A few years ago, I was (and still am) interested in psychology.
Different creatures perceive different ranges of light wavelengths. For example, bees can see some infrared. I was wondering how you would perceive such a new color. Would the red-violet spectrum you see be widened, so that your green be a bit bluer? Would there be a new color that you would be unable to describe to other people? What would you see - how could you see? Would it drive you insane?
Then I started to think about color-blind people. Imagine someone who has trouble distinguishing between shades of green, yellow, and red (deuteranopia). How would she react if she would suddenly be cured, and see these shades for the first time?
Another thing that I was wondering was whether my red is the same as yours. How can I know the colors you see in your head are the same as mine? Can there be a way to test this?
2012/02/07
2012/02/06
Polyphasic Sleep - Day 4
My last nap yesterday was at around 05:15. My plan was to sleep an additional nap during the night, but I ended up skipping the 07:00 nap altogether, since I didn't feel tired.
Today was supposed to be the worst day initiation phase (or so they said), and I spent it as I spend a normal day. I don't know what I'm supposed to think... Did I just skip the whole "getting used to it" section?
I watched another movie during breakfast - or whatever you call my meal that I eat when I would eat a breakfast normally. I'm still not sure about what I should do with my meals. Right now, My lunch and dinner are "normal", I have two toasts at around 03:00, and a bowl of cereals with fruits at around 07:00. When I'll be totally comfortable with polyphasic sleeping, I'll check what meals feel more natural to me.
I went to the Wal-Mart this morning, by foot. By now, I go by foot more for the exercise and ease of mind, and not because I'm scared to fall asleep behind the wheel. One of the things I bought was several packages of plastic containers. I decided to wash them all when I got back, but I underestimated how long it would take (took about 1.25 hours to wash the dishes). I was feeling the weariness creep in at around 11:30, but I continued until everything was cleaned, and went to bed at around 12:30. So far, I didn't perceive any drawback from stretching my waking time like that.
Recently, my 30-minutes naps felt very short. It usually takes me 10 or so minutes to fall asleep (I think - it's very hard to gauge), so when the alarm starts, it feels like I've been sleeping for just a few seconds. My 12:30 nap felt a lot longer - it's possible it's because I fell asleep quickly, but I don't remember.
I'm starting to remember my dreams more often when I wake up, but they fade very quickly. I'm eager to experience these lucid dreams - dreams where you are in control. I've only had one of those several years ago, and I didn't take the opportunity to explore the deepest confines of the dream world. Maybe it was a half-lucid dream?
So far, there were two naps when I woke up by myself. During one recent nap (last night), I woke up with 7.5 minutes still on the timer. I got the "I can go back to sleep" feeling and was feeling very good about it, even if it was for so short a time.
The remainder of the day (and night) went as usual. To be honest, this is getting redundant, so I'll post updates when there is something to talk about, or some insight I have come across.
Today was supposed to be the worst day initiation phase (or so they said), and I spent it as I spend a normal day. I don't know what I'm supposed to think... Did I just skip the whole "getting used to it" section?
I watched another movie during breakfast - or whatever you call my meal that I eat when I would eat a breakfast normally. I'm still not sure about what I should do with my meals. Right now, My lunch and dinner are "normal", I have two toasts at around 03:00, and a bowl of cereals with fruits at around 07:00. When I'll be totally comfortable with polyphasic sleeping, I'll check what meals feel more natural to me.
I went to the Wal-Mart this morning, by foot. By now, I go by foot more for the exercise and ease of mind, and not because I'm scared to fall asleep behind the wheel. One of the things I bought was several packages of plastic containers. I decided to wash them all when I got back, but I underestimated how long it would take (took about 1.25 hours to wash the dishes). I was feeling the weariness creep in at around 11:30, but I continued until everything was cleaned, and went to bed at around 12:30. So far, I didn't perceive any drawback from stretching my waking time like that.
Recently, my 30-minutes naps felt very short. It usually takes me 10 or so minutes to fall asleep (I think - it's very hard to gauge), so when the alarm starts, it feels like I've been sleeping for just a few seconds. My 12:30 nap felt a lot longer - it's possible it's because I fell asleep quickly, but I don't remember.
I'm starting to remember my dreams more often when I wake up, but they fade very quickly. I'm eager to experience these lucid dreams - dreams where you are in control. I've only had one of those several years ago, and I didn't take the opportunity to explore the deepest confines of the dream world. Maybe it was a half-lucid dream?
So far, there were two naps when I woke up by myself. During one recent nap (last night), I woke up with 7.5 minutes still on the timer. I got the "I can go back to sleep" feeling and was feeling very good about it, even if it was for so short a time.
The remainder of the day (and night) went as usual. To be honest, this is getting redundant, so I'll post updates when there is something to talk about, or some insight I have come across.
2012/02/05
Polyphasic Sleep - Day 3
It was a pretty uneventful day. By now, I was expecting to start acting like a zombie, but I've been feeling great and alert all day.
I started slow, watching some episodes on the computer, then I went to a place where they sell fruits and vegetables, by foot, and brought two big bags back home. I left for the grocery store, still by foot, bringing again two big bags. The morning has seen a lot of walking, and I was finally back home at 12:30. It was a bit later than I had hoped, but I wasn't feeling tired.
This is starting to make me nervous. By all logic, I should be extremely tired. I have had a total of about three hours of sleep since thursday morning (this is saturday). I still take too much time to fall asleep - I could guess at an average of 15 to 20 minutes. I hope this will shorten to 2-5 minutes soon.
The afternoon was uneventful. I still was not tired, and went about my business, finding things to do to pass the time. I still don't want to take the car. I may feel fine, but if I suddenly feel awful while away, I don't want to risk falling asleep behind the wheel.
I watched a scary movie right before my 22:00 nap. It was Paranormal Activity 2, and while I enjoyed it, in retrospect, it was possibly a wrong choice of movie - it took me about 20 minutes to fall asleep.
I still woke up fine, as always. I almost constantly feel that feeling behind the eyes, like when you're past your normal bed time by 3-4 hours. This hasn't been bothering me or preventing me from doing anything, but the feeling is there, and is just nagging.
It could be anything, but I think my body is storing energy. I'll need at least a few days of data, but so far, I gained one kilogram yesterday, and another one today. This is terribly irritating, because I feel hungry all the time, and I have to stop myself from emptying the fridge. I'm awake 4-5 hours more in a day, so my calorie intake should be between 3500-4000 kcal. The additional food I eat, compared to what I eat in a normal day, is not that much. If it's not the additional meal and snacks (all very healthy food, by the way), I have no idea what else it could be caused by.
Right now, it's 23:47. I wish I would be more tired - that would give me a sign that I need a nap right now, but I feel fine. If it's the same as yesterday, I may become a temporary zombie from 02:00 to 04:00.
I started programming during the night. Since this was a very good way to keep my brain excited, I figure it will help me not to fall asleep at the desk. Of course, I'll have to find something else if I'm starting to nod.
One thing I really miss: when it's the weekend and you can stay in bed if you want. That's a pleasant feeling that you don't really appreciate until you can't have it anymore. It's very similar to the feeling you have when you wake up four hours before your alarm.
Finally, I was a bit more tired at around 03:00, but nothing important.
I started slow, watching some episodes on the computer, then I went to a place where they sell fruits and vegetables, by foot, and brought two big bags back home. I left for the grocery store, still by foot, bringing again two big bags. The morning has seen a lot of walking, and I was finally back home at 12:30. It was a bit later than I had hoped, but I wasn't feeling tired.
This is starting to make me nervous. By all logic, I should be extremely tired. I have had a total of about three hours of sleep since thursday morning (this is saturday). I still take too much time to fall asleep - I could guess at an average of 15 to 20 minutes. I hope this will shorten to 2-5 minutes soon.
The afternoon was uneventful. I still was not tired, and went about my business, finding things to do to pass the time. I still don't want to take the car. I may feel fine, but if I suddenly feel awful while away, I don't want to risk falling asleep behind the wheel.
I watched a scary movie right before my 22:00 nap. It was Paranormal Activity 2, and while I enjoyed it, in retrospect, it was possibly a wrong choice of movie - it took me about 20 minutes to fall asleep.
I still woke up fine, as always. I almost constantly feel that feeling behind the eyes, like when you're past your normal bed time by 3-4 hours. This hasn't been bothering me or preventing me from doing anything, but the feeling is there, and is just nagging.
It could be anything, but I think my body is storing energy. I'll need at least a few days of data, but so far, I gained one kilogram yesterday, and another one today. This is terribly irritating, because I feel hungry all the time, and I have to stop myself from emptying the fridge. I'm awake 4-5 hours more in a day, so my calorie intake should be between 3500-4000 kcal. The additional food I eat, compared to what I eat in a normal day, is not that much. If it's not the additional meal and snacks (all very healthy food, by the way), I have no idea what else it could be caused by.
Right now, it's 23:47. I wish I would be more tired - that would give me a sign that I need a nap right now, but I feel fine. If it's the same as yesterday, I may become a temporary zombie from 02:00 to 04:00.
I started programming during the night. Since this was a very good way to keep my brain excited, I figure it will help me not to fall asleep at the desk. Of course, I'll have to find something else if I'm starting to nod.
One thing I really miss: when it's the weekend and you can stay in bed if you want. That's a pleasant feeling that you don't really appreciate until you can't have it anymore. It's very similar to the feeling you have when you wake up four hours before your alarm.
Finally, I was a bit more tired at around 03:00, but nothing important.
2012/02/04
Polyphasic Sleep - Day 2
I got up from my 06:45-07:15 nap still feeling refreshed, even though I still couldn't sleep all the way through. A bit tired, true, but in a much better shape than I had expected. There's only one day done so far, though, so the worst is sure to be ahead..
Today was surprising and interesting. I went to work by foot (35-40-minutes walk). I wasn't feeling tired, but I had no idea how I would feel later on. I thought I would gradually become a zombie by the end of the day, but quite the opposite happened. I was alert most of the time (I almost nodded once or twice, but not more), and feeling great, though there still was this nagging feeling of being a bit tired - you know, when you should have been in bed two or three hours ago. This is not what I was expecting.
The nap at midday happened as usual - I could only sleep for the last 5 to 10 minutes. The server room is not the most comfortable place. Everything was going well for the afternoon, and by 17:00, I was still feeling great. I walked back home and went to sleep, though, again, I only slept for 5 to 10 minutes.
As I was preparing my dinner, I kept thinking that this couldn't be normal. Still, I know how I'm feeling - normal. I decided to go to the gym. The way I was seeing it was that I needed to sleep more during the naps, so if I exhaust my body, this should be easier, shouldn't it? On the other hand, this was possibly playing with fire, but I really was feeling great. So, with only about an hour of sleep during the previous 44 hours, I went to the gym.
This was the first time I went during the evening - I always go in the morning, before work. It went very well. I sweated a bit more than usual, though I can't be too quick to say it's because of my current condition. I started feeling a bit more tired at around half of my work-out, so I was eager to see how my next nap was going to go.
My training ended at 21:10, and I got home (by foot) at 21:30, took a shower, and waited for 22:00. I still wasn't really tired, and for a moment after I went to bed, I thought the exercise would keep me wide awake again. I can't know for sure, but I think I managed a 10-minutes sleep, 15 if I was lucky.
I woke up a bit groggy, but it lasted about 5 minutes. I spent the next two hours on reddit, and chatting with the previous boss at the lab I work at.
---- Updated at 01:15 --------
I had another nap at 00:30, followed by a breakfast. Still no sign of any zombie-like condition. Part of me is hoping that I'll get through the adaptation phase just like that, but reason gets in the way of such conclusion.
Also, I'm starting to think that the nights are too long. This is what I wanted all along, so why am I not enjoying it as much as I should?
When I was playing the piano, starting at around 01:30 I began to feel increasingly tired. Not the sleep-deprived debilitating feeling, but rather a "just let me sleep for an hour" kind. Of course, this would defeat the purpose of going through this adaptation phase. I thought about going back to bed at 02:00, only one hour after my last nap, but decided to wait for my self-appointed 03:00. I figure that if, right now, I start going to sleep when my body needs it, I'm just going to slowly get back to a one-night sleep. Until I'm used and comfortable with polyphasic sleeping, I need to stay close to the schedule.
At around 02:15, I started to be really tired, to the point where I couldn't just sit idly in front of the computer. I would expect to be this tired at the same time, but yesterday! I have no idea right now how it works. I got up and played some Rock Band 2, but even with the interaction with a guitar, I was missing some notes because of lack of sleep. I guess this is happening right now! I really hope that I'll fall asleep very quickly.
---- Updated at 03:50 --------
I'm surprised it started so quickly! I woke up after my 03:00-03:30 nap, almost feeling like shit. It took more time than I anticipated to actually fall asleep. I guess it's like babies that are so tired that they can't fall asleep. I slept most of the 30 minutes, and I woke up remembering my dream (which is a very good sign). After waking up, I stayed propped on an elbow on the bed for about 15 minutes. Now I need to stay active physically or mentally. If I just stay in front of the computer (browsing reddit for example), I risk falling asleep on the chair. This greatly limits what I can do during the night.
It took 15 minutes, a plum and some almonds to dissipate the tiredness. Right now, I'm okay, but it may come back anytime.
In his beginnings, Steve Pavlina added a seventh nap some time in the night, until he got more used to polyphasic sleeping. This actually seems like a good idea, or maybe I could ease myself into that state by having one longer nap (like an hour or two). I have to go against the latter, because it wouldn't help my body to fall asleep into an REM cycle right away - I think it would be even worse.
Then it got better. I watched the second episode of The Big Bang Theory, which I actually liked, contrary to what I remembered of the first episode. I then watched a BBC documentary about what one degree really is. I actually fell asleep during the end of the documentary, 30 or 40 minutes, and woke up at 07:00. I skipped the 07:00 nap, and will have to be more careful in the future.
Today was surprising and interesting. I went to work by foot (35-40-minutes walk). I wasn't feeling tired, but I had no idea how I would feel later on. I thought I would gradually become a zombie by the end of the day, but quite the opposite happened. I was alert most of the time (I almost nodded once or twice, but not more), and feeling great, though there still was this nagging feeling of being a bit tired - you know, when you should have been in bed two or three hours ago. This is not what I was expecting.
The nap at midday happened as usual - I could only sleep for the last 5 to 10 minutes. The server room is not the most comfortable place. Everything was going well for the afternoon, and by 17:00, I was still feeling great. I walked back home and went to sleep, though, again, I only slept for 5 to 10 minutes.
As I was preparing my dinner, I kept thinking that this couldn't be normal. Still, I know how I'm feeling - normal. I decided to go to the gym. The way I was seeing it was that I needed to sleep more during the naps, so if I exhaust my body, this should be easier, shouldn't it? On the other hand, this was possibly playing with fire, but I really was feeling great. So, with only about an hour of sleep during the previous 44 hours, I went to the gym.
This was the first time I went during the evening - I always go in the morning, before work. It went very well. I sweated a bit more than usual, though I can't be too quick to say it's because of my current condition. I started feeling a bit more tired at around half of my work-out, so I was eager to see how my next nap was going to go.
My training ended at 21:10, and I got home (by foot) at 21:30, took a shower, and waited for 22:00. I still wasn't really tired, and for a moment after I went to bed, I thought the exercise would keep me wide awake again. I can't know for sure, but I think I managed a 10-minutes sleep, 15 if I was lucky.
I woke up a bit groggy, but it lasted about 5 minutes. I spent the next two hours on reddit, and chatting with the previous boss at the lab I work at.
---- Updated at 01:15 --------
I had another nap at 00:30, followed by a breakfast. Still no sign of any zombie-like condition. Part of me is hoping that I'll get through the adaptation phase just like that, but reason gets in the way of such conclusion.
Also, I'm starting to think that the nights are too long. This is what I wanted all along, so why am I not enjoying it as much as I should?
When I was playing the piano, starting at around 01:30 I began to feel increasingly tired. Not the sleep-deprived debilitating feeling, but rather a "just let me sleep for an hour" kind. Of course, this would defeat the purpose of going through this adaptation phase. I thought about going back to bed at 02:00, only one hour after my last nap, but decided to wait for my self-appointed 03:00. I figure that if, right now, I start going to sleep when my body needs it, I'm just going to slowly get back to a one-night sleep. Until I'm used and comfortable with polyphasic sleeping, I need to stay close to the schedule.
At around 02:15, I started to be really tired, to the point where I couldn't just sit idly in front of the computer. I would expect to be this tired at the same time, but yesterday! I have no idea right now how it works. I got up and played some Rock Band 2, but even with the interaction with a guitar, I was missing some notes because of lack of sleep. I guess this is happening right now! I really hope that I'll fall asleep very quickly.
---- Updated at 03:50 --------
I'm surprised it started so quickly! I woke up after my 03:00-03:30 nap, almost feeling like shit. It took more time than I anticipated to actually fall asleep. I guess it's like babies that are so tired that they can't fall asleep. I slept most of the 30 minutes, and I woke up remembering my dream (which is a very good sign). After waking up, I stayed propped on an elbow on the bed for about 15 minutes. Now I need to stay active physically or mentally. If I just stay in front of the computer (browsing reddit for example), I risk falling asleep on the chair. This greatly limits what I can do during the night.
It took 15 minutes, a plum and some almonds to dissipate the tiredness. Right now, I'm okay, but it may come back anytime.
In his beginnings, Steve Pavlina added a seventh nap some time in the night, until he got more used to polyphasic sleeping. This actually seems like a good idea, or maybe I could ease myself into that state by having one longer nap (like an hour or two). I have to go against the latter, because it wouldn't help my body to fall asleep into an REM cycle right away - I think it would be even worse.
Then it got better. I watched the second episode of The Big Bang Theory, which I actually liked, contrary to what I remembered of the first episode. I then watched a BBC documentary about what one degree really is. I actually fell asleep during the end of the documentary, 30 or 40 minutes, and woke up at 07:00. I skipped the 07:00 nap, and will have to be more careful in the future.
2012/02/03
Floating in Space
Ever saw a movie where, for some reason, someone finds himself in space, without any equipment? More often than not, that person freezes almost instantaneously and dies. Turns out that, if you find yourself in outer space, reality will be a bit less eventful.
Your first problem would be the difference in air pressure between your lungs and the emptiness of space. Knowing that you won't be able to breathe, you might be tempted to first take a deep breath first, but that will only rip your lung out. You need to empty your lungs. Also, the pressure of your body fluids and tissues is apparently of no real concern, in the short term.
Second place in your list of problem is lack of air. An average person can hold his breath for about two minutes before starting to lose consciousness, so with empty lungs, let's assume around a minute. That would be your lifespan, within which you'll have to find another source of oxygen.
So when will you freeze? Actually, this is another really good example of the power of Hollywood. While the temperature of outer space is around three Kelvin, it is a near vaccuum - there is not much material to transfer heat! It is exactly the concept behind insulation and thermos - air or nothing (vaccuum) hinders a transfer of heat between the inside and the outside. If you are in the viscinity of a star, you are going to be sunburned to death first, or solar flared to death. Outer space is the perfect insulation, so it would take a very long time before you freeze (assuming, of course, that you can find some oxygen).
Other interresting points to mention:
Your first problem would be the difference in air pressure between your lungs and the emptiness of space. Knowing that you won't be able to breathe, you might be tempted to first take a deep breath first, but that will only rip your lung out. You need to empty your lungs. Also, the pressure of your body fluids and tissues is apparently of no real concern, in the short term.
Second place in your list of problem is lack of air. An average person can hold his breath for about two minutes before starting to lose consciousness, so with empty lungs, let's assume around a minute. That would be your lifespan, within which you'll have to find another source of oxygen.
So when will you freeze? Actually, this is another really good example of the power of Hollywood. While the temperature of outer space is around three Kelvin, it is a near vaccuum - there is not much material to transfer heat! It is exactly the concept behind insulation and thermos - air or nothing (vaccuum) hinders a transfer of heat between the inside and the outside. If you are in the viscinity of a star, you are going to be sunburned to death first, or solar flared to death. Outer space is the perfect insulation, so it would take a very long time before you freeze (assuming, of course, that you can find some oxygen).
Other interresting points to mention:
- There is no air pressure to propagate sound waves - you will hear nothing.
- There is no movement in the air to propagate smells - you will smell nothing.
- You will only feel heat. What you feel on your skin is pressure and temperature. You won't feel cold, and no pressure from an external source. If you're very far from any star, you won't even feel heat.
- Newton's first law of motion makes sure that you won't be able to change direction or speed, unless helped by an external force (eg. rocket booster).
2012/02/02
Polyphasic Sleep - Day 1
The first day was obviously pretty normal.
I found an almost-quiet place at work where I'll be able to take some naps. It's the server room, so it gets a bit cold, but so far, it doesn't matter that much. I tried sleeping there at 12:00, and of course couldn't fall asleep. I'll have to get used to sleeping on a desk chair.
I got back home at 17:20 and went to sleep again, and again couldn't. This was all expected, since I don't have a lot of sleep deprivation yet.
My last sleep was at 21:15. I think I actually slept the last 5 or 10 minutes. The experiment can finally start.
I read for about an hour before the 21:15 nap, because this is probably the last time in the next few days that I'll really be able to read. So far, to pass the time, I dusted off my Rock Band guitar. It's been a very long time (more than a year), and I'm rusty. I've also spent some time on reddit. This seems to keep me awake easily, but again, I'm aware that I'm not very sleep-deprived yet.
I noticed that I tend to eat a lot. I'll have to put a hold on that before it gets out of control.
I know I'll go through some difficult days. I know if I abort everything, people around me will say "I told you so", and look at me as though I tried to hurt myself. People on the internet that have tried polyphasic sleeping and told their story left sooner or later. Most before a week, some after two weeks, some others after a couple months. It requires a tremendous amount of dedication during the adaptation phase. I must not think about my motives in the next few days - my lack of sleep will try talking me out of this. My brain is okay right now, and my decision is taken - when I'll be sleep-deprived, I'll need to remember this decision, taken when I felt better. I just need to go through this.
It depends a lot about the person's lifestyle. People have a hard time to leave the bed, even when fully refreshed, and this plays against them right at the start. I rarely do that, and virtually never oversleep. Some people need an earthquake to wake them up, while I need but a tiny sound. I have a good diet, and I don't drink coffee nor tea. I will refrain from drinking alcohol until my body is completely used to this new concept.
I may cancel everything - heck, I will cancel it sooner or later myself. When I do, I hope people won't look at me like I'm a quitter. I'm doing that to better understand who and what I am. I also know that I'm going from a regular sleep schedule to the full uberman schedule. This plays against me, I know.
Another thing... I feel nowadays that I never have enough time to grow mentally. I get back from work, make dinner, do the dishes, and then there's only a couple of hours left. I want to read and finish my book about astrophysics and string theory, I want to practice piano, learn guitar, read other books, learn python and django, practice jQuery, build a web site, make a c# program, learn meditation, practice my Japanese, start drawing again... There's so many things I wish I could do, and so little time. If I succeed, I'll have about four additional hours in a day to better myself.
I have to see the big picture during the next few days. Think long-term.
---- 00:45 Update --------
I just got up from my 00:00-00:30 nap. Once again, I think I fell asleep for 5 or 10 minutes. I'm not even sure.
It feels weird - I'm not even sleepy. I thought I would fall asleep very quickly. Maybe it's the orange I ate at around 23:00, but more likely it's the excitement about all of this. There's always some excitement when you're eager to do something new.
I ate a mini-breakfast. I don't really know how I should divide my meals. Should I eat four large meals, or six smaller ones? One thing I know for sure: right now, I would eat everything. I limited myself to a toast, a clementine, and a small glass of soy milk.
I'm eager to see how it's going to look like for my 03:00 nap.
---- 02:54 Update --------
I'm going to bed soon. I spent the time practicing piano and writing another post in this blog.
I'm not tired at all, which is really weird. I mean, I feel a bit tired, but I'm not sleepy. This is either going extremely well, or I'm soon to receive one hell of a kick in the face.
---- 03:40 Update --------
I'm feeling a bit more tired now, but I didn't have any problem getting up. I ate two toasts and half a banana.
Last nap at 06:45.
I found an almost-quiet place at work where I'll be able to take some naps. It's the server room, so it gets a bit cold, but so far, it doesn't matter that much. I tried sleeping there at 12:00, and of course couldn't fall asleep. I'll have to get used to sleeping on a desk chair.
I got back home at 17:20 and went to sleep again, and again couldn't. This was all expected, since I don't have a lot of sleep deprivation yet.
My last sleep was at 21:15. I think I actually slept the last 5 or 10 minutes. The experiment can finally start.
I read for about an hour before the 21:15 nap, because this is probably the last time in the next few days that I'll really be able to read. So far, to pass the time, I dusted off my Rock Band guitar. It's been a very long time (more than a year), and I'm rusty. I've also spent some time on reddit. This seems to keep me awake easily, but again, I'm aware that I'm not very sleep-deprived yet.
I noticed that I tend to eat a lot. I'll have to put a hold on that before it gets out of control.
I know I'll go through some difficult days. I know if I abort everything, people around me will say "I told you so", and look at me as though I tried to hurt myself. People on the internet that have tried polyphasic sleeping and told their story left sooner or later. Most before a week, some after two weeks, some others after a couple months. It requires a tremendous amount of dedication during the adaptation phase. I must not think about my motives in the next few days - my lack of sleep will try talking me out of this. My brain is okay right now, and my decision is taken - when I'll be sleep-deprived, I'll need to remember this decision, taken when I felt better. I just need to go through this.
It depends a lot about the person's lifestyle. People have a hard time to leave the bed, even when fully refreshed, and this plays against them right at the start. I rarely do that, and virtually never oversleep. Some people need an earthquake to wake them up, while I need but a tiny sound. I have a good diet, and I don't drink coffee nor tea. I will refrain from drinking alcohol until my body is completely used to this new concept.
I may cancel everything - heck, I will cancel it sooner or later myself. When I do, I hope people won't look at me like I'm a quitter. I'm doing that to better understand who and what I am. I also know that I'm going from a regular sleep schedule to the full uberman schedule. This plays against me, I know.
Another thing... I feel nowadays that I never have enough time to grow mentally. I get back from work, make dinner, do the dishes, and then there's only a couple of hours left. I want to read and finish my book about astrophysics and string theory, I want to practice piano, learn guitar, read other books, learn python and django, practice jQuery, build a web site, make a c# program, learn meditation, practice my Japanese, start drawing again... There's so many things I wish I could do, and so little time. If I succeed, I'll have about four additional hours in a day to better myself.
I have to see the big picture during the next few days. Think long-term.
---- 00:45 Update --------
I just got up from my 00:00-00:30 nap. Once again, I think I fell asleep for 5 or 10 minutes. I'm not even sure.
It feels weird - I'm not even sleepy. I thought I would fall asleep very quickly. Maybe it's the orange I ate at around 23:00, but more likely it's the excitement about all of this. There's always some excitement when you're eager to do something new.
I ate a mini-breakfast. I don't really know how I should divide my meals. Should I eat four large meals, or six smaller ones? One thing I know for sure: right now, I would eat everything. I limited myself to a toast, a clementine, and a small glass of soy milk.
I'm eager to see how it's going to look like for my 03:00 nap.
---- 02:54 Update --------
I'm going to bed soon. I spent the time practicing piano and writing another post in this blog.
I'm not tired at all, which is really weird. I mean, I feel a bit tired, but I'm not sleepy. This is either going extremely well, or I'm soon to receive one hell of a kick in the face.
---- 03:40 Update --------
I'm feeling a bit more tired now, but I didn't have any problem getting up. I ate two toasts and half a banana.
Last nap at 06:45.
2012/02/01
Polyphasic Sleep
Do you know about polyphasic sleep?
Since a very long time ago, humans thought it more interesting to sleep at night, all at the same time. It may have slowly started around when we started eating meat, as digestion is harder with heavy food. Vegetarian animals often sleep more often during the day, but overall, have less total sleep.
Many people actually take a nap sometime during the day, either because they need it, or because they feel refreshed. I admit I used to think a bit badly about them, not understanding the reasons.
Until I did a bit of research, and found out that they got more REM sleep (rapid eye-movement) that way, and needed less sleep during the night. REM sleep is the sleep the body needs, and is when you dream.
I also learn that some people are hardcore, and take it all the way to only napping. They can nap six times around the clock, napping about 25-30 minutes each time. No night sleep needed. 2.5-3 hours of sleep a day.
I have read and "studied" Steve Pavlina's blog about polyphasic sleeping, and thought it interesting enough to think about trying it.
The time has finally come. Tonight is a last normal night until this is through. Starting tomorrow, I shall only get my sleep during a few napping times. I understand the first week will be hard, extreme. I may not even make it, and revert to a normal sleeping schedule instead. What I know is that I will give it a good shot, give it 100%.
Getting an additional 4.5 hours of waking time is worth all the troubles, like having to sleep at odd hours. I will have to get used to some things.
I will try to write a post about what I'm going through every day. Reportedly, day 3 and 4 are the hardest.
Since a very long time ago, humans thought it more interesting to sleep at night, all at the same time. It may have slowly started around when we started eating meat, as digestion is harder with heavy food. Vegetarian animals often sleep more often during the day, but overall, have less total sleep.
Many people actually take a nap sometime during the day, either because they need it, or because they feel refreshed. I admit I used to think a bit badly about them, not understanding the reasons.
Until I did a bit of research, and found out that they got more REM sleep (rapid eye-movement) that way, and needed less sleep during the night. REM sleep is the sleep the body needs, and is when you dream.
I also learn that some people are hardcore, and take it all the way to only napping. They can nap six times around the clock, napping about 25-30 minutes each time. No night sleep needed. 2.5-3 hours of sleep a day.
I have read and "studied" Steve Pavlina's blog about polyphasic sleeping, and thought it interesting enough to think about trying it.
The time has finally come. Tonight is a last normal night until this is through. Starting tomorrow, I shall only get my sleep during a few napping times. I understand the first week will be hard, extreme. I may not even make it, and revert to a normal sleeping schedule instead. What I know is that I will give it a good shot, give it 100%.
Getting an additional 4.5 hours of waking time is worth all the troubles, like having to sleep at odd hours. I will have to get used to some things.
I will try to write a post about what I'm going through every day. Reportedly, day 3 and 4 are the hardest.
2012/01/31
Facebook Notifications
Contrarily to most people, I don't have a lot of friends on facebook. The notification bar at the top of the web site is usually empty. Once in a while, there is a bit of red, indicating that something happened somewhere, that may or may not be related to myself.
But some rare times, there is a lot of red. There can be a red squared "1" on the message icon, and a red squared "2" or "3" on the notification icon. Maybe even the rarest of "1" on the friend icon. And it's when that happens that I know one thing.
Shit just got real.
But some rare times, there is a lot of red. There can be a red squared "1" on the message icon, and a red squared "2" or "3" on the notification icon. Maybe even the rarest of "1" on the friend icon. And it's when that happens that I know one thing.
Shit just got real.
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