Comments on: Schedule Hacks – The Five-Hour Swap http://www.puredoxyk.com/index.php/2007/08/15/schedule-hacks-the-five-hour-swap/ Polyphasic Sleep and Better Thinking Wed, 8 Sep 2010 17:33:18 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9 hourly 1 By: puredoxyk http://www.puredoxyk.com/index.php/2007/08/15/schedule-hacks-the-five-hour-swap/comment-page-1/#comment-19917 puredoxyk Sat, 25 Aug 2007 03:27:46 +0000 http://www.puredoxyk.com/index.php/2007/08/15/schedule-hacks-the-five-hour-swap/#comment-19917 Yes, I wouldn't force the 4.5 hour core. I can't do it myself unless I've missed at least one nap that day, and even then, I wake up noticeably more groggy than I do after 3. It's sort of a stop-gap measure for when things get whacky (which I do wish they would stop doing already!), but it's nice to have it there if I need it. I did start with 4 naps, you're right. When I started, I didn't know that the 3-hour core would allow me to stay awake longer. But I still take the "4th nap" sometimes -- that's the "extra nap" at 7 a.m. that I've talked about before. If you have a "tired spot" around 6 a.m. and can fit one in, maybe that's where you should put yours. Getting tired before your core (especially with a core that takes place early in the night, like ours) is normal, from what I've seen, and it may be more about what you're doing than when you're sleeping. On every polyphasic schedule, it's a good idea to schedule "active" things to do at night, because your body's natural rhythms have a downswing then. If you spend that time reading or watching TV, you'll probably feel groggy at some point. I've been dealing with this more often than not since I started (this time; it wasn't a problem back when I did Uberman), because I simply can't do much at night...yet! Yes, I wouldn’t force the 4.5 hour core. I can’t do it myself unless I’ve missed at least one nap that day, and even then, I wake up noticeably more groggy than I do after 3. It’s sort of a stop-gap measure for when things get whacky (which I do wish they would stop doing already!), but it’s nice to have it there if I need it.

I did start with 4 naps, you’re right. When I started, I didn’t know that the 3-hour core would allow me to stay awake longer. But I still take the “4th nap” sometimes — that’s the “extra nap” at 7 a.m. that I’ve talked about before. If you have a “tired spot” around 6 a.m. and can fit one in, maybe that’s where you should put yours.

Getting tired before your core (especially with a core that takes place early in the night, like ours) is normal, from what I’ve seen, and it may be more about what you’re doing than when you’re sleeping. On every polyphasic schedule, it’s a good idea to schedule “active” things to do at night, because your body’s natural rhythms have a downswing then. If you spend that time reading or watching TV, you’ll probably feel groggy at some point. I’ve been dealing with this more often than not since I started (this time; it wasn’t a problem back when I did Uberman), because I simply can’t do much at night…yet!

]]> By: Jack Cohen http://www.puredoxyk.com/index.php/2007/08/15/schedule-hacks-the-five-hour-swap/comment-page-1/#comment-19878 Jack Cohen Fri, 24 Aug 2007 08:45:51 +0000 http://www.puredoxyk.com/index.php/2007/08/15/schedule-hacks-the-five-hour-swap/#comment-19878 First let me say that you are undeniably the inspiration for my new polyphasic schedule - thanks for blazing the trail for the rest of us. I am in week 2 of an everyman schedule that is quite similar to yours: 1-4am, 7:30am, 2/3pm and 8/9pm. Like you descibed in your adaptation, I was having trouble staying up at 6am. One day I slept at 6 and then at 9 when I got tired again. After the 9 I felt great, but tried to combine the two naps into one the next day and ended up with a 7:30 nap - but I am very tired in the hour that preceeds it. Also, I have been getting very tired an hour or two before the core and I have been forcing myself to stay up. After reading the 5 hour hack, I figured I would try a 4.5 hour core last night and I went to sleep at 12am instead of 1am. Well the first thing that happened was that I woke up after 15 minutes (the length of time my body likes to nap) which never happened before in the core. I was still very tired though so I went back to sleep. I then woke up at 3am - after my usual 3 hours of sleep. I wanted to force the 4.5 hour core hoping it would give me more energy for the day so I went back to sleep and woke a few mintes before my usual 4am (for a total of 3 hrs sleep) feeling pretty good. Questions: You describe "fixing" the 6am problem but don't really explain how. Any advice would be helpful. You originally started everyman with 4 naps instead of 3. How did you know exactly, that you could skip one and settle on a schedule with 3? Should I settle on a schedule with 4 naps and then once I'm adapted try to elimanate one? Any other insights you can offer would be greatly appreciated. First let me say that you are undeniably the inspiration for my new polyphasic schedule – thanks for blazing the trail for the rest of us.
I am in week 2 of an everyman schedule that is quite similar to yours: 1-4am, 7:30am, 2/3pm and 8/9pm. Like you descibed in your adaptation, I was having trouble staying up at 6am. One day I slept at 6 and then at 9 when I got tired again. After the 9 I felt great, but tried to combine the two naps into one the next day and ended up with a 7:30 nap – but I am very tired in the hour that preceeds it. Also, I have been getting very tired an hour or two before the core and I have been forcing myself to stay up.
After reading the 5 hour hack, I figured I would try a 4.5 hour core last night and I went to sleep at 12am instead of 1am. Well the first thing that happened was that I woke up after 15 minutes (the length of time my body likes to nap) which never happened before in the core. I was still very tired though so I went back to sleep. I then woke up at 3am – after my usual 3 hours of sleep. I wanted to force the 4.5 hour core hoping it would give me more energy for the day so I went back to sleep and woke a few mintes before my usual 4am (for a total of 3 hrs sleep) feeling pretty good.

Questions:
You describe “fixing” the 6am problem but don’t really explain how. Any advice would be helpful.

You originally started everyman with 4 naps instead of 3. How did you know exactly, that you could skip one and settle on a schedule with 3?

Should I settle on a schedule with 4 naps and then once I’m adapted try to elimanate one?

Any other insights you can offer would be greatly appreciated.

]]>