Polyphasic Sleep: Day 6

Managed to get out of bed at 430am today.

Last time I went polyphasic for a while, I found it easiest to just make the massive switch from going to bed at 10pm and getting up at 6am to going to bed at 1am and getting up at 4am.  This time around, I am finding the switch harder, but I am switching from a 1-5am schedule to a 1-4am schedule and changing from a single 1hour nap in the late afternoon to twenty minute naps throughout the day as needed, roughly three most days.

I think the less major sleep change does not produce the sleep deprivation that other people attempting this report experiencing, and that I experienced last time.  That sleep deprivation leads to more efficient use of sleep time, and lets you get up earlier.  This effect is enhanced by moving the initial bedtime later as well, forcing the body to stay up later than it expects.

In contrast, I now go to bed at the same time as before, roughly 1am, but I just try and get up an hour earlier. I am actually less tired than I used to be, because the spread out naps are more effective than the one hour nap was.  By spreading out my naps, I can take one whenever I feel the need.  It is much harder to fit in an hour long nap, so it was often less optimally timed.  Being better rested makes your sleep less efficient during the core sleep period, which is, I would hypothesize, why it is harder for me to make a one hour reduction than it was to make a 5 hour reduction in core sleep.

That said, I am getting there.  Thirty minutes closer.  With practice I think I can get it the rest of the way.