Understanding the Mechanism of Polyphasic Sleep

Midnight arrived with the piercing cries of my baby echoing through the monitor on my nightstand. As I groggily made my way to his room, the doorbell rang, signaling an unexpected visitor. Puzzled by who would visit new parents at such an hour, I glanced out the window, saw no one, dismissed it as a prank, and returned to my task.

At 3 a.m., I jolted awake to the sound of his cries once more. In the hallway, I encountered Monkey, one of my two dogs, whining and pacing nervously, her nails tapping rhythmically on the hardwood floor. As I tried to make sense of her behavior, a knock at the door interrupted me. Peering through the peephole, I saw a police officer standing outside.

"So someone is here," he remarked as I opened the door, blinking under the harsh hallway lights. "Do you know where your dog is?"

"Both of my dogs are right here," I responded, my tone defensive.

"Are you absolutely certain about that?"

Certainty was the last thing I felt. I wasn’t even sure if I was dressed when I answered the door, though luckily, I was. Since my son’s arrival six months ago, I had shifted from a monophasic sleep pattern—one long stretch at night—to a polyphasic routine, involving multiple short naps throughout the day. The constant exhaustion left me in a perpetual haze.

As the officer radioed his team, my sleep-deprived mind sluggishly replayed the evening: returning from the vet, juggling a sleepy baby, a diaper bag, a car seat, and two large dogs up three flights of stairs, and, I believed, safely into the apartment. I recalled putting the baby to bed, then collapsing on the couch with my husband and a frozen pizza, though I couldn’t remember eating it before dozing off. My husband eventually woke me to move to bed, and then...

"Ma’am? I’ve secured your dog downstairs. It was wandering the hallway. Your neighbors returned home, and it began barking at them through the front door. They tried buzzing and calling you, but you didn’t respond, so they contacted us," he paused, then added with a smirk, "I have to ask: How could you not know if your own dog was inside your apartment?"

It was a valid question, but I wasn’t prepared to delve into the complexities of polyphasic sleep deprivation with him while my confused dog remained downstairs. The answers, however, are thoroughly explored in the following sections.

From the Beginning

While it would simplify newborn parenting immensely—and make it far more enjoyable—if babies slept through the night immediately, the reality is that everyone begins life as a polyphasic sleeper.

Infants’ brains are not fully developed, and their frequent feeding needs mean they sleep multiple times a day during their early months. As their brains mature, so does what Dr. Nate Watson, M.D. M.S., co-director of the University of Washington Medicine Sleep Center and sleep medicine specialist, refers to as "sleep architecture." This encompasses the circadian rhythm—the development of an internal body clock—responses to light and dark cycles, and the release of melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep. These factors help infants transition to biphasic sleep, where they sleep mostly at night with one daytime nap, and eventually to monophasic sleep. Initially, however, it’s a chaotic mix of diaper changes, feedings, and blurred days and nights, prompting parents to adapt their sleep schedules.

This phase, however, is temporary. While exact figures on full-time polyphasic sleepers (or polysleepers) in the U.S. are scarce, Dr. Russell Rosenberg, chairman of the National Sleep Foundation, estimates that around 6 million night-shift workers likely follow a biphasic sleep pattern, with some possibly incorporating frequent naps.

They aren’t alone in this. You’re familiar with the sensation: shortly after lunch, drowsiness sets in, whether you’ve eaten a light salad or a towering burger loaded with bacon. Medically, this is known as a dip in the circadian alerting signal, while in many parts of Europe, Southeast Asia, and Central and South America, it’s simply nap time.

"From a physiological perspective, naps are highly logical," Rosenberg explains. "There’s a natural decline in core body temperature and a temporary reduction in alertness. While some cultures welcome this, most Americans opt for a cup of coffee and power through."

If a brief nap can relax and rejuvenate the body, why not consider a polyphasic sleep schedule? The answers are worth exploring.

Working Against Your System

While babies and new parents receive medical endorsement for polyphasic sleep, neither Dr. Watson nor Dr. Rosenberg considers it a practical substitute for a monophasic sleep routine.

"Splitting sleep doesn’t enhance productivity or improve sleep quality," Rosenberg states. "I wouldn’t advise it to anyone, though certain situations might compel individuals to adopt it."

For centuries, people have experimented with polyphasic sleep. Historical figures like Thomas Edison, Ben Franklin, and Leonardo da Vinci are often speculated to have followed such patterns, but the only confirmed case is Buckminster Fuller, a multifaceted engineer and theorist from the late 1800s, who napped in intervals until his schedule clashed with his professional commitments.

Extreme athletes, unable to dedicate long hours to sleep during training or competitions, adopt this pattern. Military personnel on submarines or in combat zones, pilots, fishermen, nannies, medical residents, college students, and shift workers across industries, from manufacturing to media, also follow polyphasic sleep schedules.

But does it ever feel natural? Absolutely not.

"Falling asleep during the day was always a challenge, even when I was utterly exhausted," recalls Christy Brown, former morning executive producer at WSMV-TV in Nashville, Tenn., who worked overnight shifts from 10:30 p.m. to 8 a.m. "Melatonin didn’t help, and over-the-counter sleep aids left me too drowsy upon waking. I’d typically sleep only four hours before waking up and struggling to fall back asleep."

Feeling exhausted just imagining it? Consider this: some believe a polyphasic sleep schedule is an effective way to boost productivity (and no, they’re not zombies).

The Life Hack: Uberman or Everyman?

Lately, polyphasic sleep has gained the nickname "life hack," a strategy to enhance productivity by sleeping less and accomplishing more in our hectic lives.

"Our society is increasingly sleep-deprived due to numerous distractions competing for our time," explains Dr. Watson from the University of Washington. "From television and social media to smartphones, there’s no shortage of activities that keep us from sleeping. Some believe they can outsmart their sleep requirements, and polyphasic sleep has emerged as a popular theory for reducing sleep without facing the consequences."

Wait... are there really no consequences?

"Nothing can replace regular sleep," Watson emphasizes. "No pill or schedule can match the benefits of getting the recommended seven to nine hours of sleep each night."

Watson notes that two of the most common polyphasic sleep methods are the Uberman schedule—six 20-minute naps spaced every four hours—and the Everyman variation, which involves one core sleep period supplemented by two to five 20-minute naps throughout the day.

How productive can you truly be if you’re sleeping while others are awake and awake when most are asleep?

"Maintaining such a schedule is challenging," Dr. Watson explains. "With the Uberman schedule, you must arrange your life to nap every four hours. It’s hard to maintain a social life, as you’ll often be awake when everyone else is asleep. Most people lack the flexibility to structure their days so rigidly."

But suppose you have no job, family obligations, or time constraints. Imagine having complete freedom to experiment with your sleep patterns. Grab a pillow and blanket, and read on to learn how to begin your polyphasic sleep journey.

Making the Switch to Polyphasic Sleep

Since polyphasic sleep isn’t medically endorsed, it lacks thorough documentation. It’s also unsuitable for insomniacs, who are advised to avoid daytime naps and focus on uninterrupted nighttime sleep. As a voluntary practice, there are no strict rules, and your body won’t naturally adapt. The best approach is to create a personalized schedule and commit to it.

"The toughest part will be waking up when your nap is supposed to end," Watson notes. "Start by transitioning from monophasic to biphasic sleep, then move to the Everyman phase, where you reduce your nighttime sleep and add a daytime nap. Gradually shorten the main sleep phase and increase naps until you reach your desired schedule."

No matter how committed you are, certain physiological processes, like your circadian rhythm and nighttime melatonin release, can’t be altered. Watson also points out that short naps prevent the body from experiencing the necessary non-REM and REM cycles, leaving you perpetually sleep-deprived.

So, to recap: you’re sleep-deprived, fighting your natural body clock, and out of sync with society. Add to that stress hormones like cortisol, which Watson says can lead to "obesity, high blood pressure, insulin resistance, and severe mood swings."

Why would anyone voluntarily switch from monophasic to polyphasic sleep unless forced by circumstances?

Watson highlights a twist of irony: "One of the paradoxes of sleep deprivation is that the more sleep-deprived you are, the worse you become at recognizing your own fatigue."