Fast #8, That’s It For Now
(I have another polyphasic post 90% written, but it’s on my other computer. I have time to post now, but not so much time that I want to write it all from scratch. It can wait until my next Migration, heh.)
Fast #8 went off on Tuesday with a feeling of normality. I didn’t struggle much, though my body tried to get me to cheat a few times. I didn’t open my [empty] snack-drawer at work too much, but at home, I kept walking in to the kitchen for no reason. ;)
Being that it was such a typical fasting-day though, I noticed something that I wasn’t sure was really a side-effect before, but now I am: The fasting days mess with my sleep schedule. Unsurprisingly, yeah. It’s actually nothing extreme or terrible, but it does mean that I’m vaguely, annoyingly tired from the afternoon of fasting day until mid-morning the next day. Today I wanted my afternoon nap by 11:00, but I felt better after I got it.
It’s been hard, every Wednesday morning, to get up from my core nap. I slept through an alarm this morning, which I almost never do anymore, and when I did wake up (an hour late) I wanted nothing more than to snuggle right back in and pass out. This is consistent with how I’ve felt after the other fasting days, too.
There were definitely some positive effects, too. They were mostly learning-related: I think I benefitted a lot from consciously resisting hunger to the point where I knew I could do it, and also–maybe even more–from paying so much attention to what I was eating and how it made me feel. I eat smaller portions now, especially of snacks, and I like the taste of sugar less. (Seriously, that’s a pretty weird and interesting effect! But it’s totally true. Temporary, though; as the fasting becomes more distant, I get used to the taste again and like it more.) Also, vegetables taste much better, but some of that is because I’ve been working on cooking them properly too. ;)
I also liked that the hunger and the not-eating were both incentives to pay more attention to things in general — I’m a big believer in paying attention — but it didn’t feel like they were required for it; just helpful.
However, in this case, the positive effects are not really worth being tired once a week; it irritated me enough this time that I think I’m going to drop it for a while. I’ll definitely do more with fasting in the future, but continuing weekly 24-hour fasts while on a restricted sleep-schedule seems like a little more work than it’s worth. And I sure am not giving up on the sleep-schedule!
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…Also, a reader sent me an awesome present today. Your timing was perfect, as was your content — I needed the love, as well as some good fun and some good Truth, and I totally feel like I came home and there it all was on a silver platter. Thank you! I’ll make sure to pass the Whuffie on!
2 comments
Hi!
Thank you SO MUCH for you site! Last Sunday I by pure accident heard about polyphasic sleep first time in my life and was sold momentarily. This is like answer to my prayers and dreams. :) *big smile* The same evening I made myself an Everyman schedule which I tweaked a bit over next two days. Looks like this: 2-5, 8:40, 17:05, 21:40. I was afraid of the 8-hour period but it works out just fine, so far. I wait for the 8:40 nap for most. The rest is usually peanuts. Waking up after core sleep is very tough, though. One morning I just sat and stared and before I knew - 20 minutes had passed. I truly think I “slept” eyes open wide. Otherwise I don’t feel exactly sleepy but incredibly soft sometimes (for a lack of a better word). Very relaxed. And interestingly enough first 5 days I had very little appetite but gained few kilos. :( Often I feel euphoric about the fact I have 4 extra hours in my day. It makes 2 extra months’s in a year. Not bad, huh? I enjoy immensely the fact that there is no rush, there is so much time now. (I don’t think I am able to rush actually, beeing so relaxed and all :D). And I spend this time all on myself! The mere fact of having 4 extra hours for myself is so stress-relieving. It always seemed I am only working and running errands and that is it. Not so now!
Anyway, I hope you don’t mind me rambling here. I just wanted so much to share and thank you. I know it is Mother Nature who makes it possible, not you, but thanks to your experiments and WRITINGS it is so much easier etc. Just one concern though - if Everyman does not cause sleep-deprivation then why is it necessary or recommended to have one sleepday a month or something? (I understand this is not a good idea during 1 month, though?) And secondly - I sort of remember from somewhere that not enough sleeping shortens your lifespan. If this is so then those 2 extra months’s a year are not great help… :D
Keep up the good work! :)
k.
Well, you’re welcome! I’m glad I could be helpful, and always happy to see polyphasic sleep benefitting someone else. Do remember that you’re still adjusting, though, and don’t get cocky just yet. I’m glad it’s going so well for you so far! I feel the exact same way about the extra time; it’s the only reason I can relax at all and I love, love, love it.
To answer your questions, a “sleepday” is neither necessary nor recommended as far as I’m aware. Some people do it — I do myself sometimes — but it’s an indulgence, not a requirement. The schedule actually works more smoothly without oversleeping at all, but sometimes you just wanna sleep in… ;)
The other question, I’m actually getting ready to answer in my next post, but to put it briefly, yes, science has shown that sleeping too little (on a monophasic schedule) as well as sleeping too much are both bad for you in the long run. They don’t address polyphasic schedules, though; only being shorted on sleep on a regular schedule.
Happy relaxing!
PD
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