So, as you may (or may not) have noticed, I haven’t blogged in a long time. Not since Wordcamp Dallas/Ft. Worth in fact. Trust me, it isn’t because I don’t like you. I do, I really do. I’ve just been so busy as of late that all of my free time has been spent investing in relationships so that I stay sane.
I’ve been so busy that I’ve had to continue to push my personal Thematic child-theme portfolio & blog redesign back a few times (something I really want & need to do). It is coming along, but it is getting me frustrated. Don’t get me wrong! I love having enough work that I’m able to eat, but it seems that I’m always working, every free minute I’m designing & developing for clients instead of getting something done for myself that will be much more beneficial to my independent contractor (fancy for freelance) career in the long run. And even when I am with friends “rejuvenating”, I still am thinking/brainstorming for the project at hand.
The point is, I’m getting desperate I think, and for mental stability’s sake I’m afraid something dramatic might be needed.
Enter: The Everyman Polyphasic Sleep Schedule
In only a short description, the everyman sleep schedule is an alternative sleep schedule in which you have one 3 hour core sleep session and 3 twenty minute nap sessions.
If you are good at math, then you realize that is only 4 hours of sleep a day, and quickly following, you realize that sounds incredibly crazy.
I’ll be honest, it does. And, after much thought and one previous run in with polyphasic sleep back when I was in college I found out very intimately that it is.
My Everyman sleep schedule
But enough of that Nay-saying, I could write pages summarizing the main arguments on how it is a bad idea… Let’s talk about how it is a good idea. After the adjustment period, I’d have a fully functioning 20 hour day. Typically, if you want an effective 20 hour day you bleed coffee and red bull and then the whole rest of the week is usually a total wash because you are totally crashed.
With the various polyphasic sleep schedules you literally train your body to dive into the REM phase of sleep almost immediately which allows you to gain extra hours in the day. A possible extra added bonus is much more vivid dreams, people have reported to have amazingly vivid dreams as well as a clarity in recalling them. An extra creative boost, totally rad, right?
I’ll be honest, there isn’t a whole lot of ‘scientific’ research into the mental & physical long term effects but one google search and find a plethora of first hand testimony. I’m telling you through my blog about it because if I tell the world and keep tabs on the process I feel like I’ve got a sort of responsibility to following through. If I just keep it in my head, I’m sure I’ll fold after a month or so.
Here is the plan. 3 hour core nap from 4:30 am – 7:30 am, followed by a 5 hour shift or work. 1 20 minute nap from 12:30 pm – 12:50 pm, followed by another 5 hour shift. Another 20 minute nap from 5:50 pm – 6:10 pm, followed by another 5 hour shift. The last 20 minute nap is from 11:10 pm – 11:30 pm followed by the final 5 hour shift.
Initially, I want to stay as disciplined with the regimen as possibly as I can. The everyman schedule has reported advantages of being much more flexible in that you have a deviation time of about an hour or so for your naps without totally killing yourself or the rotation (missing a nap in the Uberman sleep schedule is like missing a full nights sleep). That is the plan, and this is the first week I’m doing it. It is already going to well, look what I’ve done in 20 minutes of my 4-5.5 hours of extra time! If you could text/twitter/or facebook me, I would really appreciate the encouragement and support.
So, I leave you with two questions.
A.) What is your opinion of my (maybe a little dramatic, but needed) experiement?
B.) What would you do with your extra free time if you had 20 hour days all the time?
More interested in finding out more about polyphasic sleep? Go here. More interested in first hand experience of polyphasic sleep in action? Here is a blog. And lastly, a great write up on the Everyman Sleep Schedule, here.