How to sleep 4, 5 hours a day and be productive

What is polyphasic sleep

It is believed that the norm of sleep for a person is 8 hours a day, preferably without interruptions and at night.

The idea behind polyphasic sleep is that instead of a long 8-hour sleep, rest is broken up into multiple periods throughout the day. As a result, its overall duration is reduced, but the quality of sleep improves, a surge of energy is felt, and creative ideas are born.

The structure of human sleep includes two phases - slow sleep (Non-REM) and rapid sleep (REM). The slow-wave sleep phase begins immediately after falling asleep, includes 4 stages and lasts about 90 minutes (75–80% of all sleep).

REM sleep is characterized by increased brain activity and dreams. It lasts 10–20 minutes (20–25% of all sleep). During the entire rest, the phases of slow and REM sleep alternate with each other.

It is possible to almost halve the duration of sleep by shortening the phase of slow wave sleep. According to supporters of polyphasic sleep, a person does not really need slow sleep, because the main energy recharging occurs during REM sleep.

The goal of polyphasic sleep is to learn how to enter REM sleep as quickly as possible.

It is believed that at night slow sleep is more prolonged (a person goes through all its stages), while during the day it is easier to enter the phase of REM sleep.

Polyphasic sleep modes

There are several modes of polyphasic sleep:

Dymaxion - 4 times for 30 minutes every 6 hours = 2 hours.
Uberman - 6 times for 20 minutes every 4 hours = 2 hours.
Everyman - 1 time at night (1, 5–3 hours) and 3 times during the day for 20 minutes = 2, 5–4 hours.
Biphasic - 1 time at night (5 hours) and 1 time during the day (1, 5 hours) = 6.5 hours.
Tesla - 1 time at night (2 hours) and 1 time during the day (20 minutes) = 2 hours 20 minutes.

Read more about the first four sleep modes in this article.

The fifth technique is named after Nikola Tesla. It is believed that the famous physicist and inventor practiced just such a sleep pattern. Its peculiarity lies in the fact that the body immediately enters the REM sleep phase, without wasting time on slow sleep.

Evgeny Dubovoy sleeps 4.5 hours a day (3.5 hours at night and an hour for 20 minutes during the day). At the same time, in his opinion, it is important to correctly switch from normal to polyphasic sleep without damage to health.

Based on personal experience, Eugene recommends the following transition mechanism:

Adjust your daily routine (go to bed and get up at the same time).
Break sleep into two intervals of 3-4 hours (biphasic sleep).
Go for polyphasic sleep, which includes four hours of sleep at night and several nap breaks during the day.

It took Eugene about three weeks to adapt to polyphasic sleep.

If you are not used to sleeping during the day and do not know how to fall asleep quickly, it will be difficult. The first couple of days it was difficult for me to fall asleep, despite the fact that the total duration of sleep was significantly reduced. But in the end, the body got used to it.

Evgeny Dubovoy

Should I switch to polyphasic sleep?

In the 21st century, there are more and more supporters of polyphasic sleep.

This is indeed a very attractive life hack, because time is now the most valuable resource.

Evgeny Dubovoy

However, polyphasic sleep has not been investigated at a fundamental scientific level. In this regard, many doctors express concern. For some diseases, such as those associated with the cardiovascular system, a reduction in sleep rate is contraindicated. Also, polyphasic sleep is not recommended for adolescents.

In addition, man is a social being. Wouldn't such a ragged schedule interfere with those around you?

According to Eugene, at first his relatives were worried about him. We made a compromise: polyphasic sleep with a monthly trial period. If any health problems arise during these 30 days, the experiment is immediately terminated. Several years have passed. Eugene claims that he is full of strength and energy.

As for everyday life, Eugene does not see any problems here either: everywhere he carries a mask, earplugs, a pillow and a smartphone - a set that allows you to doze right in an office chair.

I don’t think my regime is causing any inconvenience to my colleagues. Someone goes to smoke, someone to have dinner, and I just go to sleep.

Evgeny Dubovoy

4 sleep modes that will allow you to get enough sleep in just a few hours a day

If it seems to you that the time spent on sleep can be spent more profitably, then try one of these modes in practice. You won't have to sleep long. It is believed that we need 6-8 hours of sleep per day for a good rest. After that, full of energy, we can start a new day, which will last an average of 16-18 hours.