout te constitution :or polypasic sleeping simply don9t want to do it< in my eCperience 77 tey 8now< on some le!el< tat tey need and
pre:er longer< /slower/ sleep. #ut it is possi&le tat psycologically< you could desire to sleep polypasically< &ut not &e meant :or it pysically.
40 Ubersleep
;eedless to say< you sould also Huit i: you eCperience any ad!erse e::ects< suc as dramatic weigt
gain or loss< illness< or psycological meltdown. Tose would &e< you 8now< &ad.

5hen you =quit=, make sure it's for at least @A days, and that you re-establish a regular
monophasic or biphasic schedule for that whole time. +ile you9re at it< too< wy not ma8e some
o&ser!ations a&out your /normal/ sleep a&its< wit an eye to tings tat may a!e sa&otaged your
polypasic attempt, A period o: rest or Huitting can &e an ideal time to$
Huit ca::eine or oter stimulants or drugs
impro!e your sleep en!ironment
esta&lis good sleep a&its
modi:y your diet or eCercise routine
accustom yoursel: to li!ing on a scedule< i: you9re not
already used to it
Sometimes te second time is te carm< especially i:
you9!e learned :rom te :irst time and use te &rea8 to
prepare. .Te :irst time I adapted< I did it in one sot77wic
is good< &ecause I migt not a!e tried again=77&ut te neCt
time< it too8 me two tries. My li:estyle was !ery di::erent< and
I didn9t eCpect te pro&lems I would a!e...&ut wen I tried
again< 8nowing wat to eCpect< it wor8ed.1 So &e smart a&out
Huitting wen you sould Huit< and don9t worry tat it
necessarily means gi!ing up :or good=
Ubersleep 41
*ffort
I didn9t wor8 tis ard to maintain my
old monopasic sceduleJ &ut ten
again tat scedule was in tatters and I
was almost always tired. I needed a
good 9 ours o: sleep on a monopasic
scedule to :eel rested< and te world
ne!er let me get it. ;ow I need an
a!erage o: A.* ours...&ut I can get
tem< and still get e!eryting else done=
My polypasic scedule isn9t e::ortless<
&ut it9s certainly wort te e::ort.
". $i %i ng Polyphasi cally
Tis section is de!oted to issues tat primarily concern polypasic sleep as a li:estyle 77 wic< in
my own personal de:inition< means /as done :or more tan :our monts consecuti!ely/. I pic8 :our
monts &ecause tere seems to &e a certain /swing o: tings/ tat 8ic8s in a:ter :i!e to siC monts< so it
seemed as good a place as any to distinguis long7term :rom sort7term polypasic scedules.
Tat9s not to say tat sort7term polypasic sleep isn9t use:ul< or tat e!eryone wo adapts to a
polypasic scedule does or sould do so wit te aim o: staying on it :or years. #ut many people< once
tey get troug te /Hell wee8/ part o: it< :ind tat tey li8e polypasic sleep a lot< and say tey will 8eep
to te scedule as long as tey can. Sometimes li:e inter:eres< &ut te good news is< once you9!e adapted
success:ully to a polypasic scedule once< it seems to &e easier to do it again. Someone in a polypasic7
related :orum once teoriKed tat may&e tere9s a /nap switc/ in your &rain< and once you :lip tat switc
77 learn to nap< and use naps as an e::icient replacement :or nigttime sleep 77 ten you ne!er really :orget
ow. It was certainly easier :or me to adapt to my scedule te second time around .once te li:estyle
issues were resol!ed1J I got te ang o: .or remem&ered te ang o:1 :alling asleep and wa8ing rested muc
more Huic8ly tan I tougt I would.
4olypasic sleep in te long7term seems to &e a muc di::erent animal tan it is wile you9re
adapting< and also somewat di::erent tan it is :or te :irst > monts or so a:ter adaptation. I9ll address
some o: te tings tat a!e seemed nota&le< di::icult or rele!ant to me as I9!e slept polypasically o!er te
last year and ten montsJ owe!er< e!eryone is in!ited to remem&er tat I9m one o: !ery :ew people doing
tis at te moment< and tere9s no long7term study data at all on polypasic sleep at te moment< so wat
:ollows is pretty muc pure con?ecture. @ay con?ecture=
8n the ;ature of Scre-i ng Up
6o you 8now anyone wo goes to &ed at precisely< say< "3$A2 e!ery nigt< and wa8es at eCactly
*$2', )!ery single day, Me neiter. 4olypasic scedules are super7strict &y necessity wile you9re
adapting to tem< and e!en a:ter tat< tey remain stricter tan monopasic scedules< &ecause tey9re
more stripped7down and e::icient. #ut it9s not 4er:ectly Strict 0or All Time. And once you9!e really< truly
got te ang o: it< /screw7ups/ tat would a!e completely nu8ed your scedule in te past &ecome Huite
easy to wor8 around< and it all ?ust &lends togeter into a :ull7grown specimen o: te genus sleep schedule. A
weird specimen to &e sure< &ut on many le!els ?ust li8e any oter.
Here9s an eCample$ I: I miss a nap< or mo!e one too :ar out o: its usual position in te day< I will
start to get tired a&out "" p.m. Always appens. I: I stay up until " a.m. anyway< I will &e Huite resistant to
wa8ing up in te morning< and :eel :ine a:ter my morning napJ &ut i: I go to &ed early< at ""$'3< I9ll &e :ine
in te morning. In sort< i: I sleep A.* ours instead o: '< I can reco!er almost totally :rom a!ing missed
a nap .toug I still :eel a &it sluggis :rom o!ersleeping at :irst1. I: I ?ust pus troug it and sleep te
normal tree ours< I9ll reco!er as well< &ut only a:ter eCperiencing some morning tiredness.
Anoter eCample$ I: I a!e to do someting tat will ma8e me miss a nap or mo!e it too :ar< and I
8now a&out it aead o: time< I may ta8e a "3 or "*7minute nap &e:oreand. Tat9ll 8eep me :rom &eing
too tired< and I9ll ta8e my normal nap wen I can< i: I can. 6epending on ow tat sa8es out< I migt &e
tired wen I wa8e up :rom te neCt nap...
42 Ubersleep
In oter words< li:e on a polypasic scedule is a steady dance o: trying to 8eep your sleep7scedule
on trac8 so tat you9re not tired< and mitigating te tiredness wen you can9t a!oid it. Tat may sound
odd< &ut i: you stated ow a normal .monopasic1 sleep scedule wor8s< it would sound almost eCactly te
same. A monopaser migt say< /I: I9m stressed7out and can9t get to sleep rigt away< ten I9m going to &e
pretty wasted in te morning. I: I can< I9ll sleep in &y 2 ours and tat will elp< &ut i: I can9t sleep in and I
can9t get a nap tomorrow a:ternoon< I9m going to &e yawning all day./ "he numbers are smaller with
polyphasic sleep, but the principle 1 and it seems, at least in general, the ratios 1 are the same.
Real li:e ma8es you modi:y your scedule on7te7:ly sometimesJ it ?ust does. 4olypasic sleep is no
di::erent< once it9s in :ull swing. Te di::erence is te wor8 it ta8es to get to /:ull swing/.
*3

And &eing :ully adapted isn9t an onLo:: ting eiter$ 0or a wile< you9re going to a!e to use your
&rain to decide wen to sleep and wen not to< &ecause your a&its are still going to lead to you to want to
sleep at nigt< e!en i: you don9t need to. A:ter long enoug< toug< it &ecomes a /gut decision/J napping
&ecomes your normal scedule< and you no longer tend to sleep all nigt< e!en i: you want to .or try=1.
I watc te cloc8 muc less now$ +en it9s nearing &edtime I get tired< and :or most o: my naps I
wa8e up automatically at te rigt time. 0or tose naps tat I tend to o!ersleep .&ecause tey appen at
low7energy parts o: my day< or &ecause I9m li8ely to a!e ad to mo!e te nap prior1< I use alarms and a
cattleprod incenti!es to get mysel: up. J1 Te &est incenti!es remain tose tat are interesting$ I9ll start a
pro?ect< prep some :ood to coo8< or watc te :irst "* minutes o: a mo!ie &e:ore I lay down< and ten
getting going again is usually a snap. -: course< I could ?ust as easily a!e ta8en tose steps to mitigate
morning tiredness on my monopasic scedule< &ut one o: te !irtues o: polypase :or me as de:initely
&een tat it ma8es me pay closer attention. I tin8 it does tis :or a lot o: people< and wile tat9s
awesome on a le!el< it9s also pro&lematic< &ecause witout real scienti:ic study< it9s ard to separate ow
muc o: te &ene:it o: polypasic sleep is te scedule itsel:< and ow muc is paying closer attention to
ow you sleep and ow you :eel=
-n my &log< I tal8 !ery little a&out wic naps I got or missed< and ow I compensated :or tem.
Tis is simply &ecause it gets tiring< constantly saying< /THIS I;0-RMATI-; -;B@ A44BI)S I0
@-%9R) M-R) THA; SIQ M-;THS I;./ ...Most o: my readers aren9t. And e!en i: I issue tat
disclaimer< it ardly e!er wor8s< and I end up getting a &unc o: Huestions :rom people wo want to ma8e
tose 8inds o: modi:ications early on. .I don9t mean to sound ungrate:ul 77 I en?oy te Huestions I get< :or
te most part.1 Almost no&ody wo reads my we&site is a long7term polypasic sleeper .tere are a :ewJ
&ut wat do tey need my ad!ice :or anyway,1< and I :elt tat I was con:using too many o: te readers I
a!e wo are trying to adapt.
*"
0or people wo are adapting .on any le!el1< a screwup is a screwup 77 it will
ma8e tem sleep7depri!ed and delay< or ruin< teir success at li!ing on a polypasic scedule. 0or te
completely adapted< a .minor1 screwup is ?ust a &lip on te radar tat gets :iCed later.
+y,
I9!e posited tat tere9s a point77certainly not &e:ore :our to siC monts77were some Huantum leap
appens and you /&ecome polypasic/ on a &iological le!el. I couldn9t tell you wy tis appens77I didn9t
actually notice it appen77&ut a:ter it appens< it &ecomes as ard to 8ic8 polypase as it was monopase.
I say tat a!ing ne!er tried to get o:: my polypasic scedule< &ut I a!e done enoug tat sould a!e
8noc8ed me o:: it tat I :eel it9s pretty stuc8 on tere= Since Guly 233> wen I started tis scedule< I9!e
&een sic8< twice wit colds and once wit a sinus in:ection< and slept :or most o: one to se!eral days as a
result. I9!e tra!eled se!eral times< and &een una&le to get some or most o: my regular naps :or se!eral days
*3 To &e :air< tis may not &e di::erent at all. Anyone wo9s trained a &a&y to sleep at nigt can tell you tat consistency elps a lot tere< too.
*" 4lus 77 I won9t ide it 77 I hate repeating mysel:. 4et pee!e.
Ubersleep 43
&ecause o: tat. .5ou try sleeping crunced into te :ront seat o: a F+ #ug par8ed at a rest stop=1 I9!e sat
up all nigt wit distraugt :amily7mem&ers and ten crased :or al: te day. All o: tese tings a!e
made me tired .well< not so muc sleeping all day wile sic8 77 I was wasted anyway< ten1. Sometimes
U!eryU tired. Te tiredness comes at naptime and goes away i: L wen I get a :ew normal naps in. +en
I9m !ery tired and I /cras out/< I may sleep as long as siC ours.
*2
#ut wen I wa8e up< I go &ac8 to ta8ing
my naps and my scedule e!ens rigt out. It9s a &it eerie sometimes. J1
Someting else I9!e noticed< o!er te last year speci:ically< is tat I get tired :or my naps regardless o:
wen else I9!e slept. So doing tings li8e staying up late and crasing until 8 a.m. doesn9t stop me :rom
getting yawny at 9< &ecause it9s naptime. Tis 4a!lo!ian sort o: response seems designed to 8eep me on
my scedule< ?ust li8e te automatic response to get tired at nigt 8eeps monopasers on teir scedules.
#ecause o: tis< I :eel sometimes li8e I9m not a good role7model :or people trying to adapt to a
polypasic scedule. I 8now tat tey need to concentrate ra&idly on ma8ing no mistakes :or as long as
umanly possi&leJ and yet i: I ma8e a mista8e< I ?ust srug and 8eep going.
In oter words< adaptation is ardcore. A:ter tat< tings get a &it sHuisier. #ut getting used to
te scedule &rings its own callenges< too...
:etti ng 2ored
#esides te cange in te nature o: screwups< someting else tat tends to appen long7term is tat
&oredom &ecomes a pro&lem. )!eryone I9!e spo8en to wo did long7term polypase tal8ed a&out< at one
point or anoter< a!ing to deal wit &eing up at nigt and &eing &oooorrrred and really wanting to ?ust go
to sleep and :ast7:orward some time.
I9m sure tis doesn9t appen to e!eryone. I &et )instein could a!e stayed awa8e :or days and days
and not gotten &ored< &ut most o: us aren9t luc8y enoug to a!e a &rain tat :ascinating< and :or e!en !ery
industrious :ol8< li!ing on a 23P7our day is li8ely to get wearisome at times. "here's also a
psychological component that shouldn't be ignored( 8our mind can only handle so much
stimulation< and sometimes tat :eeling tat you ?ust don9t wanna do anyting is directly related to te :act
tat< mentally andLor emotionally< you9!e it a limit to te eCperiences you can a&sor& :or a wile. I9m
sure tose limits< too< are di::erent :or e!eryone.
;eedless to say< i: te &oredom is endemic or systemic< ten you9!e got a &igger pro&lem wit
&eing polypasic
*'
77 #ut it :eels sa:e to assume tat< i: you were &ored all te time< you wouldn9t a!e
reaced te point o: total adaptation< wic is wat we9re discussing ere. So we9ll assume :rom ere on
tat you may eCperience &oredom< &ut only occasionally. In wic case< you a!e a :ew options :or ow
to andle it. Some o: tese ideas seem contradictory< &ut tat9s &ecause di::erent tings wor8 :or di::erent
people...start wit an educated guess and i: tat doesn9t wor8< try someting else.
0ollow a scedule. Sometimes you ?ust get sic8 o: thinking of the ne+t thing to do 7 I 8now I do. #uilding
a scedule< eiter :or your entire day or ?ust :or te times you tend to get &ored< can &e an easy way out
in tat case.
4ic8 a /de:ault acti!ity/. Tis is a great< i: somewat o&!ious< idea i: you9re te type wo lo!es to do a
certain ting< or is in te middle o: a &ig pro?ect$ Ma8e yoursel: de!ote any time tat isn9t already
de!oted to someting else< to tat ting. @ou9ll get more done< and i: you get sic8 o: it :or a wile< it9ll
&e incenti!e not to let yoursel: get &ored. A win7win situation< really.
*2 %nless I9m really ill< in wic case all &ets are o::.
*' -ne wic is &est sol!ed &y a!ing a #ig 0at Bist o: tings to do andLor a tigt scedule to 8eep you mo!ing< as discussed earlier.
44 Ubersleep
+ip out te ic8y stu::. Ma8e a list o: use:ul tings you ate doing$ laundry< &ills< some irritating
personal care reHuirement< or wate!er. Ba&el it /#ored Bist/ or someting more creati!e i: you li8e<
and do someting o:: it wene!er you get &ored. I: you9re te rigt 8ind o: personality< ten a!ing
te list out tere< looming wit its Ic8< will 8eep you :rom letting yoursel: get &ored. And i: you do get
&ored< well< at least someting use:ul gets done. I: you9re not te rigt 8ind o: personality< toug< te
presence o: tis list can lead you to doing not7good tings< or o!ersleeping< in order to a!oid a!ing to
pull out te list. .Te list< in tis case< is similar to my mom< wo would gi!e you cores i: you
complained o: &oredom. I: moms li8e mine could moti!ate you< tis pro&a&ly will too.1
(o low78ey once in a wile. I: your pro&lem is mental or emotional eCaustion
*A
< you may :ind
yoursel: getting /&ored/< or entering a state were noting you could do sounds palata&le< e!en i: you
a!e lots o: options and willpower. Sometimes te &est ting is to stop trying to accomplis
someting< and put yoursel: in stand&y :or a wile. I li8e to read< wit no music or computer or oter
electronic noise anywere near me. -ter people are appy watcing a :is7tan8< or wal8ing aimlessly<
or watcing a mo!ie. 4eople need tose tings occasionally< and a lot o: polypasers get so in!ol!ed in
&eing yper7e::icient wit teir time tat tey :orget to ?ust cill once in a wile. Ma8e sure you don9t
waste too muc time< toug$ set a timer or alarm< so your cill7out period is wat you need and not
too muc more.
(o aead and sleep
**
. -&!iously< be e+tremely careful wit tis one< since you ris8 doing damage to tat
scedule you wor8ed so ard on< and ending up wit a &unc o: tiredness to deal wit later=
Remem&er tat on a polypasic scedule< more sleep isn't necessarily more refreshing< so try to get
away :rom tin8ing tat /eCtra/ sleep will someow ma8e you :eel &etter later
*>
. %nless you9re !ery
care:ul< and possi&ly e!en i: you are< eCtra sleep will actually ma8e you :eel more tired later< or at least
you9ll a!e some trou&le wa8ing up at some point. Howe!er< i: you 8now your scedule and yoursel:
well< you9!e pro&a&ly :igured out some place were you can :it some eCtra Vs i: you want to< and not
su::er :or it. )!en %&erman scedules seem to a!e tose places< once tey9re done long enoug. I
suggest ma8ing a list o: wen it is and isn9t accepta&le to get any eCtra sleep .include times o: day<
durations< and tings you want to de:initely a!e accomplised :irst 77 you9ll &e soc8ed ow muc
time you lose to sleep< i: you9re used to polypasic naps1< so tat you9re not ma8ing te decision wen
you9re &ored and UwantU to sleep. Also< ma8e sure you don9t use tis option too o:ten 7 once a wee8
sould &e te maCimum< really. /Boosening up/ your scedule too muc can lead to an erratic
scedule and systemic tiredness 77 it9s less o: a danger :or adapted polypasers< &ut you can9t ?ust gi!e
up on your scedule and do wate!er eiter.
Schedul i ng and 9eal "i fe
A< real li:e...it could almost &e de:ined as /te stu:: tat gets in te way o: plans/< couldn9t it,
Bong7term polypasers are uniHue critters simply &ecause tey9re rare enoug tat tey9re ard to group
up .plus< tat wole lac8 o: :ormal studies ting1 77 &ut tey seem to run te gamut &etween care:ully
sceduling all teir time< and sceduling little more tan teir naps. I9m pro&a&ly a 7 out o: "3 on te
sceduling scale 77 I a!e a proposed scedule :or eac day< tat I modi:y as needed on an ongoing &asis.
#ut it doesn9t matter ow precise you are wit your scedule< &ecause noting can stop Real Bi:e :rom
trowing its mon8eywrences in. Te Huestion is< wen it does< ow does a polypaser andle tem,
'ickness
Almost e!eryone gets sic8 sometimes. I: you get sic8 terri&ly o:ten or &adly< you pro&a&ly don9t
want to mess wit polypasic sleep anywayJ &ut i: you9re a normal< ealty person< you pro&a&ly still deal
*A A good way to determine tis is to loo8 at wat you9!e &een doing all day 77 I: it9s !ery &rain7intensi!e< or di::icult emotionally .i.e. i: you9re a pro:essor or a
terapist< etc.1 ten it9s li8ely tat tat part o: you is tiring out< e!en toug your &ody isn9t. @ou see tis a lot in students< e!en monopasic ones< wo are
wor8ing a really intensi!e program$ A:ter doing it most o: te day< tey tend to sut down< and eiter stare at walls or get drun8.
** My gods< did I ?ust say tat,, J1
*> Te o&!ious eCception &eing i: you9re sic8< in wic case you 6- need eCtra sleep. See neCt section :or more on tat.
Ubersleep 45
wit colds or allergies or wat a!e you. .Toug I9m not saying tey9re ine!ita&le...I tin8 many regular
illnesses are caused &y li:estyle. I9m currently at war against colds 77 and I a!en9t ad one :or almost a
year= My we&site as more on natural cold remedies and pre!entions< i: tat9s someting tat interests
you.1 And tere are tings li8e te :lu< :ood poisoning< and oter contagions tat sometimes you ?ust get
stuc8 wit.
'ickness is the one instance where I've never advocated trying to keep to one's schedule 77
&e it polypasic or monopasic or wate!er 77 and I9!e ne!er tried to mysel:< eiter. Sic8ness is not
someting to mess around wit< and it9s well78nown scienti:ically tat sleep pro!ides some o: te &est
cance :or your &ody to eal. It lets you sut down all non7essential :unctions and re7route te engines to
li:e support< i: you will. J1 And it9s +A@ ealtier tan ta8ing drugs= So wate!er your normal sleep
scedule< i: you9!e contracted some illness< :orget a&out it 77 sleep as o:ten as you want and as long as your
&ody will. 0eel no same a&out staying in &ed all day i: tat9s wat :eels rigt. I9m all a&out e::iciency<
rigt< &ut missing one day o: wor8 to sleep o:: an illness is way more e::icient tan missing :our days
&ecause you wore yoursel: down to a stu&.
Many people worry a&out getting teir polypasic scedule &ac8 a:ter a period o: illness< especially
since societies tend to &e monopasic< so it9s naturally easier to :all &ac8 into a monopasic rater tan a
polypasic scedule. I a!e one ting I9!e always done to elp 8eep my polypasic scedule< and wit
tat< I9!e ne!er ad more tan one nigt9s tiredness wile trying to /re7ad?ust/ a:ter I was well. Tat one
ting is to take naps on time< always. I: I sleep :rom midnigt to 8 a.m. wile sic8< and wa8e up :eeling
energetic< I9ll get up and then go back to bed an hour later for my 6 a%m% nap. I migt not &e a&le to sleep< &ut I
lay down anyway< and set my alarm< and get up wen it goes o::. Any time I9m awa8e wile it9s /naptime/<
I lay down :or my 23 minutes.
-ne ting tat9s di::erent wen you9re sic8< or getting sic8< is tat you pro&a&ly $ill crasJ rater
tan sleeping tree or :our ours< you pro&a&ly will sleep se!en or eigt.
I e!en tin8 it ma8es sense to sleep eCtra i: you tin8 you might &e getting sic8< pro!ided you can
tell. Some people don9t notice illness until tere are actual symptoms o: it 77 i: tat9s true :or you< ten you
a!e no way to &ene:it :rom a ?udicious long7nap7to7ead7o::7illness. In wic case< don9t try it< since
you9ll pro&a&ly only :udge up your scedule. 4ersonally toug< I can :eel wen my immune system is
strained or engaged in a eated &attle. I usually get :lused in te :ace< my ?oints &ecome sore< eyes are dry<
and I o:ten get !ertigo. Tis appens wen I wor8 waaaay longer tan normal< wen I9m around people
wo are sic8< or wen I9!e &een troug someting especially emotionally taCing. I: I 8eep plowing
troug tat :eeling< I9m !ery li8ely to get ill. #%T i: I ta8e an eCtra nap or two< or a long core< I can
almost always return tings to normal.
Sleep is an ama7ingly e::ecti!e remedy$ I9!e :ound tat i: I can stay mostly in &ed :or one or two
days< I can /8ic8/ almost any illness I9!e got< usually wit no more medication tan lots o: water and er&al
tea. #ut tis seems to wor8 e!en &etter on a polypasic scedule= !ne ama7ing thing that seems to be
true about polyphasic sleep is that 9*'' '9**P &!*' )!$* to restore your body and mind to
a healthy state. -n a monopasic scedule ours :or
an e::ecti!e immune7system &oost< and almost ne!er more tan 8 ours consecuti!ely< no matter ow sic8
I am. 0our ours9 sleep :eels li8e a :ull nigt to meJ siC ours :eels li8e sleeping way inJ and eigt :eels li8e
i&ernating=
*7
@our results may !ary o: course< &ut it ma8es sense to me tat once you get used to sleeping
only as muc as you need< usually .i.e. on a !ery e::icient scedule li8e a polypasic one1< ten sleeping a
little eCtra goes a long way.
*7 )igt also as a detriment$ I: I sleep tis long< my &ac8 will &e really sore wen I wa8e up. Ic8=
46 Ubersleep
Te general rule tat I espouse :or periods o: illness and near7illness is tis$ @our &ody needs sleep
to eal. (i!e it= Keep ta8ing your naps to stay in te a&it< and worry a&out re7ad?usting to less sleep a:ter
you9re ealty. Re7ad?usting usually is painless i: you9re already adaptedJ one day o: eCtra sleep to com&at
illness does noting to meJ more tan one day< and I9ll &e tired :or a nigt< two at maCimum. #ut it9s
noting an interesting pone con!ersation or a good mo!ie can9t com&at.
If you're ad0usting, though, sickness will throw you off completely. Rater tan sleep :or one
or two days and ten try to ?ump rigt &ac8 into your ad?ustment< I suggest ta8ing a &rea8 :or at least a
wee8. Tere are two reasons :or tis$ -ne< you want to ma8e sure you9re completely ealty &e:ore you try
again. And two< i: you slept a wole day during your adaptation< your adaptation is pretty muc o!er< so
you need to re7sta&iliKe your sleep &e:ore trying again.
"ravel
It can &e !ery ard to nap wile tra!eling. I9m not a !ery :reHuent tra!eler< nor a !ery eCperienced
oneJ peraps someone more accustomed to te routine could :ind more ways to nap. #ut :or me< te
com&ination o: strange places< di::erent :ood< new tings to do< stress< ?et7lag< and te necessary nap7
si:ting tat airports and acti!ities can cause< trows me rigt o::. I try to nap wile I9m tra!eling< &ut
mostly I ?ust tan8 goodness tat I don9t tra!el more o:ten< and prepare to a!e to re7ad?ust wen I return.
Re7ad?usting gets easier te longer I9m on tis scedule< too. .I sould note tat< toug my scedule
almost always gets mangled wen I tra!el< I don't =go back to being monophasic=. In :act< in all tis
time I9!e ne*er gone &ac8 to &eing monopasic 77 I may inad!ertently miss some naps< and as a result sleep
eCtra wen I do sleep< &ut I9m always< always care:ul to ta8e my naps wene!er I possi&ly can< and as a
result< te worst I9!e e!er gotten :rom tra!el is tired. Rater tan sleeping all nigt and &eing awa8e all day<
I tend to sleep longer wen I do sleep< to compensate :or te naps I miss. My scedule gets erratic< and I
get tired< &ut I don9t end up monopasic. 4eraps I would< i: I will:ully s8ipped my daytime naps wile
o!ersleeping at nigt< &ut I9!e always &een care:ul not to do tat. I wor8ed ard to get ere= I: I lost my
polypasic scedule now< I9d &e pretty de!astated.1
-n te upside< it seems tat te esteemed #uc8minster 0uller $as pretty good at napping wile
tra!eling
*8
< and tere are more and more nap7:riendly destinations in te world tese days. In many
industrialiKed< tecnology7:riendly countries li8e Gapan< napping is &ecoming more and more mainstream<
and a place to cras :or 23 minutes is getting easier to :ind.
*mergencies
Bi:e is ne!er witout emergencies :or !ery long.
*9
Howe!er< &eing polypasic can come in !ery
andy in te occasional emergencyJ or at least< it can &e as use:ul as it is annoying. ;eeding to sleep e!ery
couple ours can &e irritating i: tere9s ea!y stu:: going onJ on te oter and< &eing a&le to stay awa8e
almost all te time can &e a li:esa!er. Sometimes< emergencies completely wac8 your scedule< &y ma8ing
it impossi&le to get naps< or impossi&le to sleep due to stress. -ter times< tey turn out to &e per:ect
times to &e polypasic...
*mergency ,berman
I: you can sa:ely and regularly get your daytime naps< ten transitioning into %&erman .:rom any
!ariety o: )!eryman1 is possi&le< and can &e a wonder:ul tool. ;oting &eats tose 237minute naps :or
elping you sit up all nigt wit a sic8 8id.
*8 At least< e tra!eled a good amount and was polypasic :or two years< so one assumes e was. Also< tere is a &rie: anecdote a&out im &eing a&le to pass
out on a plane :or '3 minutes and wa8e up re:resed.
*9 Some li!es more tan oters 77 i: yours is ri:e wit emergencies< ten a strict sleeping7scedule may not &e :or you=
Ubersleep 47
I9!e :ound tat doing %&erman :or one or two days .I9!e ne!er ad to do it longer< eCcept wen it
was my regular scedule1 is pretty easy under emergency conditions .te stress ma8es it pretty easy to stay
awa8e1< and it lets me e::ecti!ely /not sleep/ :or as long as I a!e to< witout penalty. Tere9s no cras
a:terwards< eiter< unless it9s emotional. .ee8.1 Simply s8ip your core.s1 and ta8e 237minute naps e!ery
:our ours< wit as little !ariation as you can manage. I: you9re already on %&erman< o&!iously you9ll want
to get your naps i: at all possi&le< since tey mean te di::erence &etween &eing alert and :ine .no matter
ow long you go witout a nigt9s sleep=1 and &eing a &it o: a Kom&ie. I: you9!e adapted to %&erman<
toug< you9re pro&a&ly used to telling te world to scram :or a :ew minutes wile you nap 77 you ?ust may
a!e to say it more :orce:ully i: te crap is itting te :an in some way.
4ro&a&ly te &est ting to say a&out emergencies is to remem&er tat one o: te undisputed<
:reHuent uses o: polypasic sleep is &y te military< in situations were soldiers are stuc8 &eind enemy
lines :or long periods o: time and can9t a::ord to sleep :or ours. 6on9t :eel guilty a&out drawing a parallel
&etween tat and doing time in te ospital waiting7room$ Some may stare< &ut most people would &e
impressed wit your :ortitude i: tey 8new you were napping so tat you could stay awa8e near7
continuously :or days .e!en monts=1 on end i: you ad to.
I: you li8e to /&e prepared/< ten don9t :orget to include a timer .and eye7mas8< i: you use one1 in
your emergency 8it= .I 8eep some in my car.1
'umming ,p( $e-/d0usting
I: you were :ully adapted and you 8ept ta8ing your naps wene!er possi&le< re-ad0usting a:ter an
illness< !acation< emergency< or similar /real li:e intrusion/ is actually< in my eCperience< !ery easy.
>3
Simply
pic8 your old scedule .sleep7scedule and daily scedule< i: you a!e one1 &ac8 up as soon as you can. I:
you9re worried a&out tiredness< ma8e anoter #ig 0at Bist o: tings to 8eep yoursel: occupied wit.
%sually in "7' days< you9re rigt &ac8 to &eing :ully adapted< and te transition is ne!er as &ad as it was
wen you :irst adapted 77 or asn9t &een :or me< anyway< and I9!e lost trac8 o: ow many times I9!e
read?usted due to tra!el< emergency< or oter S;A0%. Te only time you need to a!oid tose tings is
during adaptationJ te rest o: te time< it9s ?ust a matter o: con!enience.
Paradoxically, polyphasic sleep seems to me to be more flexible than monophasic when it
comes to these types of things. A monopasic person can miss a wole nigt9s sleep< or get &ro8en
sleep< and :eel li8e poop< &ut &e :unctional 77 once. I: tey a!e to do it :or anoter day< or more< tings
deteriorate rapidly. -n te oter and< &ro8en sleep :or me is no &ig deal$ I: I can :it a nap in at all< I will
reco!er signi:icantlyJ two naps at a proper inter!al and I can erase a wole day9s sleep de&t< usually. I: I
miss sleep< all I a!e to do is catc an eCtra nap< or an our and a al: core< to really reco!er &ac8 to almost
rigt were I was. /nd I can maintain tat :or days< e!en wee8s< witout su::ering too &adly in terms o:
per:ormance or ealt. So wile my scedule is argua&ly easier to mess up tan a monopasers .&ut is it,
tey a!e to &e asleep all nigt in order to &e rested...1< it9s also a lot easier to :iC< and it9s more resilient to
tings &eing wac8ed7out :or sort periods o: time< and it reHuires less sleep o!erall to reco!er :rom a
period o: o::78ilter or missed sleep.
6ati ng* 6#erci se J Substances
I get a lot o: Huestions a&out diet and eCercise< and I wis I 8new te answers to more o: tem< or
tat I could pro!ide more :oundation :or te answers I do 8now tan< /Tis is wat appened to me</ or
>3 It may &e sligtly more callenging i: you9re on te %&erman sceduleJ and :or any scedule< it gets more callenging te longer you were /o::/. And it9s
signi:icantly arder i: you stopped napping during te day entirely. #ut e!en i: you a!e to :ully re7adapt< it9s going to &e easier tan it was te :irst time. I:
you were :ully ad?usted< ten tree days o: sleeping per:ectly on your scedule sould get you rigt &ac8 to were you were.
48 Ubersleep
/Tis is wat oters a!e told me./ .To &e :air< I can also use /My mom is a nurse/ and /I ma8e er&al
medicines in my 8itcen sometimes/< &ut no&ody seems really impressed &y tose eiter. J1 #ut tis is
wat I 8now< and wat I9!e learned< tat could &e use:ul$
+an I eat anything I want, when I want4 It9s noting new tat eating a::ects your sleep< &ut as
wit most tings< te sleep7conseHuences are more noticea&le on a polypasic scedule. @ou
souldn9t eat too close &e:ore a nap< it9s pretty uni!ersally agreed7upon< &ecause you9ll sleep eiter
too ard or not well< depending on your &ody9s digestion process. @ou sould &e care:ul wit
stimulants li8e ca::eine and sugar< and use tem sparingly and wit an eye to your sleep7times< i: at
all. ...-ter tan tose tings< I9m not aware o: any restrictions &eing polypasic imposes.
+an I be vegan - vegetarian - macrobiotic - etc4 As :ar as I 8now< yes. Some success:ul
polypasers a!e &een !egetarians< e!en !egans. Te only restriction seems to &e tat you can9t
&e adapting to a new diet and a new sleep scedule at te same time 77 tat9s a common ;ew7
@ears7Resolution7y ting tat people seem to want to try< &ut it ?ust ne!er wor8s. I tin8 may&e
people only a!e so muc willpower< and eac o: tose endea!ors pro&a&ly uses it all= ...I sould
also add< toug< tat tere9s no e!idence tat &eing !egetarian L !egan L etc. gi!es you an
ad!antage in polypasic sleeping. Some people claim tat eating meat .or wate!er1 ma8es one9s
digestion sluggis or someting< ma8ing polypasic sleep di::icult< &ut as te ma?ority o:
success:ul polypasers are still omni!ores< I ?ust don9t tin8 tat can &e true.
+an I drink pop - coffee - corn syrup - insert unhealthy thing here4 In moderation< it
seems so. I drin8 co::ee< &ut only a&out 2 cups a day< usually o: al:7ca::< and te rest
deca::einatedJ and I always a!e it pretty close to wen I wa8e up :rom a nap. .I ?ust li8e te
:eeling o: wa8ing up and drin8ing co::ee< I suppose.1 Too muc sugar will mess me up< &y
ma8ing it di::icult to :all asleep and ten e!en more di::icult to wa8e upJ tis was true &e:ore I
was polypasic as well. @ou may want to seriously consider opting :or low7ca::eine and low7 or
no7sugar !arieties o: wate!er your poison is< &ut you already 8new you sould do tat anyway<
rigt, Rigt.
5hat about huge meals, like at holidays4 @ea< tat9s a tric8y part :or me 77 eating too muc
ma8es me groggy as ec8< and it9s !ery ard to wa8e up :rom wate!er te neCt nap is. I: you9re
well7ad?usted< you may coose to sacri:ice your e::iciency today in :a!or o: :our slices o: Aunt
May9s :amous pie< and you9ll pro&a&ly reco!er ?ust :ine later on .as long as you stic8 to your
scedule a:terwards 77 don9t let one goo:ed7up nap cascade into many1. I: you9re ad?usting<
toug< you may want to go ligtly< since a &ig meal will really slow you down.
I am a cra7y good athlete. 'hould I be polyphasic4 )r< I get my eCercise and I li8e my
martial arts< &ut I9m nowere near /atlete/ status< and I don9t tin8 I 8now any polypasers wo
are< eiter. I: you9re a pro:essional or semi7pro:essional atlete and you want to cange your sleep
scedule< tere9s pro&a&ly a coac or doctor out tere wom you sould as8 a&out it :irst< or wo
sould at least monitor your per:ormance to ma8e sure it comes &ac8 to :ull a:ter your adaptation.
.And i: you do tis< please let me 8now< ?ust to satis:y my curiosity=1
I have a pretty hard exercise regimen. +an it be compatible with polyphasic sleep4 -8ay<
my eCercise regimen isn9t wat I9d call /ard/ eiter< &ut in tis case I ha*e spo8en to people wo
Huali:y< and it seems tat te answer is /yes< wit some eCtra attention to te details/. @ou
souldn9t wor8 out !ery ard rigt &e:ore a nap< or you9ll cras and want to o!ersleep 77 ma8e
sure you a!e at least al: an our to cool down :irst. And you may a!e pro&lems i: your
regimen includes cun8s o: acti!ity tat are so long tey can9t elp &ut run into a nap 77 i: you run
ours7long maratons< :or instance. @ou9ll want to &e care:ul a&out wor8ing out wile adapting<
toug tere9s no reason I 8now o: tat you souldn9t do it< unless you migt urt yoursel: wit a
lac8 o: coordination or concentration .may&e you could arrange to &e super!ised during tis
time1. Bastly< it seems tat any ad!anced wor8out regimen wor8s &est wen done on a regular
Ubersleep 49
scedule< so in ligt o: tat< it seems li8e it wouldn9t &e too ard to &ecome adapted to a
com&ination o: polypasic sleep and eCercise tat could &e done as a regular routine.
I regularly ingest some substance that affects me physicallyB can I keep it up4 ...-8ay< I9m
using tis space to simultaneously answer Huestions a&out prescriptions< er&al supplements<
recreational su&stances< and wat a!e you< &ecause< lac8ing researc on any o: te speci:ics< te
answers are te same$ It9s pro&a&ly easier and &etter i: you don9t< &ut i: you a!e to< &e minimal
and watc care:ully :or e::ects on your sleepJ and i: you9re serious a&out adopting polypasic
sleep< &e prepared to a!e to ma8e some canges. Some tings are o&!iously more li8ely to &e
pro&lematic tan oters I I: you ta8e tranHuiliKers or are :ond o: cocaine< you9re going to a!e
more trou&le
>"
tan a weigtli:ter wo ta8es creatine or a woman using &lac8 coos :or
menopause symptoms. A good rule o: tum& is< D6oes it a::ect your sleep now,E I: so< te
e::ects will &e multiplied on polypasic sleep< and tat may preclude your &eing a&le to ad?ust or
maintain te scedule. I: it doesn9t usually a::ect your sleep< toug< it still migt wen you
&ecome polypasicJ owe!er< te e::ects are more li8ely to &e mild.
The LCrash TheoryM
)!ery once in a wile< someone as8s me i: polypasic sleep sould include a Dcras dayE< usually
interpreted to mean a day o: .sometimes :orced1 long sleep I "2 or e!en 2A ours. I &elie!e tis idea
originates wit one o: te :amous American scientists< wo was reported to almost ne!er sleep< &ut ten
would cras out :or almost a :ull day once a wee8 or mont or someting. .+en it comes to pre7
recording7de!ice istorical :igures< sleep data is almost always speculation< and usually !aries &y source<
I9!e :ound.1
Source notwitstanding< I a!e no reason to &elie!e tat tis is eiter wise or possi&le. 0or one
ting< a well7adapted polypaser can#t cras in te way tat9s descri&ed I to sleep tat muc would reHuire
a!ing &uilt up a signi:icant sleep de&t< and i: you9!e done tat< ten you9re not ad?usted.
Actually< ere9s an interesting :act :or you$ It seems that polyphasers, when they Csleep inD,
can only sleep about EFAG longer than the usual daily amount of sleep. I ma8e tis conclusion
&ased on two :acts$ +en I was on %&erman< during te !ery rare occasion tat I slept in< I would
naturally sleep tree ours. I9!e eard tis :rom oter %&ersleepers as well. And now tat I9m on
)!eryman< getting a total o: :our ours9 sleep per day< i: I decide to sleep until I can9t any more< I typically
sleep almost eCactly siC ours. .Sometimes a little less< !ery occasionally a little more i: I9!e recently
missed a nap or two.1 -: course< i: one were to keep sleeping in< especially in con?unction wit s8ipping
naps< tat num&er would increase I &ut as :ar as one7day sleep:ests go< te "*3R ratio seems to old in
general.
>2
Also< te concept o: a D5ras 6ayE seems to &e &ased on te reasoning tat polypasers are
missing someting tat< i: tey let temsel!es sleep at will< teir &odies would Dma8e upE. Again< tis
simply isn9t true< &ased on e!eryting I 8now. Te &est teories I9!e eard a&out detriments associated
wit polypasic sleep a!e :ocused on missing out on tings tat are incidental to sleep$ Baying down< or
dar8ness< or a ceasing o: mental acti!ity I &ut I can9t see te mindL&ody sleeping :or al: a day to ma8e
tose up. .I a!e :ound tat I :eel &etter< as a long7term polypaser< i: I wear a sleep mas8 during my
naps .so tat I get some dar8ness1< i: I prop my :eet up and ang out on te couc :or an our or so at
nigt .:eels good to DlayE down :or a wile1< and i: I meditate to drown out te constant &rain7noise .&ut
tis was always true< weter I was polypasic or not1. #ut I tin8 in te last year and a al:< I9!e only
>" )Ctreme eCamples< o: course 77 at least in te case o: te Ua&useU o: eiter o: tose su&stances< tere9d &e no way in Sout 5le!eland tat you could e!er
adapt. #ut you 8new tat.
>2 6oes it also old :or monopasers, I: so< it could eCplain wy people wo typically sleep 8 ours can o!ersleep to "2...
50 Ubersleep
slept :or longer tan siC ours wen I was ill< and I tin8 I slept "2 ours once wen I was really ill wit a
sinus in:ection last year.1
In sort< i: you9re on your scedule< stic8 wit it I tat seems to &e te &est way to ensure tat
you get enoug rest and sleep :rom it. And i: you can cras :or "2P ours< you9re more tan li8ely doing
someting wrong=
Physi cal 6ffects
Te Huestion< /Are tere pysical e::ects to long7term polypasic sleep< and wat are tey,/ is a
screecingly di::icult one to answer rigt now. To 8now i: tere are side7e::ects tat may present
temsel!es to a signi:icant portion o: te population reHuires researc. Howe!er< I can spea8 a&out it in
generalities &ased on wat I 8now< and I can spea8 to my own eCperience. Hope:ully tere will &e more
and &etter in:ormation soon.
Te pysical e::ects o: te ad?ustment period are :airly well78nown .see te capter on
Ad?ustment1. And it9s :airly certain &y tis point tat tere are no< or at least no common< nasty e::ects to
li!ing on a polypasic scedule long7term. #uc8minster 0uller did is 6ymaCion scedule :or two years
wile under medical super!ision< and was :ound to a!e no pro&lems. I9!e gotten regular cec8ups o!er
te course o: my eCperiment and I< too< seem to &e :ine. ;eiter I nor te oters I9!e spo8en wit wo9!e
li!ed on %&erman :or > monts or more noticed any negati!e e::ects tat seem to &e a result o: te sleep
scedule itsel:.
As :ar as /e::ects< period/< tese seem to !ary &y person< &ut te ones I ear a&out a lot are almost
certainly tied to li:estyle. A lot o: us wo sleep polypasically spend a large cun8 o: our time on te
computer< so dry eyes and sti:: nec8s are a common gripe. .Mine go away i: I don9t o!erdo it.1 Te only
oter e::ect I9!e eard a&out :rom more tan one person is a cange in &ody weigt$
5eight Hain and 9oss
Reports o: weigt loss or gain aren9t uncommon 77 I9!e actually eCperienced &ot. -n %&erman< I
was up and running a good cun8 o: te time I was awa8e< and o:ten didn9t eat until I was really< really
ungry 77 I9d ?ust get too &usy< especially to stop &y te ca:eteria. #y te end o: te eCperiment I was
a!ing to ma8e a point o: eating at least two large meals a day to stop te weigt loss. .It wasn9t
dangerous< &ut you could see some ri&s :or a wile.1 Two large or :i!e small meals would 8eep me at te
rigt le!el. 5on!ersely< wen I adapted to )!eryman< in te com:ort o: a well7stoc8ed ome< I gained a
:ew pounds and :irst and ad to put limits on my snac8ing. )ating does wa8e you up somewat< &ut
o&!iously it isn9t wise to :all &ac8 on tat too o:ten=
-!erall< people9s eating a&its generally cange on a polypasic scedule< &ut not o!ermuc. #eing
awa8e more o:ten< you need to eat a &it more< or at least a &it more o:ten< lest you do tings li8e eat
&rea8:ast at A a.m. and ten not get anyting else until lunc at " p.m.
>'
I pre:er small< :reHuent meals
anyway< so I ?ust try to eat ealty and 8eep my portions small< and eat wene!er I :eel li8e. Te tric8iest
part is adaptation$ @ou don9t want to depri!e yoursel:< or ma8e any ma?or canges in diet< wile you9re
adaptingJ &ut you don9t want to pig out andLor de!elop &ad a&its< eiter.
>' Totally tangential point$ I9!e also ad tis pro&lem wit &rusing my teet< &elie!e it or not. I: you9re used to doing tis tas8 /&e:ore &ed/ and /upon
wa8ing/< you migt end up doing it at< say< " a.m. and A a.m.< and ten not &rusing all day until " a.m. again= 0or my part< I ad to get used to &rusing my
teet at wor8< a&out A p.m..
Ubersleep 51
Tere is an o&!ious possi&le secondary use o: polypasic sleep ere< too< wic asn9t &een
eCplored$ I: you want to lose a little weigt< you could adapt to a polypasic scedule wile ma8ing an
e::ort to 8eep your eating a&its< or at least your caloric inta8e< eCactly te same. .I9m not sure i: tat
would &e particularly easy< mind.1 Teoretically at least< you sould &urn more energy wile consuming
te same calories and tus lose weigt. I a!e no idea i: anyone9s e!er tried it< toug. I would urge some
caution trying it wit %&erman< since te weigt loss seems to &e at least potentially more dramatic< and
wit more ris8 tat it could &e unealty.
'leep &isorders, +essation !f
+ill polypasic sleep cure your sleep disorders, +ell...to say tat it does is a &ig claim to ma8e<
and I9m certainly not ma8ing it categorically< nor denying tat it would need a lot more researc to &e
actually su&stantiated. #ut I9ll say tat it can%
As wit te rest o: tis &oo8< I9m ?ust telling wat I 8now. Te :act is tat I 8now tat polypasic
sleep .done properly1 can a!e a positi!e< or e!en miraculous7seeming< e::ect on common sleep disorders.
Tis may &e &ecause a large part o: many sleep7disorders as to do wit &ad sleep a&its< :ailed sleep
rytms< and general di::iculties getting attuned to one9s sleep cycle .or a!ing one tat isn9t wac8y1.
4olypasic sleep as< I tin8< te e::ect o: erasing te entire wite&oard o: your sleep7cycles and rewriting
it :rom scratc< in a strict and tere:ore sta&le way.
In mysel:< tis DcuredE te insomnia I9d &een struggling wit :or monts wen I :irst tried it< as
well as eliminating te nigtly &ad dreams< :reHuent nigt terrors< and &outs o: sleepwal8ing L sleep7
trasing7my7room I9d &een eCperiencing. And wen I say DcuredE< I mean tat te !ery day I started
actually &eing a&le to :all asleep :or my naps and wa8e up :rom tem witout &eing a Kom&ie I pro&a&ly
&y te end o: te :irst wee8 I all o: my sleep pro&lems were gone%
89
As I said< I don9t :ind tis Huite as
surprising now as I did wen it appened .soc8ed me to my toes ten1< &ut wat I still do :ind surprising
is tat< eCcept :or te occasional minor instance< none o: tose sleep issues I some o: wic I9d ad :or
many years I came &ac8 at all, not e!en during te periods wen I went &ac8 to monopasic sleeping.
Anoter /cure/ I eCperienced tat was related to sleep .toug I wouldn9t call wat was cured a
/disorder/1< was a cessation o: te se!ere musculos8eletal pain tat I9d &een su::ering. Tis pain was
pro&a&ly related to my not sleeping well .as well as to ea!y computer use1< &ut &e:ore I :irst tried
%&erman< it was common :or me to wa8e up e!ery single morning wit sarp pains in some area o: my
nec8 and soulders< restricted motion< and general agony. I ate a lot o: I&upro:en< and dealt wit it. #ut
sleeping in sort naps< witout all te tossing and turning and ending up in weird positions< wor8ed
wonders :or tat. %nli8e my /real/ sleep disorders< owe!er< te soreness did come &ac8 wen I returned
to monopasic sleep. It went away again wen I success:ully adapted to )!eryman. At least :or me<
tere seems to &e a ciropractic &ene:it to not sleeping too long in one sot.
Regarding actual sleep disorders at least< I9!e seen and spo8en to oter people wose :reHuent
nigtmares< morning eCaustion< sleep mo!ement and oter pro&lems disappeared wen tey adapted to
a polypasic scedule. .I9!e ne!er spo8en to someone wo ad apnea and tried polypasic sleep<
un:ortunately.1 And it would certainly seem tat polypasic sleep< i: oter :actors don9t contraindicate it<
is a pretty sa:e ting to try< i: you a!e one or more sleep disorders. 4ersonally< I9m in :a!or o: trying any
8ind o: li:estyle cange tat migt wor8 to cure a pro&lem< &e:ore resorting to drugs. Te only caution
I9ll o::er
>*
is tat< wile properly adapting appears to sometimes a!e tese wonder:ul e::ects<
>A Actually< all my sleep pro&lems were gone :rom te !ery :irst day< tecnically spea8ing. I was sleep7depri!ed :or a wee8< &ut since I wasn9t sleeping during
tat time* ...again...
52 Ubersleep
DeCperimentingE witout te necessary strictness .:ailing to adapt1 can ma8e many sleep pro&lems e!en
worse< &y trowing o:: wat scedule and good a&its you did a!e. So i: you a!e one or more sleep
disorders and are interested in trying polypasic sleep to alle!iate tem< &e responsi&le and &e sure you
plan your adaptation care:ully.
&reaming
Tis one &elongs on te cusp o: pysical and psycological canges< doesn9t it, Muc o: wat
appens regarding dreams is indi!idual< &ut tere are a :ew tings you can count on$ 0or eCample< you
will stop dreaming during te &eginning o: te adaptation process. Tis is pro&a&ly a pysical e::ect o:
sleep7dep< and te :act tat wen you are managing to sleep< you9re :alling straigt into a !ery deep sleep I
tis will last until your &ody gets accustomed to te naps. Most polypasers consider /dreaming again/ to
&e a good sign tat teir adaptation is progressing.
Also< almost e!eryone I9!e e!er tal8ed to notices an increase in te !i!idness o: teir dreams<
wen tey :irst &egin a!ing tem again. I was no eCception. I9m una&le to determine weter tis
!i!idness is caused &y te strictness o: te scedule< te eCactness o: te amount o: sleep ad< or
someting else< &ut I am :airly certain tat it isn9t caused .only1 &y sleep depri!ation. Te reason :or tat
conclusion is tat< now tat I9m adapted< i: I miss naps or end up !ery tired< I sleep !ery ea!ily and
generally don9t remem&er my dreamsJ tey return to &eing clearer and more memora&le wen my
scedule is on7trac8. .It migt &e accurate to say tat sleep7depri!ation is te cause o: !i!id dreams
during te adaptation pase< owe!er.1 Te !i!idness tends to decrease a little a:ter one as &een
polypasic a wile< &ut ow muc is up :or de&ate. I still a!e se!eral dreams tat I can remem&er e!ery
day< and wile it seems to me tat I can remem&er tem clearly< it9s ard to say ow clearly you
remem&ered your dreams two years ago .can you answer tat Huestion,1< so as to weter tey9re still as
!i!id as tey were< I9m a:raid I don9t 8now.
6reams can seem...omnipresent< too< :or te :irst :ew monts o: &eing polypasic. 4art o: te
transition into a polypasic li:estyle is getting used to sleeping many times a day< and tat means getting
used to dreaming many times a day. Tis can &e !ery weird at :irst< since your dreams o:ten don9t seem any
sorter wen tey come during naps .in :act< many o: mine :elt longer1.
>>
It may also &e easier to
remem&er your dreams< &ecause you wa8e up so soon a:ter going to sleep. I9!e gotten used to a!ing
.remem&ering1 &etween 27A dreams a day< and tis doesn9t mess wit my ead anymore 77 &ut during &ot
o: my adaptations< I remem&er tin8ing it was really weird at :irst. Bi8e a!ing a second li:e= Tis is
made e!en more stri8ing &y te occasional /ridiculously long dream/ tat polypasic adapters o:ten
report a!ing 77 a dream tat seems to last :or wee8s< monts< or e!en years o: su&?ecti!e time. 0or my
part< I tended to a!e tese &e:ore I was e!er polypasic< and I ad Huite a :ew o: tem during te
adaptation process< &ut tey9!e lessened in :reHuency since. In general< it seems tat dreaming< li8e many
oter :unctions< gets sa8en up during te adaptation process< and settles down .toug not eCactly te
way it was1 once you9re used to te new scedule.
9ucid &reaming. Bucid dreaming is a :ascinating penomenon tat in!ol!es acie!ing a degree
o: wa8e:ulness witout interrupting a dream. Tere are a great many people wo a!e an interest in tis
penomenon< and most o: tem wis to &ring it a&out more o:ten. .Anyone wo9s ad one will pro&a&ly
understand wy 77 tey9re insanely cool.1 #ecause lucid dreams tend to appen more readily wen te
&ody is stressed or te sleep is unusually deep andLor :it:ul .eCactly te circumstances under wic we
tend to a!e !ery !i!id dreams1< it9s &een said tat sleep depri!ation may elp &ring a&out lucid dreams.
Sleep dep< as well as oter metods :or un&alancing te &ody< are sometimes used as temporary measures
>> Tis migt also contri&ute to te time7dilation e::ect I wen you9re a!ing wat :eels li8e tree days9 wort o: dreams e!ery day< it9s easier to lose trac8=
Ubersleep 53
so tat a practitioner can a!e a :ew lucid dreams and ten< i: tey 8now wat tey9re doing< learn to
recogniKe tem and &ring tem a&out in normal sleep.
Many people report an increase in /lucid/ dreaming acti!ity during te &eginning o: teir
adaptation< during or ?ust a:ter te ad?ustment period. .0or people wo aren9t :amiliar wit te
penomenon< it can &e a !ery power:ul andLor unsettling ting to suddenly a!e lucid dreams 77 tey are<
owe!er< totally armless as :ar as I 8now.1 I :ind tis unsurprising< and moreo!er I9m glad tere9s some
per8 to alle!iate te ic8iness o: tat 8ind o: sleep7depri!ation=
Se!eral people I9!e con!ersed wit a!e told me< wit great eCcitement< ow use:ul polypasic
sleep could &e< i: you were really into lucid dreaming and wanted to wor8 on it. 0or one ting< you9d a!e
up to siC cances a day= Also< may&e a polypaser9s dreams remaining more !i!id .depending on te
polypaser and on te scedule1 e!en a:ter adaptation is a sign tat lucid dreaming would indeed &e easier
to &ring a&out on a polypasic scedule. %n:ortunately< I9!e ne!er 8nown anyone wo9s primarily used
polypasic sleep :or tat. 0rom wat I 8now a&out lucid dreaming< it9s pro&a&ly di::icult enoug tat
trying to master it wile simultaneously &ecoming polypasic is ?ust too muc.
My recommendation< wic you sould ta8e wit a grain o: salt since I9m no eCpert in lucid
dreaming< is tis$ I: you9re interested in studying or eCperimenting wit lucid dreaming< I imagine it
would &e more use:ul to get te ang o: te &asics o: lucid dreaming :irst< and then do your polypasic
adaptation .pre:era&ly to %&erman< :or maCimum e::ect1. #y /te &asics/< I mean getting used to writing
down your dreams immediately upon wa8ing< and de!eloping a routine o: as8ing yoursel: a trigger
Huestion< suc as /Am I awa8e,/ on a regular &asis. .(oogle will gi!e you muc &etter in:ormation on
lucid dreaming tan I e!er could< toug.1 And :or goodness sa8e< i: you pull it o::< please let mysel: or
one o: te 4olypasic group7maintainers 8now=
Psychol ogi cal J Soci al 6ffects
Tere9s no way I9m going to &e a&le to co!er all o: te possi&le e::ects ere< so :orgi!e me in
ad!ance. #eing polypasic does many< mostly su&tle< &ut de:initely interesting tings to your mind. 0or
te most part< tey seem to &e neutral< wit a :ew positi!e and a :ew negati!e possi&ilities lur8ing in te
wings. I: you ta8e good care o: yoursel:< all te e!idence I 8now suggests tat you sould &e ?ust :ine .or
&etter o::1 mentally as a result o: adopting a polypasic scedule.
Sleep is a di::erent animal wen you get it in small cun8s. Some o: te ways in wic tis
mani:ests are o&!ious immediatelyJ oters ta8e a wile to notice. And I tin8 it9s di::icult to appreciate
ow !ital a cun8 o: your li:e sleep is until you ma8e a &ig cange to it. Tis means tat< naturally< te
e::ects o: ma8ing suc a cange will li8ely di::er :rom person to person.
+hanges in the Perception of "ime
Howe!er< some tings are predicta&le and seem to appen to nearly e!eryone$ A si:t in ow
time is percei!ed is one o: tem. It can &e ard to remem&er< or understand< tat time is entirely a
product o: te uman mindJ &ut &oy< tis9ll remind you= &ilation is te most common< and I tin8 te
most stri8ing< e::ect$ 6ays get longer< :ar more tan it seems li8e A7> eCtra ours can account :or.
Sometimes tey seem to last :or a wee8= +en I was on %&erman< I :reHuently as8ed wat day it was< got
an answer< and replied< /+at< still)/< or was genuinely worried :or a minute tat it was ne+t Monday
already and my omewor8 was late= ;aps< too< dilate greatly 77 one 237minute nap can seem li8e it lasts
ours 77 toug I seem to a!e gotten used to tis now< and my naps no longer seem as ridiculously long
54 Ubersleep
as tey used to< eCcept :or te occasional weird one. Someone posited to me tat naps can seem so long
&ecause your &rain is used to a certain amount o: time passing wile you9re asleep< and tis certainly
sounds li8e a plausi&le eCplanation. )iter way< it can &e !ery strange wen it appens< &ut most people
seem to tin8 it9s ni:ty to :eel li8e tey9!e &een asleep :or many ours< and :ind out tat only 23 minutes
a!e passed.
Te oter ting tat can appen to one9s perception o: time is tat it can seem to simply go
haywire :or a wile. It9s not unusual to need /&ac8up/ elp 8eeping trac8 o: time :or te :irst siC
monts. +atces and calendars are your :riend= Also< wen doing %&erman< it can &e amaKingly ard to
:igure out i: it9s nigt or morning< and o: wat day$ Is it dar8 at * p.m. or still dar8 at * a.m., Is tis
midnigt going7into7Monday or coming7out7o:7Monday, +en eCactly does it stop &eing Tuesday and
start &eing +ednesday< i: you9re &asically awa8e :or all o: it, I sol!ed tis pro&lem &y gi!ing names to te
nigts 77 I pic8ed an ar&itrary time :or te day to end in te e!ening and &egin in te morning< and ten
named te periods &etween te days. .I ad a list called /Times o: 6ar8ness/< and it was such wonder:ul<
pseudo7poetic college stu::...I wis I still ad it=1 Tis made it muc easier to 8eep trac8< as opposed to
?ust trying to notice a single switc at midnigt.
*uphoria
Tis is dou&tlessly one o: te weirder e::ects. I9d a!e discounted it as DeCperimentation gleeE on
my part< i: it weren9t :or te many people in te years since wo9!e reported te same e::ect. Tis only
seems to appen wit %&erman .possi&ly 6ymaCion1< &ut it seems tat polypasic sleep can cause a
sustained state o: mild euporia. It doesn9t ma8e you DigE< to &e clear. .+ell< at :irst te sleep dep will<
&ut tat9s not a ig most people :ind en?oya&le.1 Tis euporia is a sense o: !ery sarp clarity< :luid
mental acuity< and general :eeling at ease. It is< to &e cultural and silly a moment< somewat li8e realiKing
you9re in Te MatriC$ )!eryting slows downJ you :eel li8e you9re :unctioning muc :aster and &etter tan
te world around you. 0or me< tis :eeling came and went :or se!eral monts< sometimes stic8ing around
:or days at a time. I9!e eard rougly te same reports< not :rom e!eryone< &ut :rom te ma?ority o:
people wo adapted success:ully to %&erman< and all o: tem wo adapted success:ully te :irst time tey
tried to. .I a!e no idea wat a :irst7try adaptation as to do wit it< &ut literally e!eryone I9!e 8nown
wo9s pulled one o::
>7
as reported te euporia. ;on7:irst7try adapters seem to eCperience it less o:ten.1
Te euporia is great< as most euporias are. Howe!er< i: you9re ?ust in it :or te consciousness7
polised7to7a7mirror7sine :eeling< you migt want to reconsider$ %&erman especially is really ard to pull
o::< and wile I .and oters1 tin8 it9s wort it :or wat it can do o!erall< it pro&a&ly isn9t wort all tat
trou&le ?ust to :eel Kingy :or a wile. #ut tat Kingy :eeling sure is a nice reward :or all te ard wor8=
+hanges in your 'ocial 9ife
%nless you9re a loner< your social li:e is almost certainly going to cange wen you adopt a
polypasic scedule. I9!e already mentioned tat i: you9re a 4arty Hard type< you may a!e pro&lems
ad?usting to te need to /put te world on old/ e!ery couple ours and sleep 77 and tis is pro&a&ly true
o: anyone wo leads a !ery world7immersed li:e. -n te oter and< i: you ta8e a &rea8 :rom your
:reneticisms wile you adapt< and ten go &ac8 to it wit your new scedule in place and your new needs in
mind< e!en a ectic li:estyle migt not &e a pro&lem. Someting to watc out :or< toug< is i: you don#t
lead a particularly ectic li:e< you9re going to end up spending a greater percentage of your time alone
tan you migt &e used to. .I: your li:e is super7&usy< you may &e a&le to ?ust :ill in all te time you gain
:rom your new scedule doing wat you normally do. Tis is rare< owe!er$ Most people end up wit at
>7 ;ot tat tat9s !ery many people.
Ubersleep 55
least some :ree time tat tey a!e to spend alone.1 I: you don9t a!e a solitary o&&y or tree< you may
want to adopt one.
Also< i: you a!e :amily around< you may a!e to ad?ust to spending a bit less time with them
o!erall 77 you9re going to ta8e an our or so wort o: naps during te day< and ma8e up :or it wit se!eral
ours o: a!aila&le time tat9ll usually come wile e!eryone else is asleep. Some people a!e :ound tat tis
ma8es tem lonely< or doesn9t wor8 wit teir :amily li:e. .It doesn9t a::ect mine< at least not :or now 77
two o: my tree daily naps appen wen my daugter9s not around anyway< and te tird I ta8e rigt a:ter
se goes to &ed. I do miss a little o: te time I used to spend wit my us&and in te e!enings< &ut we
ma8e an e::ort to ma8e up :or it.1
9earning to 9ove 'leep
Many people wo adapt polypasic scedules do it at :irst &ecause tey a!e some degree o:
di::iculty getting a good< monopasic nigt9s sleep. Some< li8e mysel: ten years ago< a!e gotten to te
point o: simply hating sleep and wanting as little to do wit it as possi&le I and i: you9!e ad sleep7trou&les
:or a long time< tis is< I tin8< a per:ectly normal way to :eel. Howe!er< on a polypasic scedule< once
te ic8y part is o!er< you may :ind yoursel: li8ing sleep again. Te reason is tat you9ll a!e gone :rom
trying to sleep at one time per day and .to some degree1 :ailing< ten :eeling tired :or all or most o: te rest
o: te dayJ to :eeling tired at speci:ic times< and answering tat :eeling wit immediate< rest:ul sleep. )!en
te most die7ard sleep7aters usually :ind temsel!es wit a di::erent opinion< a :ew monts in$ Suddenly
it :eels good to sleepJ it directly addresses and cures your tiredness< and it9s painless .may&e muc more so
tan you were used to1< and it doesn9t e!en ta8e long=
Te only ca!eat ere is to &eware sleeping in &ecause suddenly you li8e to sleep 77 disli8ing sleep
can ma8e adaptation easier< &ecause you don9t a!e muc urge to o!ersleepJ &ut ten< wen you stop
disli8ing sleep< you can sometimes :ind yoursel: :ully adapted &ut a!ing to :igt o:: te psychological
.pleasure7dri!en1 desire to sleep.
6eing / 5eirdo
#eing seen as a weirdo is noting new to me< so I tend to gloss o!er tat e::ect< wic is wy I9m
ma8ing a point o: mentioning it eCplicitly ere. I: you sleep polypasically long enoug< you will get some
attention o!er your scedule< weter you want it or not. @ou can ide it< &ut since &eing polypasic
in!ol!es napping during te day< it9s li8ely to come up e!entually< and you9re going to get peppered wit
Huestions and pro&a&ly ?udged a minor lunatic at least a :ew times. ;ow< I9m ardly a social ?uggernaut<
&ut I9!e learned to smile and srug it o::< so you pro&a&ly can< too.
>8
#ut i: you don9t want to a!e to< ten
de:initely tin8 twice a&out &eing polypasic. I: you ?ust want to a!e all suc con!ersations o!er wit as
Huic8ly as possi&le< consider memoriKing or carrying a sort description o: polypasic sleep .li8e te one in
te 5eat Seets section1 tat you can deli!er on7demand. Some people may still want to as8 Huestions<
&ut lots o: tem won9t.
Gust in case tey elp anyone< ere are some o: te tings I9!e learned to say< to &rus o:: or
minimiKe te /Boo8 it9s a circus :rea8/ e::ect. Mind you< in a per:ect world we would all smile and say<
/Tis wor8s :or me 77 wat o: it,/ and ne!er apologiKe :or anyting...&ut te real world o:ten isn9t per:ect<
not all o: us are com:orta&le con:ronting te curiosity o: te masses ead7on< and tere9s no arm in te
occasional wite lie i: it sa!es you some trou&le< rigt, Rigt.
>8 Tis may &e too :lippant o: me$ I get a lot o: practice /srugging it o::/< wene!er I get caugt writing in my own language< practicing 8ung :u< or ma8ing
sculptures out o: old RAM. I: you9re used to &eing Miss or Mister Impeaca&le 5aracter< it may really present a callenge. -r may&e notJ may&e it9ll ?ust
&e a re:resing cange=
56 Ubersleep
;oting &etter tan a good nap= .i: you don9t a!e to admit to only napping 77 tis way you don9t loo8
any weirder tan anyone wo9s e!er ta8en a nap somewere< and tat9s most people.1
A< sleep is :or te wea8= .i: you do a!e to admit it 77 I :ind tat trowing in a /I9m o:: my roc8er and
trilled a&out it/ grin will get most people to mum&le someting ino::ensi!e and scurry away asap.1
@ou can also try Huoting #en 0ran8lin< /Tere will &e sleeping enoug in te gra!e=/< or ma8e up a
witty retort o: your own. Gust remem&er< i: it9s too witty< you may get stuc8 eCplaining it.
It9s ?ust an eCperiment I9m trying .add /:or class/< /:or a :riend/< /:or my doctor/< etc. as you :eel you
need to< :or legitimacy 77 people are less weird a&out an /eCperiment/ tat as some eCternal cause1
-r< i: you get caugt somewere you don9t o:ten go< you can &eg o:: as not :eeling well. Tis as
always wor8ed :or me in a pinc< wen I need to get people to lea!e me alone a&out it< stat. Tis is
actually my stoc8 /o7loo87I9m7in7some7random7par8ing7lot7sleeping7in7my7car7and7some&ody9s7
decided7to78noc87on7my7window/ response.
...-r< and tis is pro&a&ly ealtiest in te long run< you can ?ust get used to &eing a weirdo. It9s good :or
you 77 elps you appreciate your own indi!iduality. I: it9s practical< I igly suggest ?ust going aead and
&eing weird. .0or one ting< I need te company.1
Ubersleep 57
"I. Philosophical I&plications
(hat are the philosophical implications to the issue of polyphasic sleep) Tis is pro&a&ly a little7addressed
Huestion &ecause :or many people< te prase /pilosopical implications/ causes instant eart&urn 77 and
tat9s :ine< &ut I9m not one o: tose peopleJ in :act pilosopy is one o: my !ery :irst lo!es. I was in te
process o: studying it :ormally wen I :irst tried %&erman< and I still am= So< wile it9s per:ectly alrigt i:
oters don9t care to read or ponder tis section< I am< in te grand tradition o: pilosopers e!erywere<
going to write it anyway. J1
Te :irst Huestion to &e addressed is< o: wat kind are te pilosopical implications tat a sleep
scedule migt a!e, Traditionally< sleep as ad a /mon8eywrenc e::ect/ on any teory o:
consciousnessJ it ma8es a great eCample to &ring up wene!er someone claims someting a8in to
6escartes9 /I tin8< tere:ore I am/ 77 o yea, 6o you stop eCisting wen you sleep, 77 or posits any
teory tat doesn9t ta8e our periods o: personal dar8ness into consideration. 4ilosopers a!e argued
amongst temsel!es a&out weter sleep constitutes &eing totally &lac8ed7out and gone< or weter te
mind retires to some oter realm to contemplate &y itsel:J and wat tese di::erent !iews o: sleep mean
:or teir pet teories o: consciousness.
>9
In tese cases< toug< sleep is a pilosopical tool rater tan its
su&?ect< and I tin8 tere9s room :or it to &e a su&?ect< too. Speci:ically< I tin8 tat sleep< especially wit
te ad!ent o: polypasic sleep as a possi&le long7term scedule< raises etical Huestions< speci:ically wen
it comes to te normati*e *alue of sleep.
Is it morally good to sleep as muc as one wants, Sould we restrict our sleep i: possi&le< stri!ing
:or regularity and e::iciency rater tan indulgenceJ or does sleep< as an in!oluntary &odily :unction< merit
indulgence wene!er needed .li8e a!ing to pee1, Tere9s a popular !iew< more assumed tan stated< tat
sleep sould &e indulged in wene!er possi&le< :or as long as te sleeper wants .witin reason1< and tat it
sould< ideally< not &e su&sumed to e::iciency or oter concerns. #ut tere9s also a separate assumption<
in:ormed &y asceticism peraps
73
< tat to :reely indulge in e!en /normal/ pysical demands is damaging< or
at least li8ely to inder iger de!elopment o: te mind and spirit. 6espite our tendency to trust some
assumptions inerently< tere isn9t solid e!idence eiter way< and you can see eCpressions o: &ot tese
assumptions e!erywere.
+e 8now tat &eing sleep7depri!ed :or long periods o: time is pro&a&ly unealty .a :act tat9s
o:ten utiliKed &y te sleep7indulgence camp1< &ut tat doesn9t tell us a&out ways o: restricting sleep tat
don9t cause long7term sleep depri!ation. )!en so< people wo /train/ temsel!es to sleep less< or wo
sleep on odd scedules to maCimiKe teir e::iciency< are usually !iewed wit a miCture o: admiration and
concern. +at are we concerned a&out, Simply teir ealt< or is tere someting more :undamentally
/wrong/ wit not sleeping te usual amount< tat we don9t 8now ow to eCpress yet,
-n te :lipside< we also 8now tat restricting :ood inta8e 77 caloric restriction 77 is ealty< and in
:act appears to &e te only
7"
sure7:ire way o: eCtending one9s li:espan. 4eraps o!erindulgence in sleep is
no more ealty tan o!erindulgence in :ood.
It all comes down to ow you !iew sleep9 I: you9re interested in reading more a&out ow di::erent pilosopers a!e &atted tis issue around< tere9s a paper I can recommend< wic I en?oyed and
tougt ga!e a good o!er!iew o: at least te classic +estern pilosopers. It9s The -hilosophy of !leep: The ;ie$s of <escartes, =ocke and =eibnit7, &y Games Hill<
pu&lised in te Ricmond Gournal o: 4ilosopy in Spring 233A. I will admit rigt now tat I9m not well7read in teories o: consciousness speci:ically< so I
apologiKe i: I9!e missed someting o&!ious.
73 Remem&er tat not only #uddism< &ut 5ristianity too< were in:ormed &y ascetic traditions.
7" 0or now< o: course.
58 Ubersleep
-ne possi&le !iew$ Sleep is a mecanical recarge< li8e plugging a &atteried o&?ect into te wall :or
a :ew ours. Tere9s someting a&out sleep tat eiter connects us to an energy source< or allows te
mindL&ody to generate eCtra energy and store it :or wa8ing use.
Te normati!e implications o: 4ossi&ility -ne :all on te side o: restriction< i: restriction can &e
done in a ealty way. I: you9re recarging your &atteries< doesn9t it ma8e sense to do it in te most
e::icient way you can, +ould you turn down an upgrade to your electric car tat made te &atteries more
e::icient< a&le to carge :aster, Bi!ing 77 &eing awa8e and aware 77 is pretty muc an unHuali:ied good< so
to a!e more o: it must &e good< and i: all tat9s in te way o: tat is mecanical e::iciency< ten restricted
scedules wic wor8 are not only a good< &ut it &ecomes almost a moral imperati!e to adopt tem i:
possi&le.
Tere are a :ew pro&lems wit tis !iew$ -ne< as we learn more< our &odies are seeming less and
less li8e simple macines. To assume tat we9re &uilt to run only 2L' o: our a!aila&le time due to a simple
power eHuation seems o!erly simplistic and increasingly unli8ely. .-r may&e we9re notJ may&e we9re
designed to do ?ust as well i: we meditate to store energy instead o: sleeping< and we don9t 8now it yet.1
Two< tis !iew in!ites ?udgment o: tose wo sleep any more tan tey must< and tat smac8s o: a sort o:
4uritanical nastiness. -!erindulgence isn9t good :or people 77 I agree wit tat< in general 77 &ut wen it
&ecomes morally necessary to restrict onesel: &eyond te natural tendencies< all 8inds o: mean and
?udgmental &ea!ior towards oters can result.
A second possi&le !iew$ Sleep is an eCperience o: te Foid< werein we lose consciousness wile
we commune wit te )ternal and In:inite. 4resuma&ly our minds get in te way o: communion
72
wit
te (reat Allness o: tingsJ it9s &een suggested tat we9re &uilt to put our minds under :or a wile eac day
so tat our Ssouls L su&consciousnesses L essences L pic8 sometingT can connect wit te Source :rom
wic we and our wole world came :rom.
-n tis !iew< it9s no longer morally desira&le to restrict our sleep ?ust &ecause we can 77 indeed< it
&ecomes a8in to s8ipping curc to do so. .I9m not trying to promote te religious angle ereJ it merely
ma8es :or an easy way to communicate te power:ul nature o: te argument. -ne could ?ust as easily say
tat to twart suc a connection would &e to do damage to wat we :undamentally are< cutting o:: a part
o: our li!es tat9s as !ital and necessary as te wa8ing part.1 Indeed< to wea8en or restrict tis connection
could e!en &e doing damage to us on a le!el we9re not yet eHuipped to understand$ 4eraps sleep is ow
we stay /in contact/ wit te placeLstate we came :rom< and not getting enoug can urt our cances o:
ma8ing it /&ac8/ a:ter we die.
7'
-: course< tis !iew relies on a wole &unc o: assumptions tat< e!en i: I wanted to ta8e te time
to try and pro!e tem< I pro&a&ly couldn9t do. I: you appen to &elie!e tem< ten may&e you can coose
to &elie!e tis...&ut e!en ten< you won9t a!e a clear answer as to wat to do a&out sleep< eiter. 4eraps
te sleep you get on a restricted scedule is enoug. 4eraps no sleep is enoug unless /done properly/<
and ow to do it properly is any&ody9s guess. May&e sleep as an e!en deeper purpose tan tat< wic we
simply a!en9t :igured out yet= ...Tis is a pretty enoug !iew< &ut it as a ra&&it7ole in te middle< I
tin8.
Ten tere9s also a tird option< wic is to ta8e te :irst !iew and gi!e it a twist$ May&e sleep isn9t
really necessary at all. May&e it9s an e!olutionary arti:act tat we can o!ercome< or will e!entually /grow out
o:/. Tis !iew is supported &y stories li8e tat o: Tai ;goc
7A
< te man wo mysteriously lost te a&ility to
sleep< and as li!ed :or '' years witout it< and &oasts a clean &ill o: mental and pysical ealt.
72 To wit< Adam could not sur!i!e earing te !oice o: (od.
7' An unli8ely trut< &ut a neat sci7:i plot7'
Ubersleep 59
I: sleep wasn9t necessary at all< would you still do it, How many people do you tin8 would
continue to< :or ow long, 6o you tin8 it would e!entually &e consigned to te category /+astes o:
Time/, ...-r< to as8 it anoter way< beyond the fact that we need it, does sleep have any real value4
(ould you gi*e up sleep) I: I could ne!er sleep again and ne!er &e tired< I would pro&a&ly try it< &ut I
can also see mysel: regretting suc a decision< :inding in te :uture tat I couldn9t tolerate /&eing ere/< in
te world< 2AL7. May&e sleep eCists to 8eep us sane< to gi!e us a /time out/ :rom wat is oterwise a
complicated and o:ten emotionally &rutal eCistence. 0ood as a /com:ort/ element tat would pre!ent us
:rom wanting to gi!e it up entirely< and :or most people< sleep does too ... te ma?or di::erence is<
restricting one9s :ood inta8e< witin reason< is generally accepted to &e sensi&le and ealty.
Tis is a ma?or pro&lem$ +it most tings< i: tere9s no clear7cut answer one way or te oter< it9s
&est to side wit Aristotle and aim :or /moderation in all tings/. #ut wat9s /moderation/ wen it comes
to sleep, Sleeping until you9re only a little tired, Tat9s courting long7term sleep depri!ation< wic is te
one ting most people .scientists and polypasers and moms ali8e1 agree is te least desira&le o: te
outcomes. +it sleep< it seems tat to eiter sleep until you9re completely re:resed< or to restrict sleep to
te least you can get and not &e tired .wic seems< :or our purposes< to entail a nap7&ased scedule1< are
te only options tat ma8e any senseJ and neiter o: tem are moderate.
Tis little twist ma8es sleep one o: te ardest items o: personal care to &uild an etical !iew o:.
+e 8now we sould &ate and &e as clean as possi&le .witin moderation1J we 8now we sould eat wat
we need to li!e and so tat we9re not ungry .witin moderation1J we 8now we sould eCercise and 8eep
our &odies in good repair
7*
. #ut ow sould we sleep, A wole lot< so we9re not tired< or !ery little< so
we9re e::icient at spending our time .now tat tis can &e done witout &eing tired as well1,
0ortunately< it9s &eyond te scope o: tis section to pic8 an answerJ and anyway< I &elie!e tat :rom
were we stand< doing so would &e ar&itrary and premature. Tere are pilosopical implications to
polypasic sleep< inso:ar as it9s opened up te possi&ilities :rom /sleep a lot or &e sleep7depri!ed/ to
include /sleep !ery little and don9t &e sleep depri!ed/< and now we9re all stuc8 pondering weter tis is
morally a &etter coice :or tose wo can ma8e it< and ow muc< i: at all< tose wo don9t sleep
polypasically ougt to &e trying to.
Tan8:ully< I en?oy pondering. I: you do as well< your tougts on tis topic would &e a welcome
addition< so write tem down= .I: I can do it< you can do it.1
7* @es< again< witin moderation 77 )Cercise ta8en to eCtremes is not ealty< and neiter is medicine or per:ormance7&ased twea8ing.
60 Ubersleep
"II. Conclusion
...And tat9s all o: it< really. Some appendices .stu:: I didn9t 8now were else to put< &asically1<
resources< and contact in:ormation :ollows< and you can always :ind more on my we&site< as well as a lot o:
em&arrassing &low7&y7&low o: my mista8es and realiKations in te arci!es. Also< i: you purcased tis
&oo8< 8eep your receipt< since tere may &e later /editions/ and i: you sow your receipt< I9ll gi!e you an
electronic copy o: any o: te editions later tan te one you &ougt :or :ree. .I don9t &elie!e in :orced
o&solescence< mp.1
Spea8ing o: :urter editions< i: you 8now o: any in:ormation tat isn9t contained in tis &oo8 wic
sould &e< please contact me troug my we&site at ttp$LLwww.puredoCy8.com and let me 8now a&out it.
4lease, +ile te amount o: in:ormation on polypasic sleep is .at tis moment1 scarce< it9s de!eloping
Huic8ly. .Sleep itsel: is anoter matter. @ou can tell tat I9!e tried to restrict tis &oo8 to &eing a&out
polyphasic sleep< rater tan sleep in general< simply &ecause I didn9t want it to &e A'<333 pages long.1 @ou
can also use te we&site to tell me a&out your personal we&site or &log tat as to do wit polypasic
sleep< and I9ll list it on a page te we&site 8eeps :or ?ust suc purposes. .Suc tings are a &it too
epemeral :or a &oo8< I tin8.1
/s for my final comments on polyphasic sleep, well< o&!iously it9s &een a positi!e ting :or me<
o!erall. I won9t say it asn9t &een di::icult 77 tric8y in places< and outrigt di::icult in oters 77 nor will I say
tat te eCtra wa8ing7time I a!e doesn9t come at a price$ (etting ere was ardJ and I de:initely a!e to
/watc my sleep scedule/ li8e some people a!e to watc teir diets< and I pro&a&ly will :or as long as I
li!e polypasically. It9s a li:estyle cange< no lie< and it9s ad a surprising range o: e::ects on ow I li!e.
I9!e &ecome more organiKed< more aware o: my priorities< more attenti!e to my &ody< and more
appreciati!e o: wat my time is wort. Tese eCperiences a!e also taugt me a lot a&out sleep< some o:
wic I9ll always &e glad to a!e learned$ I 8now ow to tune my mind and relaC my &ody so I can :all
asleep in minutes< and I can wa8e up re:resed less tan al: an our later. .Some people claim tat a:ter a
time< you ?ust /learn to nap/< li8e riding a &icycle. Tis as &een my eCperience< &ut I can9t claim tat it9s
uni!ersal.1 I 8now wat en!ironments I can and can9t sleep in. Te di::erence &etween good< re:resing
sleep and &ad sleep is li8e day and nigt to me now .I9m em&arrassed to say tat &e:ore polypase< I thought
I 8new te di::erence< &ut I didn9t1. I 8now ow to recogniKe wen I9m tired< and ow tired I am< and
wen &eing tired is a::ecting me pysically or mentally. Again< I tougt I 8new tese tings &e:ore< &ut it
turns out I didn9t. Te mind and &ody are amaKingly compleC and su&tle tings< and I9m glad to 8now
more a&out ow tey wor8 togeter tan I migt a!e< ad I not underta8en tese eCperiments.
I wouldn9t a!e written tis wole ting i: I didn9t see a &ene:it to oters in polypasic sleep
scedules. ;ot to e!eryone< o: course< &ut to a signi:icant minority at least. I used to tin8 tat may&e tis
idea would cange te world I may&e it would &e te &eginning o: a 2A7our society< o: more :leCi&ility
:or wor8ing people wit :amilies< or o: a glo&al appreciation o: ow important getting good sleep and
using our time well is. #ut tat all may ne!er appen< o: course. May&e all we get out o: polypasic sleep
in te long run is tat some people gain a new respect :or time and our mindL&odies< and a &oatload o:
eCtra time to pursue teir o&&ies in :or a wile.
I tin8 tat would &e :ine &y me.
Tan8s !ery muc :or reading=
X/4ure6oCy8/
ttp$LLwww.puredoCy8.com L puredoCy8YpuredoCy8.com
Ubersleep 61
"III. #PP'(DIC'S
Appendi # !7 Sl eep Drugs
-ne can ardly write anyting tis siKe on sleep witout mentioning drugs. 4ersonally< my ta8e on
parmaceuticals as always &een /;ot unless I &loody a!e to/ 77 I read a lot o: science :iction< and I9m
:undamentally uncom:orta&le wit a uge industry tat draws insane pro:its o:: o: people9s illness and<
wen tat9s not enoug< turns to producing drugs :or people wo aren#t ill and pro:its .also eCcessi!ely1 o::
tat. Tat9s not to say /drugs9r &ad< m98ay/ or tat I a!en9t or wouldn9t li8e oters to &ene:it :rom
medical science< &ut I do tin8 our society turns to drugs way too o:ten and witout proper consideration
:or te long7term conseHuences< moti!ated< as we are< &y an endless mar8eting &litK tat o:ten reminds me
o: someting out o: a 4ilip K. 6ic8 no!el. All o: wic is my opinion< o: course< &ut it ne!er urts to
8now te &ias o: your autor.
+it tat in mind< I9!e ne!er ta8en a sleeping pill in my li:e
7>
77 I ne!er ad to. I try e!eryting else
&e:ore I resort to drugs< as a general rule< and it was in te midst o: /trying e!eryting else/ to :iC my sleep
pro&lems in college tat I stum&led upon polypasic sleepJ and :or me< tat did te tric8. .And it9s a good
ting< too< &ecause it9s unli8ely tat sleep drugs would a!e &een a good idea< or an e::icacious one< :or
dealing wit wat I was :acing &ac8 ten.1 I tin8 tat ma8es me uniHuely unHuali:ied to discuss te
!arious stimulants and depressants tat are prescri&ed to /:iC/ sleep disorders or impro!e te Huality o:
sleep or wa8e:ulness :or people wo simply don9t sleep well :or one reason or anoter. I do 8now tat tis
class o: drugs can o:ten &e addicti!e andLor dangerous i: ta8en improperly< in eCcess< or in com&ination
wit oter su&stances< so i: it9s a route you or someone you 8now is pursuing< ten please< it te &oo8s
ard and &e !igilant.
Howe!er< tere is one sleep drug tat I a!e read up on pretty well< and wic is interesting :or
&eing in a di::erent class entirely :rom te rest o: te stimulantLdepressant drugs< and tat9s modafinil.
Moda:inil is mar8eted &y te drug company 5epalon in te %.S. and %K as 4ro!igil
77
< and in oter places
as< generally spea8ing< Moda7someting or Someting7!igil. It9s &een around since "998< and it doesn9t
appear tat tere will &e generics until at least 23"2. Moda:inil9s intended use is as a treatment :or
narcolepsy< toug it9s prescri&ed o::7la&el :or A6H6< depression< /si:t7wor8er syndrome/< sleep apnea<
!ague complaints o: daytime sleepiness< to elp wit te symptoms o: MS< 4ar8inson9s<
cemoterapy...and Huite a &it else. Te /point/ o: Moda:inil< as I gater< is to ma8e sleeping a&out >
ours as rest:ul as sleeping a&out 8 ours. So &asically it claims to &e )!eryman A.* in a pill. J1
I a!e no personal eCperience wit Moda:inil< &ut I a!e tal8ed to some people wo a!e< and I9!e
read an eCcellent piece tat Slate.com pu&lised
78
< werein an autor ta8es te drug :or a test7dri!e and
reports some interesting and lucidly7considered results. He seems to eCperience minimal pysical side7
e::ects &ut a power:ul and immediate psycological addiction. And I wouldn9t &e at all surprised to 8now
tat addiction results :rom a drug tat allows its ta8er to :eel li8e tey9re /ceating sleep/. -&!iously< i:
Moda:inil .and pro&a&ly similar drugs as well1 can &e addicti!e< ten te long7term e::ects sould &e &etter
8nown &e:ore tey9re made widely a!aila&le. Te last ting we need is millions o: people oo8ed on
someting tat later turns out to &e deadly .coughcigarettescough.%
I9ll say one more ting on te topic$ Sleep is part o: a &alance. @ou eCpend energyJ you must rest
to reco!er it. Te polypasic scedules in tis &oo8 do not let you /ceat/ sleep 77 tey let you trade some
7> )Ccept :or melatoninJ I a!e used tat a and:ul o: times. And I gi!e my daugter camomile tea occasionally< i: se as trou&le sleeping.
77 I agree wit te people wo9!e called tis name /-rwellian/ and /creepy/.
78 +ic you can read ere$ ttp$LLwww.slate.comLidL2379""'L
62 Ubersleep
o: te total duration :or :reHuency< at a cost o: some e::ort and planning. Te result is tat< o!erall< you
sleep less< and you pay :or it &y stic8ing to your naps .wic isn9t suc a &ad price< according to some o:
us1. <rugs don#t let you cheat either 44 tere really is no way to ceatJ a &alance is a &alance. 6rugs let you trade
some sleep7time< sleepiness< or di::iculty sleeping< :or certain e::ects on your &ody< long and sort7term.
Tis trade migt &e wort it in some cases...&ut it would &e pretty ill7ad!ised to ma8e te deal witout
8nowing eCactly wat you9re trading :or< unless you9re in a desperate situation. I can see using sleep drugs
occasionally as &eing possi&ly wort itJ wit someting li8e Moda:inil< you can &e :airly certain tat te
sort7term e::ects won9t &e too &ad. #ut I wouldn9t use it< or any oter sleep drug tat I 8now o:< wit any
regularity or :or a long period o: time< unless I ad some condition tat it was wort possi&ly7serious<
un8nown long7term e::ects to deal wit.
Appendi # !!7 Arguments to 2osses
5on!incing a ?o& to accommodate your polypasic scedule can &e tric8y 77 ow tric8y depends
largely on your ?o& and wo you report to< secondarily on ow muc as to cange in order :or you to &e
accommodated< and tirdly on ow well you present your case. Here are some &asic< &ut ope:ully elp:ul<
tips :or pulling o:: te last one$
Know eCactly wat you need< and &e prepared to state it in simple< clear terms. /I9d li8e an eCtra al:
our :or lunc< wic I9d &e appy to ma8e up &y coming in al: an our early. I would spend te
eCtra time in my car< sleeping. I a!e a timer so I 8now I9ll wa8e up on time</ or< /I9d li8e permission
to close my door :rom two to two7tirty< turn o:: my pone< and ta8e a nap./
Ma8e it sound serious< unless your &oss is te type to appreciate Huir8iness in ir employees .int$ most
aren9t1. Te most success:ul approac ere seems to &e to eCplain tat you a!e a terri&le time
sleeping normally< it9s a::ecting your wor8< and you9d li8e to try a possi&le solution you read a&out.
6on9t eCplain all a&out polypasic sleep< unless your &oss seems interested. It ?ust sounds weird to
some people. Instead< simply say tat part o: te solution in!ol!es ta8ing a nap at > time.
-::er to do someting to compensate :or any o::7te7cloc8 time your scedule will cause. #ut i: you
wor8 :or a smaller &usiness and are paid ourly< also o::er to not ma8e up te time< since sa!ing al: an
our a day9s wort o: your pay may elp moti!ate your &oss.
#e prepared to answer Huestions a&out were you9ll 8eep your &lan8ets< ow you9ll 8eep people :rom
wa8ing you up< etc. #osses are o:ten anCious to 8now tat your napping won9t &e disrupti!e< and
sowing tat you9!e tougt it all out elps.
Howe!er< don9t spout o:: a &unc o: details witout &eing as8ed< eiter. State your case< ma8e
your reHuest< and ten wait :or a reply. .Tis is an old Gedi mind sales tric8 77 It9s arder :or
someone to say /no/ wen tey9re engaged in te con!ersation< as opposed to listening to a
lecture.1 Answer te Huestions you9re as8ed< and as8 some o: your own i: you can< to 8eep te
con!ersation two7sided.
I: you can< a!e your &lan8etLtimerLpillowLetc. andy< so tat i: your &oss as8s a&out tem you can
sow tem to imLer and eCplain were you9ll &e 8eeping tem. .I wouldn9t suggest wal8ing into te
&oss9 o::ice carrying tem toug$ It could loo8 li8e you9re calling tem dismally &oring=1 0or some
reason te tougt o: a &lan8et in a place o: wor8 can gi!e &osses te ee&ies 77 seeing a small< neatly
:olded one and earing tat it9ll &e in your &ottom drawer or in your car can allay tat response.
I: you a!e trou&le< consider see8ing out a sympatetic doctor. Tis wor8s &est i: you actually a!e a
sleep disorder< &ut some doctors will write you a note saying tey appro!e o: your attempting a nap7
scedule i: you tell tem you9re a!ing trou&le sleeping and would rater try polypasic sleep &e:ore
you resort to drugs. .+ic may e!en &e true< li8e it was in my case.1
Also< sometimes ?ust telling your &oss tat you9re trying to a!oid ta8ing drugs to elp you sleep is
elp:ul. ;o&ody li8es drugged7up employeesJ tey tend to miss wor8.
Ubersleep 63
I: you9re really serious and your immediate &oss won9t ear o: it< consider gently &ringing it to te
attention o: te neCt7iger7up. A!oid saying anyting at all negati!e a&out your super!isor unless you
:eel it9s wort ma8ing your wor87day misera&le o!erJ &ut sometimes an eCplanation and telling a &igger
&oss tat you tin8 your reHuest is reasona&le< and tat it would mean a lot to your :eeling positi!e
a&out your ?o&< can elp. #igger &osses o:ten wor8 in words and num&ers more tan in people< and an
easy way to 8eep your /?o& satis:action/ ig migt appeal to tem.
6on9t go craKy and as8 e!ery&ody up te cain o: command< toug< unless you want to ris8 &eing
seen as a nuisance.
Bastly< i: it seems tey won9t &udge< sel!e te issue and &ring it up again later< at a time tat9s
:a!ora&le to you .during a re!iew in wic you did well< :or instance1. I: you9re a good wor8er and
gently insistent a&out wanting time :or your nap.s1< tey migt ?ust decide to indulge you &ecause it9s a
ceap way :or tem to 8eep you appy.
Appendi # !!!7 :radual Adaptati on
)!ery once in a wile< someone &rings up te idea o: /adapting gradually/ as a way to possi&ly
a!oid te ic8ier parts o: ad?usting to a polypasic scedule. 4art o: te inspiration :or tis idea comes
:rom 5laude Stampi and is single7su&?ect %&erman eCperimentJ in tat eCperiment< te su&?ect ad?usted to
te scedule o!er te course o: se!eral days< rater tan dropping rigt into it li8e I did< and li8e most
people wo success:ully adapt do.
Tere9s no diary o: eCperiences :rom 6r. Stampi9s su&?ect tat I 8now o:< &ut :rom te test results
it appears tat te su&?ect certainly underwent at least moderate sleep depri!ation. And o: te people I
8now wo attempted to adapt gradually< all o: tem eCperienced sleep dep as well. 5anging your sleep
scedule ?ust does tat< I tin8. I can9t !ouc :or weter tat sleep depri!ation is any /ligter/ tan te
normal amount polypasers go troug< &ut I do 8now tat< almost necessarily< it would a!e ad to last
longer. .Transitioning to %&erman normally< te really ic8y sleep dep is o!er wit &y day * or >< assuming
no o!ersleepingJ &ut i: you were transitioning gradually< you pro&a&ly wouldn9t e!en &e on a :ull %&erman
scedule &y ten.1
Te Huestion o: weter a longer period o: moderate sleep dep is &etter or worse tan a sort
period o: oly7cow7won8iness will remain in discussion :or a long time< I predict. #ut tere de:initely is
one downside to adapting gradually$ It lea!es more room :or mista8es. I: you coose to attempt tis
route< plan care:ully=
Appendi # !<7 9efutati ons
Ha!e tere &een any re:utations 77 :ormal arguments against 77 polypasic sleep, Actually< yes<
tere a!e. Te most compreensi!e one I 8now a&out was written in 233* &y a 6r. 4iotr +oKnia8J you
can read te entire .uge1 paper online< ere$ ttp$LLwww.supermemo.comLarticlesLpolypasic.tm. 6r.
+oKnia8 co!ers most o: te common arguments against polypasic sleep in is paper< as well as some< er<
/uniHue/ ones< li8e te /:act/ tat no women do it. .Hmp< I9ll assume e9s not directly commenting on
my :emininity.1
@ou can read my re:utation o: 6r. +oKnia89s paper on my we&site< ere$
ttp$LLwww.puredoCy8.comLindeC.ppL233>L""L3"Lan7attac87on7polypasic7sleepL. I pulled out te
&ad :acts .tere are se!eral1 and pointed out some o: te unsupported assumptions .many1< and too8 issue
most strongly wit te :act tat 6r. +oKnia8 considers all te &logs a&out :ailed polypasic attempts as
crusing ironclad e!idence tat no polypasic attempt can wor8< &ut ten stridently< openly ignores any o:
te same type o: e!idence tat claims tat polypasic sleep can wor8.
64 Ubersleep

6r. +oKnia8 is pretty well7read in sleep issues< and e is an ad!ocate :or anoter alternati!e sleep
pattern< wic e calls /:ree7running sleep/. .It9s &asically eCactly wat it sounds li8e.1 And wile I don9t
dou&t tat sleeping wene!er you9re tired would &e nice< I9!e also du&&ed 0RS te only less practical sleep
scedule tan %&erman tat I9!e e!er eard o:. I simply can9t imagine a situation in wic someone wit
any responsi&ilities watsoe!er could pull tat o::.
Howe!er< I sould mention tat 6r. +oKnia8 imsel: is a !ery respected weirdo< and a lot o: wat
e9s written< I :ound to &e &ot creati!e and well7in:ormedJ and were not< at least really interesting. I
certainly wouldn9t attempt to discredit im or is &ody o: wor8 as a wole. It9s ?ust un:ortunate tat e
seems to a!e ad an agenda< and a lot o: &ad in:ormation< wen it came to writing a&out polypasic sleep.
Appendi # <7 9esources
Here9s a collection o: some o: te resources tat I :ound use:ul :or researcing< adapting to< and
continuing my education a&out polypasic sleep
79
.
A9T! C"6S J 2"8:S
"he Hoogle =polyphasic= Hroup at ttp$LLgroups.google.comLgroupL4olypasic is a great place to
startJ teir arci!es are a penomenal resource. 6o &e aware tat< as is o:ten te case on te Internet<
sometimes people in te group wo really don9t 8now sHuat go spouting o:: teir opinions< so i: you read
someting eCtraordinary< cec8 wit te group .& especially te moderators1 &e:ore deciding to &elie!e it.
"he Polyphasic 5iki is an eCcellent general in:ormation source$
ttp$LLpolypasicsleep.in:o
'teve Pavlina's Polyphasic 'leep articles are one o: te &est &low7&y7&low descriptions o: an %&erman
adaptation out tere$ ttp$LLwww.ste!epa!lina.comL&logL233*L"3Lpolypasic7sleepL
Te 5ikipedia /rticle on Polyphasic 'leep was pulled< &ut sometimes resur:aces...I a!e noting to do
wit it$ ttp$LLen.wi8ipedia.orgLwi8iL4olypasicNsleep
My 0irst +riteup I the ,berman's 'leep 'chedule ode I *verything2.com(
ttp$LLwww.e!eryting2.comLindeC.pl,nodeNidW892*A2
'leeping 'chedules is a collection o: articles on di::erent scedules$
ttp$LLwww.sleepingscedules.comL
/ Personal /ccount of ,berman sleep by $andy .aines< as some good and some i::y in:ormation$
ttp$LLwww.oddology.netLinsomnia.tml
66+ /rticle about using Polyphasic 'leep in 'olo 'ailing(
ttp$LLnews.&&c.co.u8L"LiLu8L""8327A.stm
9arge Informational 'ite written by a Polyphaser< tis one as lots o: good in:o$
ttp$LLwww.eH8aspian.comLnapsLindeC.stml
79 ;ote$ Tis is not a &i&liograpy :or tis &oo8J I used in7line citations rater tan a &i&liograpy ere. Tis is simply a collection o: generally use:ul
resources.
Ubersleep 65
)en's Journal /rticle on Power apping< gi!es a good idea wat 8ind o: /pu&lic/ in:o is out tere$
ttp$LLwww.mens?ournal.comLealt0itnessL3>3"LnappingNpower.tml
96S6A9CH J STUD=
"he 'tanford !nline /rchives on 6uckminster #uller
ttp$LLcollections.stan:ord.eduL&uc8yL
!riginal "ime )aga7ine /rticle on 6uckminster #uller
ttp$LLwww.time.comLtimeLmagaKineLarticleL3<9"7"<77A>83<33.tml
5ikipedia *ntry on the +laudio 'tampi book, C5hy 5e apD
ttp$LLen.wi8ipedia.orgLwi8iL+yN+eN;ap$N)!olution<N5rono&iology<NandN0unctionsNo:N4olypasic
NandN%ltrasortNSleep
Journal of +linical Investigation study on 'leep and Hrowth .ormone .warning$ urts to read1
ttp$LLwww.pu&medcentral.ni.go!Larticlerender.:cgi,artidWA'>797
"he 'upermemo :&r. 5o7niak; /rticle /ttempting to &isprove Polyphasic 'leep
ttp$LLwww.supermemo.comLarticlesLpolypasic.tm
.My re&uttal$ www.puredoCy8.comLindeC.ppL233>L""L3"Lan7attac87on7polypasic7sleepL 1
"ranscript of Kideo 'pot on Cap 'alonsD and why naps benefit working adults
ttp$LLwww.ealtology.comLsleep7disordersLsleep7disorders7newsL!ideoA2A7.tm
/rticle on ProKigil :modafinil;
ttp$LLwww.ealtology.comLsleep7disordersLsleep7disorders7newsLarticle"2*8.tm
'late.com $eporter's Personal *xperiment with ProKigil :modafinil;
ttp$LLwww.slate.comLidL2379""'L
*xtensive :very enthusiastic; ew 'cientist article on )odafinil
ttp$LLwww.newscientist.comLarticleLmg"892*'9".'33
T88"S J US61U";6SS
"yping )aster online typing test - speed clocker
ttp$LLwww.typingmaster.com.auL?a!aLttapplet.tm
!nline C'imonD Hame :for testing memory L reflexes;
ttp$LLwww.tepcmanwe&site.comLmediaLsimonL
/l7heimer /ssociation's +omprehensive "ests :speed of thinking;
ttp$LLcogniti!ela&s.comLalKNassocNre:ertestpage2.tm
Placebo's 6log I ome o: te 'leep "rack mpMs and software to track naps
ttp$LLwww.place&o.ser!.co.KaL
66 Ubersleep
Ubersleep 67
#bout The #uthor
Te autor is a wi:e and moter< a student< a pro:essional< a
pilosoper< and a wanna&e writer. Se li!es in Micigan in te
%SA< wit :amily and a cat and a small community o: musical
instruments.
Te autor9s o&&ies are singing< writing poems and stories<
reading poems and stories< watcing 8ung :u mo!ies< gee8ing out
at a Saolin temple< and ma8ing stu:: out o: little :iddly &its.
Te autor :reely admits tat /4ure 6oCy8/ is not a really great
Internet andle< &ut it9s &een around a long timeJ you 8now ow
tey stic8. Also< te autor tends to use any o: a&out ten oter
Internet andles at will< &ecause you all need to &e 8ept on your
toes.
J1
)I. *Cheat Sheets* Things to cut out + use for reference
0ollowing are some Zuic8 Re:erence pages and parts o: pages< :or you to cut or tear out< :old up or ang
up< and generally use to 8ic87start your &rain on some 8ey aspects o: te polypasic transition. Gust so
you 8now< I didn9t use anyting o: tis sort wen UIU adapted 77 all I ad was a :riend< a timer and my #ig
0at Bist o: tings to do wit te eCtra time. #ut tere were many reHuests :or /5eat Seet/7li8e o&?ects<
and i: tey elp some people out< wonder:ul. As wit te rest o: tis &oo8< i: you a!e suggestions :or
impro!ement< send 9em along !ia my we&site. I9!e also tried to lea!e lots o: room on tese to write your
own notes< additions< etc. Happy ;apping=
>hy ! >ant to be Pol yphasi c7
Here or on anoter seet< write down all te reasons wy you want to &e polypasic. State your case loud
and clear< and ten 8eep tis wit you to remind yoursel: wy you aren9t going to gi!e up=
>hat i s Pol yphase?
Here9s a /ceat seet/ :or tose o: you wo want an easy way to descri&e to oters wat you9re doing.
Someone suggested memoriKing a !ersion o: tisJ someone else ad!ocated ma8ing copies o: tis to and
out to curious &ystanders 77 it9s up to you< o: course.
68 Ubersleep
$easons to be Polyphasic(NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
Polyphasic 'leep is an alternati!e sleep scedule tat aims to &e more e::icient tan /monopasic/< or
/all7at7once7at7nigt/ sleep. In a polypasic sleep scedule< se!eral naps are ta8en trougout te day
instead o: one &ig /nap/ at nigt. 6one properly< tis can reduce te o!erall sleep needed per 2A ours
:rom eigt to :our< or e!en two< ours total. Many people a!e success:ully used polypasic sleep tis
way< sometimes :or long periods o: time< and it appears to a!e no ill e::ects. It can< owe!er< &e
di::icult to get used to. 4olypasic sleep also reHuires a !ery strict scedule :or te most part 77 naps
a!e to appen on time< and i: a /polypaser/ misses a nap< it can &e as tiring as missing a wole nigt9s
sleep. Tere is !ery little scienti:ic researc tat9s &een done on polypasic sleep scedules< &ut te
community o: polypasers is always loo8ing :or opportunities to encourage some=
>hen =ou 1i rst >a$e Up
Te time immediately a:ter wa8ing is a crucial one< &ecause i: you9re tired< it can &e !ery easy to tal8
yoursel: into going &ac8 to sleep /:or ?ust a :ew minutes/. Adapted polypasers would do well to a!oid
tis a&it< as it reduces te e::iciency o: te scedule and can lead to tiredness .or e!en ruin an
esta&lised scedule1J and :or new polypasers< it9s critical tat tis &ea!ior &e a!oided< or adaptation will
not occur. Here9s a ceat seet wit some ideas :or getting past tat /sleep inertia/. @ou can carry tis
list< ang it up< etc.< &ut I9!e always li8ed te idea o: laying it o!er your :ace wile you sleep= J1
2efore you :o To Sl eep
-: course< many good wa8e7up plans &egin wit ta8ing certain actions &e:ore you go to sleep. Many o:
tese were discussed elsewere in tis &oo8< &ut ere9s a Huic87re:erence list .and space to write your own
ideas1 o: tings tat can &e elp:ul to do rigt &e:ore you ta8e a nap tat you suspect you9ll a!e di::iculty
wa8ing up :rom$
>hen you :et Ti red
Ay< ere9s te ru&$ +en you get really tired< it9s ard to ma8e decisions< especially good ones. Te &ody
tends to ta8e te route o: least resistance< wic almost always means ma8ing an eCcuse wy you sould
go aead and go to sleep :or a wile. #ut te &ody is a liar wen it9s tiredJ tat /:ew minutes/ or /?ust
closing your eyes/ will turn into ours &e:ore you 8now it< and all te ard wor8 you9!e put into adapting
to a polypasic scedule so :ar will &e :or naugt. Te only real way to succeed in adopting a new a&it
Ubersleep 69
,pon 5aking( G%M4 %4= U B)AF) te room immediately U SI;(=
T%R; -; some music< TF< or oter noise U 5ABB someone U 6A;5)
6o some )Q)R5ISI;( U Ma8e some 0--6 U 5ange 5B-TH)S U
SH-+)R U +ABK somewere U -r :ollow your own R-%TI;)$
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
6efore 'leeping( Start ma8ing some 0--6 to eat wen you get up U rotate ABARMS
start an interesting 4R-G)5T U watc te :irst &it o: a M-FI) U do a 4)4 TABK
ma8e te room a little 5-B6 U ma8e 4BA;S wit someone< in real li:e or online
set someting tat needs to STA@ 0R-V); out on te counter U -r :ollow your own R-%TI;)$
as :undamental as a sleep scedule is to gi*e no quarter%
?@
6on9t &e :ooled into tin8ing tat it9s o8ay to ?ust
rest :or a second< to ?ust lay your ead down< to ?ust sit in &ed and read...li8e a sleaKy :irst date< te &rainL
&ody will pull all 8inds o: stunts to get you into a compromising position. -: course< te &est de:ense is
still a good o::ense$ I: your #ig 0at Bist o: Tings To 6o
8"
is nice and &ee:y< i: you can manage to a!e
someting else going on almost all te time< you9ll &e relati!ely immune :rom te really tric8sy nudges to
sleep 77 to say it anoter way< the human mind is a formidable adversary, but thankfully it's easily
distracted. -n te oter and< e!en te #iggest< 0attest Bist can9t possi&ly co!er e!ery second. @ou9ll
e!entually it a moment wen your ead is &uKKing :rom tiredness and you realiKe tat you9re out of
Ssuita&leT things to do 77 wat now,
Te answer< o: course< is anoter list$ An )mergency #ac8up #ig 0at Bist< i: you will. 0or me< tis was a
section at te top o: my usual #ig 0at Bist< wic I igligted and told mysel:< /;o matter ow tired I
get< I9m not allowed to e!en contemplate resting until I9!e done all these tings./ Tat9s one approac.
Anoter approac is to go troug te items one at a time or pic8 one< &ut &eware tin8ing too ard
a&out it< since te &rain9s de:ault answer will almost certainly &e /@ea< none o: tat loo8s good...let9s go
to sleep/. Tis #ac8up list is more o: an )mergency list tan a usual oneJ it assumes tat you9re tired< and
tat you9!e done or run out o: all te oter ideas< and tat you9re down to ta8ing desperate measures.
Tus< tere are some tings ere tat are di::erent :rom te oter lists in tis &oo8.
@ou9ll notice tat some tings wic are present on most oter lists are not present ere 77 tings li8e
eCercise. Tat9s &ecause tis list assumes tat you9re already tired< and so it9s a!oiding items tat migt
ma8e you more tired.
82
Keep tis in mind as you add to or modi:y it :or your own needs.
Tere9s also some rater weird items on ere$ tere9s /Tal8 to yoursel:/< and /6o te Su::le/. +at I
mean &y te :ormer is< simply< old a running dialog. It doesn9t matter a&out watJ ?ust 8eep tal8ing.
Silence encourages sleep< wereas tal8ing tells your &rain tat tere9s acti!ity going on. /Te Su::le/ is
an idea tat was gi!en to me &y a woman I ad te good :ortune to tal8 wit :or a wile< wo did te
%&erman scedule :or o!er a year .at leastJ se stopped anging out online wile se was still doing it1.
6ue to er wor8< se had to dri!e during her Uberman adaptation 77 yea< te mere idea gi!es me te
sudders. #ut se :igured out ow to sta!e o:: te sleepies$ #y systematically tigtening te muscles in
er &ody< on rotation. Toes< :eet< legs< &utt< stomac< soulders< arms< nec8< :ingers...and so :ort. I9m
ama7ed at ow well tis wor8s as a sort7sort term< immediate solution< and I success:ully used it mysel:
wen I ad to dri!e during my adaptation and :elt mysel: starting to :uKK out. Tan8s< Heidi=
Ten tere9s< um< /tat ting grownups do/. #y wic I mean autoerotic stimulation or pornograpy<
owe!er you li8e it. .I didn9t put it tat way on te list< &ecause< well< someone else migt see your list=1
(iggle7:its aside< loo8< te sleep portion o: te &rain is power:ul< so it ma8es sense to &attle it wit oter
power:ul parts o: te &rain< rigt, And we all 8now tat te &rain leaps to attention wene!er tere9s seC
in!ol!ed. -nly one ca!eat$ I strongly suggest tat< &e:ore &eginning any suc acti!ity< you a!e someting
else to do a:terwards in mind. #ecause you9re all te more li8ely to :eel li8e sleep is a good idea ten. Still<
/I9m going to organiKe my soc8s/ is not nearly as compelling a personal mandate as /I9m going to
torougly en?oy mysel: :or ten minutes and then organiKe my soc8s./ Also< 8eep in mind weter
orgasm typically ma8es you tired or gi!es you energy 77 it9s di::erent :or di::erent people.
As you9!e pro&a&ly noticed< tere are se!eral !ersions o: /lists o: tings to do wen you get tired/ in tis
&oo8. In my opinion< you can9t a!e too many ideas at and :or tis situationJ :eel :ree to miC tem up as
you need to.
83 Tat9s rigt< my neCt pro?ect is a &oo8 o: 4olypasic #attle 5ries. J1
8" See 4age 2>
82 )Cercising migt &e :ine< as long as you don9t a!e long to go &e:ore your neCt nap. #ut you wouldn9t want to :inis a round o: pus7ups and ten realiKe
tat you9re now tired UandU pysically eCausted< and you9!e still got an our to go=
70 Ubersleep
Habi ts and Successes
It can &e ard :or many people to 8eep trac8 o: wat tey9!e tried and wat9s &een success:ul< especially
wen twea8ing a scedule or trou&lesooting a pro&lem nap. Tis last 5eat Seet is ?ust a place :or you
to write tings tat you9!e tried and ow o:ten tey wor8ed< so tat you can a!e a place to loo8 and see
tat< :or instance< sleeping on te couc isn9t wor8ing :or you< &ut eating lunc early is elping. In my
eCperience at least< :i!e or siC times usually tells wen a :iC is li8ely to wor8< toug don9t :orget tat it
will ta8e a mont to truly get used to any canges you ma8e. @ou may also try di::erent tings to :iC one
certain issue< in wic case ?ust lea!e te eCtraneous /Issue/ lines &lan8< or use tem :or notes.
Ubersleep 71
/n *mergency 6ackup 6#9( +al8 in 5IR5B)S U Tal8 to @-%RS)B0
6o te SH%00B) U SI;( or R)5IT) poetry U 6o THAT THI;( grownups do
5ew or suc8 on I5) U 6o someting M@ST)RI-%S .li8e drawing Tarot cards< :or instance1
U Tend to 4BA;TS U 6%ST e!ery corner o: a room U Add your own ideas$
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
Issue( NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
+hange made( NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
*ffect of E
st
try( pos L neut L neg 2
nd
try( pos L neut L neg M
rd
( pos L neut L neg
3
th
( pos L neut L neg F
th
( pos L neut L neg @
th
( pos L neut L neg
*ffect of E
st
nd
rd
( pos L neut L neg
3
th
$ pos L neut L neg F
th
$ pos L neut L neg @
th
$ pos L neut L neg
*ffect of E
st
nd
rd
( pos L neut L neg
3
th
$ pos L neut L neg F
th
th
$ pos L neut L neg
*ffect of E
st
nd
rd
( pos L neut L neg
3
th
( pos L neut L neg F
th
th
$ pos L neut L neg
*ffect of E
st
nd
rd
( pos L neut L neg
A
t
$ pos L neut L neg *
t
$ pos L neut L neg >
t
$ pos L neut L neg
). Changelog
Tis is Fersion -ne o: te %&ersleep &oo8J tere a!e &een no ma?or canges so :ar. -r I sould say<
tere a!e &een a wole ra&id slew o: canges< &ut tey9re all considered part o: te process o: writing
and so< tan8:ully< I don9t a!e to enumerate tem yet. J1
72 Ubersleep
,'(D,
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Using Polyphasic Sleep Schedules to

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