As someone that has experimented with polyphasic sleep, I'd like to see some studies designed in such a way that they mirror what people actually do when they switch to one of these schedules. That is to say allow for an adjustment period.
I know for me, getting to the point where I could fall asleep for the naps was the hardest part. I ended up basically skipping a night of sleep and then entering into the nap protocol. That first couple of weeks was brutal but I stayed on a polyphasic sleep schedule for about 6 months.
I can't definitively say that my cognitive function wasn't reduced over that 6 month period, but it certainly wasn't like being drunk.
At the time I was a professional poker player and I was not measurably less profitable per 100 hands and played a much higher volume than normal during that stretch. Ultimately I stopped the cycle due to loneliness. I already had a very solitary job, but adding another 6 - 8 hours of alone time to each day weighs on you for sure. I think with a normal, albeit flexible, job this would have been more sustainable for me.
> As someone that has experimented with polyphasic sleep, I'd like to see some studies designed in such a way that they mirror what people actually do when they switch to one of these schedules. That is to say allow for an adjustment period.
Fwiw, I agree with you in so far as your logic goes.
However, as it can would be fatal based on the main stream understanding of how sleep deprivation works, I can't say I'd support such a study since it would likely kill at least one person and/or otherwise fuck up their health seriously.
I know for me, getting to the point where I could fall asleep for the naps was the hardest part. I ended up basically skipping a night of sleep and then entering into the nap protocol. That first couple of weeks was brutal but I stayed on a polyphasic sleep schedule for about 6 months.
I can't definitively say that my cognitive function wasn't reduced over that 6 month period, but it certainly wasn't like being drunk.
At the time I was a professional poker player and I was not measurably less profitable per 100 hands and played a much higher volume than normal during that stretch. Ultimately I stopped the cycle due to loneliness. I already had a very solitary job, but adding another 6 - 8 hours of alone time to each day weighs on you for sure. I think with a normal, albeit flexible, job this would have been more sustainable for me.