Ubersleep: The Polyphasic Sleep Book

All About Ubersleep:  Nap-Based Sleep Schedules and the Polyphasic Lifestyle

Now in its Second Edition! The new edition contains almost 100 pages of new content, a fresh (and gorgeous) redesign inside and out, and a real e-reader-compatible electronic format (as opposed to a PDF, which was totally cutting-edge electronic format back in 2008, ::cough::)  Experimentation and research compiled in the years since the First Edition has led to new sections on physical effects, compatibility of polyphasic sleep with jobs and athletic lifestyles, and more!    

Print format

EBook format

Kindle format

For those who've asked, "What's it feel like to be done?" with this incredibly long project, here's the answer!

Want even more info?  Sure; why not?  Read on for more about the book's history, plus the First Edition cover and table of contents:

(And here's a weird fun fact, because I adore easter-eggs:  The Second Edition cover design is based on a photo of a flaming timing-chain (part of an automotive engine).  It was just too good a metaphor to pass up, once we'd thought of it, so I sourced a timing-chain and a big container of acetone and a photographer and went to town.  And managed not to set my shoes on fire…. 

…Barely.)

A bit of history on Ubersleep: Nap-Based Sleep Schedules and the Polyphasic Lifestyle

I published the First Edition of this book in 2008.  It collects all the information I gained from my early experiments and discussions with polyphasers, back when the only other writings on the topic were Stampi's highly-technical report and my Everything2 node on Uberman.  (I swear, when I first wrote about Uberman I thought, "Surely the 'Net knows all about this already, and people just call it something else…"  I spent about 2 weeks scouring the online world, in multiple languages, trying to find links to give to all of the people who were suddenly emailing me!  …Then I rather foolishly decided that if I started collecting and publishing the information I had gathered from being polyphasic myself and helping other people adjust, I would get less emails.  …I've grown a bit wiser since then, obviously… ;)

Ubersleep: Nap-Based Sleep Schedules and the Polyphasic Lifestyle started out as an instruction manual, but grew much bigger as I wrote it.  It's now everything I know about polyphasic sleep, including the whole ridiculous list of stuff you see below, masquerading as a Table of Contents. Right now the book is self-published, which means that a) it's pretty cheap, and b) you can only get it on the Internet (NOTE:  This is likely to change, as the Second Edition will be offered to bookstores starting in late 2013).   Feel free to leave any comments you have on the book here; or, if you'd like to review it, you can do so at the book's page on Lulu or on Amazon. Thanks very much to everyone who encouraged the writing of this book, and to everyone who's bought it or will buy it, and who starred it or reviewed it — Thanks tons!  The whole project has been immensely fulfilling for me, not to mention having made me a few bucks.  ;)  Thanks!!

Here's the hand-painted (and soon-to-be-a-collector's-item) cover of the First Edition:

Table of Contents (first edition):

I. What is Polyphasic Sleep? 7

Introduction 7

Some Terminology 8

History & Known Applications 9

Modern Research 9

Modern Relevance 11

II. Polyphasic Schedules in Detail 13

Beginning at the Beginning: The Uberman Sleep Schedule 13

Being A Grownup: The Everyman Schedule 15

So Which is Better? 17

Other Schedules (The "Formula") 17

III. The Big Question: Should You Be Polyphasic? 20

Wanting To 20

Being The Right Person 20

Contraindications 22

IV. Adapting to Polyphasic Sleep 25

Researching 25

Deciding 25

Scheduling 25

Other Items on the Pre-Flight Checklist 28

Understanding Sleep Deprivation 31

What's the Purpose of Sleep Deprivation Here? 32

Handling Narcoleptic Symptoms 33

Ack, I Can't Sleep! 36

Success! Adjusting to your New Schedule 36

You Know You're Adapting When… 37

You Know You're Having Trouble Adapting When… 38

Tweaking Your Schedule 38

Before Tweaking the Schedule: Red-flag Behaviors that are Known to Interfere with Polyphasic Sleep 39

If You Really Need to Tweak 39

If Tweaking Doesn't Work 41

When To Give Up 41

V. Living Polyphasically 43

On the Nature of Screwing Up 43

Getting Bored 45

Scheduling and Real Life 46

Sickness 46

Travel 48

Emergencies 48

Summing Up: Re-Adjusting 49

Eating, Exercise & Substances 49

The “Crash Theory” 51

Physical Effects 52

Weight Gain and Loss 52

Sleep Disorders, Cessation Of 53

Dreaming 54

Psychological & Social Effects 55

Changes in the Perception of Time 55

Euphoria 56

Changes in your Social Life 56

Learning to Love Sleep 57

Being A Weirdo 57

VI. Philosophical Implications 59

VII. Conclusion 62

VIII. APPENDICES 63

Appendix I: Sleep Drugs 63

Appendix II: Arguments to Bosses 64

Appendix III: Gradual Adaptation 65

Appendix IV: Refutations 65

Appendix V: Resources 66

About The Author 67

XI. "Cheat Sheets": Things to cut out & use for reference 68

Why I Want to be Polyphasic: 68

What is Polyphase? 68

When You First Wake Up 69

Before you Go To Sleep 69

When you Get Tired 70

Habits and Successes 71