June 3
I’m going to sleep for five and a half hours a day. This is called the Biphasic cycle and is the one that I will be using. I decided on this one because it takes the least amount of will power of all the sleep cycles except of course for the mono-phase, which is by far the most common sleep cycle ever.
What surprised me a few months ago is that there are many alternatives to the common eight hours of sleep a night. The only other cycle I had heard of was the Uberman; 20 or 30 minute naps six times a day. I dismissed this because like most people, it’s not realistic for me. I go to school and play football. I cannot take naps throughout the day, it’s just not accepted. Could you imagine if I said to my coach “could you just let me sit out for this set of drills; I need to catch up on my sleep.” Laughter from my teammates and disbelief from my coach would ensue. The Everyman cycle involves a three hour nap added with three half hour naps while the Dymaxion cycle is four thirty minute naps throughout the day. These have all been tried successfully before.
I decided to nix those cycles and attempt the biphasic for one main reason; schedule. I will be returning to high school in the fall for my last year. As mentioned before, I can’t depend on another cycle throughout a school year. This isn’t realistic. The Biphasic cycle allows me to sleep at night, like everyone else but gives me an extra few hours during the day by adding a one and a half hour nap shortly after lunch. I plan to achieve this be using a spare (period without a class) to catch up on my rest. Whether this nap is done by going home or by finding a place within my school, (Brantford Collegiate Institute) I’m not sure yet. I will decide when the time comes.
I have decided to structure this experiment or hopefully book by setting it up as a journal. Experts have said that it takes ten days for one’s body to accept a new sleep cycle. Throughout these days I will be writing down how my body and mind react to such a trial. I will also keep journaling during the summer months as long as there is something significant to write down. I will also examine how my school year is performed. I imagine that there will be much to read about during the first month of this experiment, not much in the middle as my body has fully adjusted and then much again to read about as I have to adapt to the school year.
I’m exciting to try this experiment as I have seen that those who try this have become more creative without any negative side effects. If this experiment is performed successfully I hope to someday set a sleep cycle revolution, if you will, in place. This is to allow people the opportunity to use a different cycle without being prejudiced against.
I’ll use my Blackberry to set off alarms to keep me on schedule. That said, you will not hear from me again for at least two or three weeks (until exams are over).
