In a world that never slows down, sleep can feel like wasted time. Polyphasic sleep promises to maximise productivity whilst cutting rest, but at what cost? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Thomas Edison once said, \u201cSleep is a criminal waste of time and a heritage from our cave days.\u201d As a society, we have a conflicted (arguably toxic) relationship with sleep. We recognise how much we need it, yet it often feels like an inconvenient necessity stealing precious hours from our relentlessly busy lives. If only we could shortcut to better sleep without missing out on all its benefits. It seems the answer could be found in a polyphasic sleep schedule, which promises to do just that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What is Polyphasic Sleep?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Dr. Mathew Weaver, a researcher from Harvard Medical School’s Sleep Division, says: \u201cHealthy sleep would be a consolidated bout of sleep throughout the night, maybe supplemented by a nap. You’d like it to be regular and you’d like it to be high quality.\u201d Most individuals follow a monophasic sleep schedule, sleeping for one consolidated period, typically at night. Some cultures engage more frequently in biphasic sleep, incorporating a core sleep at night with an additional nap in the afternoon. Polyphasic sleep, on the other hand, involves \u2018distributing sleep around the clock\u2019. Across a 24-hour period, an individual will engage in multiple short sleep episodes in an attempt to minimise sleep time while maximising productivity. Four popular polyphasic schedules are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Advantages of Polyphasic Sleep:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Advocates of polyphasic sleep claim that minimising rest comes with a range of benefits, including improved sleep density and stability, improved memory retention, heightened productivity and improved learning. Famous thinkers Leonardo da Vinci and Napoleon have both credited their successes, at least in part, to versions of these routines. A polyphasic schedule has also been found to enhance lucid dreaming, a state in which an individual becomes aware they are dreaming and may even gain some control over their dream. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The issue with these supposed benefits is that they remain largely anecdotal. Instead, a significant body of research highlights the adverse effects of polyphasic sleep compared to a standard monophasic schedule. Throughout his research, Dr. Weaver is yet to find any scientific evidence which supports these schedules, due to academic literature being sparse. \u201cOne reason for this is because these schedules are not sustainable and it’s also not a community which lends itself to evidence based research that much\u201d, he says. Many online advocates claim that after a few weeks adjustments, the true benefits of polyphasic sleep can be experienced. Dr. Weaver argues that the only reason for this phenomenon is due to extreme sleep deprivation. \u201cAfter you attempt this for two or three weeks, you’re so tired that you can initiate sleep at different times of the day. That doesn’t mean you’re successfully adapting, it means you’re pathologically sleepy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Disadvantages of Polyphasic Sleep:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Two issues are inherent to a polyphasic sleep schedule: acute and chronic sleep deficiency and circadian misalignment. Circadian misalignment disrupts essential biological processes, impacting immune function and hormone regulation, which over time can have long-term cardiovascular implications \u201cSimilarly chronic sleep deprivation has been associated with adverse metabolic function, depressed mood, irritability and decreased performance.\u201d says Dr. Weaver. This layering of acute and chronic sleep deprivation means \u2018there are essentially no positives\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe have circadian rhythms in nearly all of our cells that are driven by a transcription, translation feedback look at a molecular level\u201d, says Dr. Weaver. These internal clocks regulate various rhythms in the body, one of the most crucial being the rhythm of wakefulness. Every 24 hours, the cycle restarts, and if aligned with our sleep schedule, allows us to experience the full benefits of restorative sleep. \u201cIdeally, you wake in the morning and begin accumulating sleep pressure throughout the day which is opposed by a wake maintenance zone in the evening.\u201d says Dr. Weaver. During the day, our circadian alerting signals rise to keep us awake and engaged. In the evening, these signals gradually reside, coinciding with the release of melatonin about an hour before our habitual bedtime. This allows us to have one consolidated sleep. For this ideal sleep\/wake routine to take place, the clocks in all our cells must be kept at the same time. This synchronisation is managed by the suprachiasmatic nucleus, which has a \u2018direct connection\u2019 to the light we perceive in our outside environment. \u201cSo our exposure to light determines the timing of our circadian rhythms”, says Dr. Weaver.<\/p>\n\n\n\n By fragmenting sleep throughout the day, polyphasic sleep schedules work against our circadian rhythms. Instead of relying on hormones to stimulate sleep and wake, individuals rely on alarm clocks. Dr. Elizabeth Klerman, a professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School, emphasises the importance of people sleeping until they \u2018spontaneously awaken\u2019. \u201cUsing an alarm clock means you haven’t slept enough. An analogy is stopping in the washing machine in the middle of the rinse cycle. Why would you do that?\u201d says Dr. Klerman. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Should you try it?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI do not recommend anyone living in today’s society to use a polyphasic sleep schedule.\u201d says Dr. Klerman. She suggests that those considering a polyphasic schedule because they can’t set aside six to nine hours should question what obligations are preventing this. \u201cArranging your life to accommodate a consolidated sleep will be much better for your sleep, mood, alertness and safety\u201d. However, for individuals with non-traditional work schedules, finding enough time for this is not always possible. Dr. Klerman says, “If you truly ‘can\u2019t’, then you should aim for the longest possible nighttime sleep and then a daytime nap.\u201d Dr. Weaver supports this approach, advocating for a biphasic schedule that includes an anchor sleep and a strong supplemental sleep. He defines an anchor sleep\/core sleep as a \u201cchunk of time that you will always be able to sleep, ideally for as long as possible.\u201d The length of this period can differ, but should always be placed in an individual’s biological night. For a shift worker, that may be during the day. This should be complemented with a strong supplemental sleep, aka a long nap. \u201cNot everyone fits that pattern necessarily\u201d, Dr. Weaver acknowledges. \u201cSo we do encourage people who are sleep deprived to sleep when they can. But it’s not ideal. It’s more of trying to make the best out of a bad situation than designing a desirable sleep schedule.\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For those interested in unusual sleeping patterns:<\/p>\n\n\n\n In a world that never slows down, sleep can feel like wasted time. 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