CEO Blog - Time Leadership

Polyphasic Sleep or catnapping

I am more productive today.

I have long felt that people sleep too much. I have even considered this to be a personal competitive advantage. If I sleep less than other people, I can get more done. I think of it as a fundamental time management tool.

I have been following the Polyphasic Sleep chatter in the blogsphere and on the internet. (Polyphasic sleep is sleeping 20 minutes every 4 hours for a total sleep time of 2 hours per day). Of course the attraction for me is huge. More time to get more done.

Challenges to me doing Polyphasic full time are:

1 - Health. I am a health guy and am not convinced of the health of it.

2 - Family. I do not have the support of Elizabeth. For some reason she thinks I should sleep at night. I have not spoken to mom or dad but would be certain they would not approve.

3 - No place to sleep. I work in an office and cannot easily nap at work. It seems to weird - even for me. For that matter, I usually wear a suit or good clothes so can't exactly sleep in them.

I use a variation of polyphasic sleep - some would call catnapping. It addresses all of the above concerns. I am convinced it allows me to be more efficient and sleep less than many other people do. I use it when I do the redeye which I seem to do every couple of weeks. I use it on the weekend and sometimes if I get home in the evening. What I am doing and what I have learned from Polyphasic sleep is:

1 - 20 minutes is the perfect length of time for a nap. So perhaps I do not practise polyphasic sleep but I do find a 20 minute nap refreshing. I set my alarm for 21 minutes and assume it takes me 1 minute to fall asleep. I do not feel guilty napping for 20 minutes. So far, I only use this on weekends and evenings.

2 - I have learned to fall asleep quickly. One minute is all it takes.

3 - I am trying to learn to fall asleep sitting up or in busy, bright, loud places etc. (like on planes, in my car (not while driving) and in airports or at home with the dog barking). This is where I could really use it.

4 - I use napping in the evening to give me the energy to continue. I usually do not get home until it is almost time for bed but if I do, I nap for 20 minute then go out, do what I want etc.

5 - I use it when my body naturally tells me to sleep. Sometimes in the evening I am reading and find myself nodding off or not concentrating. Perfect time for a nap.

6 - I have read that body temperature regulates partly how "awake" we are. To raise body temperature after I get up, I often (but not always) take a brisk walk or do some other physical activity to get me pumped again. I have used this technique for surviving the redeye for some time.

I am a strong advocate of cat napping. Learn how to do it and increase efficiency.

posted by Jim Estill @ 3:22 PM