Polyphasic sleep: reviews, "theory", personal experience

Lack of time - one of our main concerns. And do not miss him not only to work, but also to rest, physical and moral. The temptation "otest" missing hours we have such a poorly understood in many ways, like a dream.

Accordingly, the lack of sleep - the second big problem for modern man (and at the same time, which is typical, it usually did not solve the first one). Go to bed on time often stupidly did not want: there is such a bad feeling that if in life remain only a dream and work.

Time - this means reserving at least sleep 8 hours, as we were all taught. But in the end in fact most of us slept 6 hours, and then "off" weekend. But although these 6 hours for little sleep, they are still too much in a day: the desire (and trends!) "Cut" sleep more - do not disappear. In search of a magic pill "how little sleep and sleep very well," I, like probably many others, once came upon the doctrine of polyphasic sleep.

What is this?


This phenomenon even has an article on Wikipedia. It is also called (quite wrongly) "dream da Vinci" and "wolf dream." According to legend, common among the fans of "polifazy" Leonardo slept that way, due to which he had studied, to invent and create so much. Alas, it's fake. Second name owes its existence to the fact that sleep many animals in the wild close to the police rather than a monophasic. But there are no specific studies on this subject, it seems, has not been.

Polyphasic sleep - sleep is not "en bloc", 8 h. A day, and gradually at regular intervals. Total time when it is reduced, until only 2 h. Per day (depending on which mode is specifically selected you). Describes several possible modes.

The habit of taking a nap in the afternoon, it turns out, makes it possible to classify its media practitioners polyphasic sleep - this mode "Siesta", sleep 5-6 hours. At night and still 1-1, 5 hours. The after dinner.

More unusual and hard modes:

«Everyman»: 1 time 1, 5-3 hr. At night and 3 x 20 min. during the day.

«Dymaxion»: 4 x 30 min. during a day at regular intervals, i.e. every 6 hours.

«Uberman»: 6 times at 20 min. during a day at regular intervals, i.e. every 4 hours.

Finally, there is a story that Nikola Tesla adhered to a particular mode of polyphasic sleep, named in his honor, "Tesla": 1 times 2 h. At night and 1 time for 20 minutes. day. As is the case with Leonardo, no reliable historical evidence that does not exist.

If you do not take the proverbial "Siesta", the practice does basically attempts to apply «Everyman», «Dymaxion» and «Uberman» (judging by the reports of experimenters on the web).

I myself have tried a half years ago polyphasic sleep. Being a man (hopefully) reasonable and cautious, then I tried to gather as much information about this phenomenon, to form a sensible attitude. That's what happened.

«Testimonies»

Currently indeed relatively many reports of people who have tried "polifazu" (and for the past year and a half they became even more). In runet such reports can be easy to find two or three dozen.

A number of them can be immediately rejected as not meeting the criteria of adequacy and reliability. For example, in reports with spelling and grammatical errors, "torn" texts; Article posted on sites that promote personal effectiveness bad poshiba ("Supermetod: stop to sleep, to become a new person and start earning five days!"), I was not paying attention.

In contrast, a number of other reports give the impression of authenticity. For example, posting to a blog where you can read and write and the other to form an opinion about the author in their context.

Total final impression was: it works.

Most reports were positive: tried - out. Described a number of negative rather fail than any dire consequences of the experiment. Then, six years ago, I found only one report, which stated that the outcome of attempts to polyphasic sleep have become a serious malfunction, following the transition to normal (by the way, this report was among the "reliable»).

And the majority of negative reports in this case it was clear that the authors violated the cardinal rule of transition to polyphasic sleep: do not stand the new regime clearly slipping, so it goes "neither fish nor fowl." A successfully pass heavily felt by the transition period, according to the guru of this topic, it is possible only if a consistent approach and clarity, avoiding disruptions in the new regime.

The main source

By the way, about the guru. Although the idea of ​​a la polyphasic sleep often gather around them a certain sektochku (or even an entire sect ...), the circle is not quite adequate fans, this time I do not for what came across. And that's good.

The most detailed, summarizing a personal experience and not just a book on polyphasic sleep is written a certain American living in Michigan, known under the nickname PureDoxyk. At this young lady also has a twitter, and probably excavations on the web could allow to know her name and biography, but I do not do. The book claims that the author has a degree in philosophy, practice polyphasic sleep for many years and feel great.

The book is very well written, and it is felt even in the Russian "nadmozgovom" translation. The author - a person with brains and charisma. Text downright hung Disclaimer, I encourage readers to polyphasic sleep responsibly transition to exercise clearly and not make it an excuse for a messy and inefficient sleep. And then ...

Here we are, in fact, go to the theory. Well, that is a "theory».

«Theory" is

Dream, as we know, is divided into phases of slow sleep and rapid, and the lion's share of our holiday takes it slow sleep. He allegedly not so good for the body as fast, and that they followers "polifazy" offer negligible.

In the transition to the regime of polyphasic sleep, the brain learns to "dive" into REM sleep immediately, bypassing the stage of slow. When the transition is fully committed, "a zombie state", which is characteristic for this period passes. Man is able to sleep much less time during the day relaxing at the same time in the same high-grade, as well as an 8-hour sleep, and all due to "overshoot" "unnecessary" phase of slow wave sleep. Full transition, by the way, takes about a month, and the "zombie state" lasts about 10 days, subject to strict adherence to the new regime. When it is violated, it is delayed.

Polyphasic sleep is natural for humans as well as animals (remember the "wolf dream"). Since babies sleep. This mode is often a natural way people come in extreme conditions: in the war, for example.

Everything said above about the "theory" - not my personal point of view, namely the foundation, which brings under his experiments supporters "polifazy." To me it seems at least controversial and very common. Nevertheless, the presence of positive reports on the Web, the charm of the book and the desire PureDoxyk magic pill prompted me to try.

For myself, I decided this way: it is clear that even if the theory is wrong, "polifaza" takes place in practice. If the stars are lit, then it's someone who needs it. Perhaps such a regime for a person provided as extreme, and inflicts damage only in the long term.

I just retired from office work to freelance - and decided to try it. Like most of whose reports I found on the Net, I took mode «Uberman», developed, actually, PureDoxyk.

How was it

I have to say that I did not last long. I did not repeat the mistake of many experimenters and withstand periods of sleep and wakefulness is very clear. I ran into another problem, which many write - the inability to wake up; I always heard the alarm and found the will to rise.

I remade a number of cases to which six months could not walk hand (for example, covered with oily soot washed kitchen cupboard), and half way through the game Call of Cthulhu - in those night when you just could not do anything else, because the head does not realize .

I stopped the experiment on the third day, when faced with a problem, which I did not warn any one record - heart started to hurt. Not too much, but every time the very specific movements. I was afraid, noted in the logbook: "end" and went to sleep off.

On the one hand, these problems I have neither earlier nor later was not, but on the other - until the pain appeared, in fact, the experiment began with a dream - apparently as a result of a few days completely promiscuous mode and an earlier, unrelated to this experience lack of sleep . The new regime will only make them regular and strengthened.

Therefore, despite the experience of the final opinion on this dream, I never built. It is obvious that if the sample, then treat this very seriously attempting to need, to prepare more carefully. Although the experiment lasted a little longer, I wholly taken unusual psychological experiences that gave even worse than the lack of sleep. Sleep began to be felt some existential value, and the realization that sleep off - and in the future will not work, here's this mode - it forever - really scare.

Perhaps in the future I will try again. But wanting to put such experiments would like to once again warn: need training. Well, probably approach itself, when you become more efficient as such - intensive approach - is more correct than extensive: an attempt to simply "time stretch" without solving the underlying organizational problems.

Source: habrahabr.ru/post/244007/