Suggestion for biphasic / polyphasic sleep

[kptan]

Hi guys,

I was looking for some expertise on what sleep schedule to use. I have commitments from 7am - 3pm, and 4pm - 8pm. If I am better off just using monophasic, then just say so (although I am currently only sleeping about 7 - 6.5 hours each night), but I have read about being able to get less sleeping time with biphasic or polyphasic sleep. I could probably also sleep between 11:45 - 12:45, but I wouldn't be able to keep that up regularly. Any suggestions?

[Bgare]

I would do a big 6 hour chunk somewhere between 8pm and 7am and get a 20 minute nap in between 3-4pm.

It doesn't really seem like you'd be saving that much time, but I think you'd find yourself enjoying it more after a few weeks.

I recently went from my 8 hour chunk to doing this and found that it was tiring at first, but I had far more effective time during my day. Due to inflexible work and 12 hour shifts I had to ditch it, and I miss it a lot.

I really recommend splitting your sleep though, if only to try it. So long as you give it a fair chance, it should convince you that there's no reason to sleep more in a single big chunk.

[Came]

You could try an everyman sleep schedule.

15:20-15:40 (20mins) Sleep
15:40-21:00 (5hrs 20mins) Awake
21:00-21:20 (20mins) Sleep
21:20-02:00 (4hrs 40mins) Awake
02:00-06:30 (4hrs 30mins Sleep
06:30-15:20 (8hrs 50mins) Awake

It will take a while to get used to but this fits nicely around your schedule. You will sleep for 5.2 hours and be awake for 18.8 hours.

[kptan]

Thanks Cameron, that fits around my schedule great in fact! I'll take your word that that is enough sleep, and now I just need to find a vacation long enough to adjust.

I may try BGare's method for a while at first, just to get used to multi-block sleeping.