Nice to hear from you again.

thanks. I keep returning to the same perennial frustration--I need more time in my day!

It's interesting that you lost your ability to focus after 5 days of sleep deprivation.

sorry, I meant that I adjusted after 5 days, then the power kicked in. I lost my focus somewhere around two weeks.

I've been trying to find out more about this uberman's sleep schedule.

I just came back from the library, doing a bit of research. Here's some clarifications:

1. I checked Bucky's system, which called for 6hr intervals--more convenient and I'm sure you can adapt to it, but I don't see that it's based on anything physiological.)

2. We have a 4hr ultradian rhythm in addition to our 24-hour cycle.

3. At 4AM, all people feel their deepest dip in energy and have most propensity for sleep, regardless of sleep debt or sleep times.

Thus, I surmise that 4-hour cycles, beginning at 4AM would be the ideal intervals. So, 4AM, 8AM, Noon, 4PM, 8PM, Midnight.

4. Leonardo slept for 15 minutes at each interval. Bucky slept for 30. 10 minutes is the *absolute minimum* time required for a nap to benefit you. NASA says that 24 minutes is the optimal nap time. Claudio Stampi did a few studies with the 4hr intervals. He tried 15 and 30 min (1.5 hrs sleep vs 3 hrs sleep) and determined that both worked and both are viable. However, he ran the 15 min study for 19 days and the 30 minute study for 49 days. So... combining this with common sense, I'm inclined to say that a nap in the 25 minute range is probably ideal, but variable to person to person.

5. Over time, the time in which it takes you to fall asleep decreases dramatically.

6. Thomas Jefferson actually took a one-day break from this system every few weeks. Claudio Stampi likewise had one of his subjects take a day as ad lib--if he felt tired, he slept. The day after, he was back on the regimen. This seems quite prudent and we would be wise to incorporate it when we feel that we need it.

7. When you finally do get recovery sleep, it usually lasts for a mere 10 hours (!!) And is composed entirely of NREM-IV and REM. Worthy of note is that REM is of four times the concentration, where NREM is only twice.

8. Polyphasic sleep is the preferred method of sleep for most animals. The natural inclination of humans is one long sleep period, with one afternoon nap. However, it is likely that we maintain the programming to engage in polyphasic sleep from our evolutionary past when life was more dangerous and to adapt to severe times of stress and immanent crises.

9. It takes 3 to 9 days to adjust, average being 7 days.

10. In order to fascilitate rhythmic adjustment, Stampi first abstained from shortening the naps. The first round of naps were 80 minutes. The second round was decreased, same with third and fourth and fifth, until after five days, he was down to either 15 or 30 minutes per nap. --makes good sense.

11. Before shortening the naps, however, he first waited two or three days until the subject acclimated to the proper times. Expample: The first day, the subject slept 6 hours, then had one 80 minute nap. Second day, he slept 4 hours and had three 80 minute naps. Third day, it was all 80 minute naps. THEN he began to shorten the times. (my day and time estimates in point 10 and 11 are not exact, but the concept is there.)

12. I read in one place that this can be done up to a year--a vauge statement. Several people have done this for six months without the slightest problem. At this point, I think six months should be absolute max. Though, I wonder if you intersperse "ad lib" rest days once every few weeks, if you can go much longer...

13. Projects, projects, projects!!! You simply must fill your time in constructive, active, complex endeavor. (My first sleep experiment ever, three years ago, saw me resorting to obsessive computer gaming!!) While this would never happen now with my current mindset, the point should be made--have lots of important stuff to do.


All in all, I did not detect any hint of health detriment from Stampi's research. Still and all, we have only legends and testimonals from people who have done this for longer than 49 days. Whereas Stampi was monitoring and citing the physiological and intellectual functioning of people 49 days and under.

... well, that's about it.

Let me know if anyone is game for giving this a go--let's break some ground!