Has anyone ever tried Sleep/Wake Cycles?

ahujudybear · Post by **ahujudybear** » Sun May 29, 2005 2:42 pm

Hi!

I had posted this under the "Naps" thread, but thought it would get more attention under its own heading....

Has anyone here ever tried doing sleep/wake-cycles? I did this for awhile in college and really did like it. And it seems that my sleep patterns now are trying to do that, although the "real world" doesn't operate that way.

What it is is that you sleep for 4 hours, get up, get dressed, have a light meal and go to "work" (or whatever you do), maybe include another light meal and after about 6 or 8 hours (whenever you begin to get drowsy) you go back to bed - for another 4 hours, etc.

This works best if you can set your own schedule. At the time I did this I was running the archeology lab at a university after the summer sessions were through and before the fall classes began, so I could come and go as I pleased. This would probably not work if you had a 9 to 5 office job.

What is really great about this is that you are always fresh and alert. You don't have to make yourself continue working when you are feeling sleepy.

- JB

ahujudybear · Post by **ahujudybear** » Tue May 31, 2005 7:37 pm

I'm just re-posting this to see if anyone will reply to my question?
- JB

luckylinda · Post by **luckylinda** » Tue May 31, 2005 7:55 pm

Honestly, I have never heard of the schedule you describe. That could be why nobody has responded.

And as you indicate, it would be difficult, if not impossible to try in the real world of work and family.

Sorry I can't respond any better than that

Iwondered · Post by **Iwondered** » Tue May 31, 2005 8:48 pm

I have never tried that. But I wanted to add that several years ago I was told that there was a study done at some university where subjects lived on several 20 minute catnaps daily for a period of time and did quite well. But I cant find any information on the study. If anyone knows of it please post. Thanks.

SheepZzzzz · Post by **SheepZzzzz** » Tue May 31, 2005 10:55 pm

I thought it would help my productivity so I was going to do it myself since I don't work away from home. My doctor warned that it may make things worse for me because the physical body needs dark to sleep it's best and light for awakeness. So that idea was blown. Everything I have seen and read about good healthy sleep since tells me he is right. I'm supposed to sleep as much as possible in total darkness and go outside during the day and get plenty of natural light as much as possible.

ahujudybear · Post by **ahujudybear** » Wed Jun 01, 2005 6:03 am

This was a study done by the US Air Force back in the 60's or earlier. It was thought that astronauts might benefit from such a regimen. I believe they used some sort of cave system (possibly Cheyenne Mountain, but something about France sticks in my mind?) where quarters and work environment were all in one complex.

I mean, look at your own schedules... how many hours do you spend in actual daylight, compared to those spent in artificial light. And these days with "Daylight" lights it might not make so much of a difference (as long as you were sure to take extra Vitamin D.)

What brought this to mind is that so many of us can sleep for four or five hours with these machines, and then toss & turn for the rest of the night. Wouldn't it be more productive to get up and do something with those wasted hours? If it doesn't upset others' schedules too much. There have always been couples where each is on a different work/sleep schedule.

See, what these early sleep subjects found is that we actually sleep for four hours at a time. During the night it's for TWO four-hour periods. So they theorized that it might be of benefit to split them.

Oh Yeah! (I'm remembering as I'm typing here )... They were in caves so that the natural daylight would not influence their natural circadian rhythm to sleep during the hours of natural darkness. Their "day" and "night" environments were completely artificial and artificialy controlled as to the length of each.

Anyway, it was just a thought. Thanks for the replies!

- JB

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Jun 01, 2005 8:47 am

To me it sounds like a bad plan. Especially if you have children to take care of, it would be impossible. I don't think you'd get any good sleep, but I may be wrong. Sounds kind of screwed up to me.

Not interested....

chrisp · Post by **chrisp** » Wed Jun 01, 2005 2:49 pm

I would just call it what it is. Poor sleep hygine. Brought to you by the makers of ambien no doubt. Unless you are an astronut . Then its 'new'.

Has anyone ever tried Sleep/Wake Cycles?