Due to changes in daily living, many people can now be found experimenting with different ways of both sleeping and waking. Surveys indicate that nearly one-third of working adults struggle to maintain a regular nighttime routine, and an increasing number of people are trying unstructured methods to obtain quality sleep as a means of improving overall health and wellness.
Millions of internet users worldwide are showing a great interest in these various sleep methods, and search engines have shown a steady increase in the number of people searching for terms related to alternative sleep cycles over the last five years.
Some famous people, such as Leonardo Da Vinci, Nikola Tesla, and Buckminster Fuller, also dabbled with nontraditional sleeping patterns as a means of increasing their creativity and clarity of thought.
In this blog article, we will take an evidence-based approach to this rapidly growing trend, explore some of its many potential advantages, and also address the concerns raised by experts.
What is Polyphasic Sleep?
Polyphasic sleep is characterized by breaking up an entire day’s rest into smaller sections, rather than having just a single long period of time at night, as seen with a monophasic schedule.
Rather than sleeping for 7-9 consecutive hours, polyphasic sleep is divided into multiple segments of shorter durations taken throughout the course of the day; the number of times those segments occur depends on the individual’s chosen schedule (2, 3, or even 6 times per day).
With polyphasic sleep, the purpose is to shorten the overall amount of time you spend asleep and maintain your level of alertness by adding multiple segments of rest, so that you will not feel as tired after the long stretch of sleep.
People looking to create more hours in their routine (i.e., entrepreneurs, shift workers, artists/creators, students, athletes, etc.) are common to result from an exploration of polyphasic sleep, as well as those interested in exploring other avenues for managing their energy and productivity.
Polyphasic sleep requires strict adherence to a schedule, and thus is not a sustainable or healthy schedule for every individual.
Polyphasic Sleep Schedule
A polyphasic sleep schedule can take several different forms, but all of them divide sleep into multiple segments across 24 hours. Here’s what the most common patterns look like:
1. Biphasic Schedule
Total sleep: 6–7 hours
One long core sleep at night + one daytime nap. 5–6 hours at night + a 60–90-minute nap in the afternoon. This is the mildest form and is widely practiced in many cultures.
2. Everyman Schedule
Total sleep: 3–5 hours
A short core sleep + several short naps. 3 hours of core sleep at night + 3 naps of 20 minutes each. Popular among people who want more waking time while keeping some stability.
3. Dymaxion Schedule
Total sleep: ~2 hours
4 naps of 30 minutes spaced 6 hours apart. Extremely strict and not suitable for most people; often reported as used by Buckminster Fuller.
4. Uberman Schedule
Total sleep: ~2 hours
6–8 naps of 20–30 minutes, evenly spaced throughout the day. No core sleep at all; demands rigid timing and is difficult to maintain long-term.
5. Custom or Flexible Polyphasic Patterns
Some individuals create hybrid schedules based on lifestyle constraints—adding extra naps on heavy work days or shifting timing for shift-based jobs.
Benefits of Polyphasic Sleep
Although there isn't much research available regarding polyphasic sleeping patterns yet, many of the positive effects of practicing this type of sleep cycle are based on anecdotal reports, work efficiency studies, and sleeping pattern experimentation.
The positive effects of using a polyphasic sleep schedule will vary according to each individual's particular schedule and how well he/she consistently follow it.
1. The Possibility of Having More Waking Hours
One of the biggest reasons why individuals try a polyphasic sleep schedule is to find themselves with 2–6 more hours of wake time each day. By strategically placing naps into the daily sleep time, users can potentially shorten total sleep time. In turn, they can fit in more work, study time, or pursue creative interests without having to go to bed later each evening.
2. Increased Productivity and Focus
Many polyphasic sleep schedule users report that dividing sleep into several segments results in sustaining more alertness/function during the day. Short naps provide the user with quick restoration of mental clarity, particularly during mentally demanding work tasks or tasks that require a lot of thought.
3. Improved Time Management for Workers on Shifts
Many people who work rotating night shifts (Rotating Shifts) or whose work schedule has them working at night during non-work times can use polyphasic sleeping as a way to organize their sleeping schedule.
By doing this, they do not have to try to get the maximum sleeping hours during one overnight period, as would be necessary when trying to maintain a single extended-sleep schedule.
4. Improved Tolerance and Resiliency to Schedule Changes
Many individuals report that they have developed a greater tolerance for an irregular work schedule and have created greater resilience during difficult circumstances (travel, extended work cycles (multiple days), emergencies, long-term project-type scenarios, etc.) than before.
5. More and Less Expensive Sleeping Opportunities
Using short nap-type sleeping schedules can increase the likelihood that the body will enter into REM sleep (Rapid Eye Movement), which some people perceive as an invigorating sleep period.
The actual experiences of individuals vary greatly; individuals who utilize structured nap-based sleeping schedules report a high frequency of entering REM Sleep, as the duration of time to reach this sleep stage reduces significantly.
6. Increased Creativity through Sleep Segmentation
Creative problems or solutions can often be seen during transitional states of sleep (hypnagogic), which are created by polyphasic sleep. A series of periods of sleep offers a greater opportunity for accessing this part of your mind that contains new ideas.
7. Examples of Alternative Sleep Schedules
There are people whose lives can be particularly unpredictable due to their profession, such as an athlete, a business person, and/or a parent, for example, and so polyphasic sleep is generally beneficial for those individuals with their unpredictable schedules or the short time they have available for rest.
Should You Try Polyphasic Sleep?
You may want to consider using polyphasic sleep if your schedule is flexible, and you are able to stick to strict nap times, or if you want to try different methods of managing time.
That being said, polyphasic sleep is not the best option for most people. It can increase the risk of fatigue, mood changes, and decreased performance due to the lower total amount of sleep and the challenge of the adjustment period.
Furthermore, it is not recommended for those with health issues, large workloads, and/or safety-sensitive jobs. To summarize: while polyphasic sleep can be an interesting experiment, it is not widely accepted as a long-term sleeping method.
How to Practice Polyphasic Sleep?
To successfully adapt to polyphasic sleep, individuals should be disciplined and have a routine that allows for gradual change. Here is a step-by-step outline of how to adapt to it safely without complications:
1. Start With A Mild Schedule
Instead of trying to adapt to an intense schedule such as Uberman or Dymaxion, try the biphasic or Everyman method. These methods are easier to adjust to compared to an intense sleeping schedule and have less of an impact on your daily life.
2. Schedule Your Sleep/Napping Routine
Make sure to create a fixed time period for your core sleep and nap time. Consistency is extremely important! Changing any of these times by as little as 15–20 minutes can disrupt the adaptation period.
3. Short Nap Periods and Timed Naps
When napping, keep the nap length between 20–30 minutes. Longer naps tend to bring about deeper levels of sleep, which makes waking from the nap at its end difficult and affects the alertness of the individual.
4. Take A Minimum of 1–2 Weeks to Adapt
You will probably feel tired and low in energy for the first week of adjusting to your new routine. It typically requires a week for most individuals to adjust to their modified sleeping pattern.
5. Maintain Healthy Routines
Drink plenty of water and do not eat heavy meals shortly before naps; ensure that your bedroom is kept completely dark and quiet; and spend some time in bright lighting after waking up.
6. Log Your Daily Progress
Record your daily progress for energy levels, concentration, mood, and performance. If you continue to feel excessively fatigued, suffer from headaches, or have cognitive difficulties after 2 weeks of attempting this method, discontinue the experiment.
7. Refrain from Activities During the Adaptation Phase
When your body experiences reduced sleep, it can negatively impact your reaction time, so do not attempt to drive, operate machinery, or perform any complicated tasks while you are still determining how your body will respond to the decreased sleep time.
Risks of Polyphasic Sleep
While polyphasic sleeping may seem attractive because it would allow people to have additional waking hours in a day, polyphasic sleeping has many proven and potential risks associated with it that are exacerbated by extreme sleep schedules that severely reduce one's total amount of sleep time.
1. Lack of Sleep
The majority of polyphasic sleep schedules will cause most people to be sleep-deprived on average (2-5 hours), far below the recommended range of 7–9 hours of sleep for adults. Lack of sleep on this amount would produce multiple effects on the body and mind, which could include:
-Reduced energy levels during the day
-Slower reflexes and response times
-Trouble focusing
-Greater irritability towards others
Long-term chronic sleep deprivation can cause significant negative health issues.
2. Decreased Mental Functioning
Studies have shown that being deprived of sleep or experiencing irregular patterns of sleep can hinder an individual’s ability to:
-Retain what they learned
-Learn effectively
-Solve Problems
-Make Decisions
This is especially critical for college students, professional workers, or individuals who are responsible for conducting tasks that may require extensive levels of thought and concentration.
3. Disruptions In Mood
Being exposed to an abrupt shift in sleep patterns will create emotional responses in people that can lead to:
-A heightened level of anxiety
-Mood Swings
-Depressive Signs & Symptoms
-Loss of Control Over Emotions
These feelings can occur within the first few days of adhering to an extreme sleep schedule.
4. Disruption of Hormone and Metabolism
Hormonal disturbances caused by irregular sleeping patterns influence hormones that control the following:
-Hunger level
-Stress level
-The function of the immune system.
-Blood sugar levels.
Consequently, an increasing risk of weight gain, insulin resistance, and decreased immune function can occur after prolonged exposure to irregular sleep.
5. Safety Issues with Sleep Deprivation
Sleep deprivation can cause a significant increase in:
-The incidence of microsleep during any activity.
-The delay in response time.
-Increased risk of accidents, either at home or work.
-Decreased athletic performance.
Therefore, polyphasic sleeping is not safe for anyone who has physical or high-responsibility jobs.
6. Social Lifestyle and Conflicts
Every 3 to 4 hours, scheduled naps may cause conflict with:
-Work schedules
-Family obligations
-Travel
-Personal daily activities
Generally, most individuals find it difficult to comply with strict nap schedules for long periods.
7. Severe Adjustment Period to Polyphasic Sleep
The initial 7 to 14 days of switching to a polyphasic sleeping schedule often involve severe fatigue, headache, brain fog, and poor motor skills/coordination. Many people drop out of this adjustment phase due to the discomfort experienced.
Does Polyphasic Sleep Really Work?
Where It Works
Temporary spikes in productivity: Users frequently cite a short-lived spike in 'active hours awake' within the initial few weeks of testing polyphasic sleeping.
Extreme scheduling: Military members, sailors, astronauts, etc., have all utilized polyphasic sleeping schedules during extended time periods when no primary sleep exists.
Very disciplined individuals: Although some individuals can successfully switch to polyphasic sleeping, they are generally the exception rather than the norm.
Where It Fails
Diminished long-term health and performance: Studies show that chronic restriction of sleep leads to decreased cognitive performance, sluggish glucose metabolism, delayed reflexes, and emotional instability, even if the sleep is separated into multiple naps throughout the day.
Inconsistent for most: Combining our regular work schedules, periodical obligations, or differing social lives makes it common for many to not be able to adhere to the operating hours associated with a polyphasic sleep schedule.
Deep and REM stages of sleep are diminished: Polyphasic sleeping significantly decreases the proportion of our sleep spent in deep and REM levels of sleep, which are essential for repairing and processing memory, resulting in a significant amount of sleep debt and fatigue.
Final Thoughts
Although polyphasic sleep can provide greater flexibility and more hours awake in the short term, it can be challenging to maintain and usually does not have the stamina to provide sufficient restorative sleep, resulting in decreased sleep quality, increased fatigue, and diminished capacity to perform.
While a small percentage of individuals have been able to successfully adapt to a mild version of this methodology, nighttime rest remains the healthiest and most reliable long-term approach to sleep.
