Everyman Sleeping Schedule - An account

[Nekxyu]

So, the day before yesterday I was derping and browsing like normal; being the usual tab-o-holic.

I usually have 50-100 tabs open at a time. Suddenly (I honestly cannot recall how I got linked there), I spot a tab I've got that's called "Uberman - Polyphasic Sleep". So I open it up, and read some.

With the Uberman, you only sleep 2 hours every day (split up in 6 20-minute naps), but you still get more REM sleep (the only important one) than most people usually do. In fact, successful subjects all report that they are more aware and awesome than when using a typical monophasic (8 hour) sleeping schedule. Unfortunately you have to be very strict about the times that you nap, and the acclimatization process while your brain gets used to booting you straight into REM sleep is described as literally hellish. But people have lived for years on this schedule, so it's not unhealthy, obviously.

Now, the blogger who originally started all the fuss about this later finished college, got a family, all that fun. That would wreak havoc with her Uberman schedule which must be tight, so she experimented a bit and discovered the Everyman. You sleep a bit more (4h/day, split up as 1x3h and 3x20min), but the times you have to sleep are suddenly far more variable, thus allowing for a more flexible schedule and busy life. Also, acclimatization is far more gentle, though it takes a longer time since you're not red-lighting all of your body's emergency beacons. Unfortunately, it still takes a great deal of willpower to get used to. Once you are, however, you're awesome.

Equipped suddenly with this new knowledge, I remembered that I always remark that I hate having problems getting up every day, and that I never have enough time in the day. I checked with a few friends (like "Woah dude is this shit real?"), and discovered that one of my friends whom I've been out of physical contact with for a while has been running the Everyman schedule for half a year now, and loves it.

So in a snap decision, I decided that I would be awesome as well. This was to be my new schedule:

Sleep:
03:00 - 06:00
11:10 - 11:30 (fits neatly with break in between classes)
16:25 - 16:45
21:40 - 22:00

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*clears throat and puts on wizard hat*

The Year twenty-eleven of the Modern Age. Here follows the account of Nekxyu, High King of His Own Bloody Room and the finding of the Sleeping Schedule of Power.

"It has come to me, the One Sleeping Schedule. It shall be an heirloom of my kingdom. All those who follow in my bloodline shall be bound to its fate for I will risk no hurt to the Schedule. It is precious to me, though I buy it with great pain. The markings in my mind begin to fade. The will to succeed, which at first was as clear as red flame, has all but disappeared. A secret now that only fire (and my alarm clock) can tell."

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So, cue yesterday morning, I wake up at 6:00 after only three hours of sleep. First thought... "OH HELL NO WHY AM I DOING THIS SLEEP SLEEP SLEEP... *yawn* Ahmmmm... this pillow is kinda nice..."

Two hours later: "FUCK!"

Punish that pillow. Yeah. By sleeping on it. That'll teach it.

Three hours even later: "FUCK!"

Yeah. Fail.

But! Uncowed by my pathetic failure, I napped three times on schedule that day, and made an attempt again today.

With a mighty heave of willpower that would bring an ele(oli)phant to its knees, I got up. Sleep-deprived, I woke my friend whom I'd just spunked into doing this with me (We're on a college). Damn. I'm actually up now. And I feel like a zombie. Gotta pass the time. So, it's goddamn cold and dark and gloomy outside. Let's take a walk. Then grab a cup of tea. Perhaps even eat some breakfast. Yow. Now I feel sick.

(Note, I am NOT used to eating breakfast. I get up 5-10 minutes before school, run at my bicycle and charge that shit like there's no tomorrow. It has always been like this. Eating breakfast makes me feel sick and want to vomit, even though I'm always hungry in the morning.)

The reality of the entire thing occurs to me. I've made a decision. It is too late to back down now. I cannot, will not live with myself if I do not succeed now!

That is why I will inflict upon ye poor bastards the chronicles of my epic clash with oversleeping, sleeping, breakfast and all their ilk.

[Terrog]

The last sentence was unclear, do you intend to keep on with magic sleep?

Usually you get more and longer REM sleep if you are more tired and sleep less but that doesn't mean that it's the only important part of sleep. I generally stay away from those kind of wonder-ways of interrupting into healthy physiology of my body. In long-term it might bring out some very very unpleasant effects so why take the risk. Like memory impairment for instance.

With that said I have EXACTLY the same problems as you do and I ride a bike too like yourself (I need 30 minutes if I ride really fast). Try to eat at least something and sip tea for breakfast as it is very important. Why exactly is it important I can not say as I have yet to learn that but we have been told so by lecturers and also a doctor mentioned it to me.

[Malgunn]

Daaaaamn.....

when you die i hope you drop good loot, Cos that cannot be good. i have heard of the Army adopting that same stance, but they also take potassium tablets and Vits in order to balance the bodies lack of working. Sleeps not just for the REM cycle there a other vastly important functions going on.

Get some sleep!

M

[Nekxyu]

Yes, I intend to continue, and deliberate on my painful progress in here, if you please

When a person I know and implicitly trust has been doing this for half a year - and feels great - better than before, in fact.

When a person whom that person knows and trusts implicitly has been doing this for four years - and feels great - better than before (and tried going back to monophasic once because of life getting in the way. I'm told the swearing was legendary, and the adjustment back to Everyman came as soon as the person could tell RL to shove it.)

When several people on the internet have blogged about doing this for years, in detail, with no harmful effects, nay, strictly positive ones, while being regularly examined by doctors who told them they were a-okay.

When several people throughout history have been rumored to use this way of sleeping Leonardo da Vinci, among others, and one has been fully documented as having lived this way almost all of his life, with no detrimental effects.

When some scientific studies suggest that this style of sleeping may in fact be the one we used back when we were all cavemen or living on the savannah.

When theories exist that the 8-hour sleeping schedule is a consequence of our society being as it is now, since it's a lot easier to manage when everyone is awake at the same time. (Makes sense to me, if you take the rest into context)

That is when I trust that this stuff works, and does not harm you.

Please, I don't do stuff like this to myself without researching in detail whether or not it would be harmful. I am not stupid xD

[Malgunn]

I may have come accross overly harsh... this was not my intention. I myself have tried some 'alternative' techniques. I didn't eat for 11 days save for some palm/mayple (natural) syrup with a dash of lemon and water. I lost 3 and half stone in that time and a futher 3 over the next 2 months as my body and mindset changed towards food and eating habits.

All i am saying is our bodies have changed massively since leonardos day!

I wish you all the best with it though and will be following your experiment. I wish i could do it also but fear my partner and child would think im mad, and power naps are banned in the office!

M

[Nekxyu]

Addendum:

In my mind, the worst possible case has been calculated to be:

This screws you over if you do it for decades at a time. In which case I'll be well warned by the people who start failing.

Meanwhile, I have at least 5 years where I can gain 25% more time safely. That's ~8-9 months of extra time awake.

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(Saw Malgunn's post)

Thanks!

Also, what a horrible office. You have my sincerest condolences

And, somebody thinking you're mad is really enough to reconsider stuff like this? Huh. No offense meant, that's just a fairly alien way of thinking to me.

I'd also like to point out that our bodies have not changed considerably since Leonardo's day. Our diet and environment has, yes, but humans have undergone essentially no genetic changes for hundreds of thousands of years, since the first Homo Sapiens.

Edit: Curse you, bad math.

[Nemene]

When I can actually sleep (damn you catalogue of chronic illnesses) I have the same pattern as the milk snatcher did when she was prime minister: four hours a night and Jack Daniel's.

[Nekxyu]

When I can actually sleep (damn you catalogue of chronic illnesses) I have the same pattern as the milk snatcher did when she was prime minister: four hours a night and Jack Daniel's.

That does sound unhealthy as hell, if you beg my pardon.

If you trust the descriptions given by the bloggers, this sleeping schedule will cure any sleeping disorders you have. It's just a different way of handling sleep.

Uberman will, at least. Nobody has tried Everyman with sleeping disorders yet, as far as I can ascertain.

[JenDoon]

This is beyond cool, and given my girlfriend is off to Poland in 3 days and I have 2 weeks of solitude in my flat..I feel an experiment coming on!

There is something to be said for letting your body sleep naturally I feel. If I go to sleep at night, I usually sleep about 6 hours, no more than 8 per night without being woken up.

However, I have experimented with wacky sleeping times when I was researching some occult/spiritual practices and I can testify that your body will adjust to anything, almost.

Whether or not it's natural doesn't matter much if it works. Time is precious. If we can remain totally healthy, keep memory intact and concentration levels etc with limited and controlled sleep..rock on.

I feel this is only for young people or those without families. Still, if I get into the TOR beta I'll be doing this without any plan!

[Terrog]

Yes, I intend to continue, and deliberate on my painful progress in here, if you please


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stuff
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Please, I don't do stuff like this to myself without researching in detail whether or not it would be harmful. I am not stupid xD

Hmm I'm intrigued actually, I may even come up with a presentation about this for the uni (can I include you as a research object? ) if all of this is as real as you say it is. Either way I'll be following your posts very intensely.

With that said, could you link some of your favorite articles? It's it's from a science magazine (or a med journal) that would be golden.