Sleep Skipping: Safe Strategy Or Health Hazard?

Sleep is an essential part of our lives, and most people follow a monophasic sleep pattern, sleeping once every 24 hours. However, some people adopt biphasic or polyphasic sleep patterns, sleeping twice or more than twice per day, respectively. While these alternative sleep patterns may offer benefits such as increased productivity and energy, they also carry risks and may not be suitable for everyone. In this article, we will explore the pros and cons of sleeping every other day and discuss whether it is a safe and viable option for improving overall well-being.

Biphasic sleep: sleeping in two segments, usually with a nap in the afternoon

Biphasic sleep is a sleep pattern where a person sleeps in two segments per day. This usually involves a longer nighttime sleep and a shorter daytime nap. It is also called bimodal, segmented, diphasic, or divided sleep.

History of Biphasic Sleep

Biphasic sleep was likely a typical sleep pattern for humans before the industrial revolution. With no electricity, many preindustrial people would sleep when the sun went down, wake up for an hour or so, and then go back to sleep. However, the custom of sleeping for one 6- to 8-hour segment per day became common during the industrial era, when artificial lighting enabled people to stay up past sunset.

Benefits of Biphasic Sleep

Research shows biphasic sleep schedules with a short midday nap and long nighttime sleep may help improve brain function and energy levels. Short naps under 30 minutes are known to boost energy and alertness. Research shows quick naps help improve receptors in the brain that are responsible for reducing sleepiness and improving thinking and reasoning.

Downsides of Biphasic Sleep

The biggest issue with biphasic sleep is the potential for sleep deprivation. Sleep deprivation can result from poor sleep quality and insufficient sleep overall. Chronic sleep deprivation can increase your risk for serious health problems like heart or kidney disease, diabetes, stroke, high blood pressure, obesity, and depression. Biphasic sleep with longer naps may also lead to sleep inertia, making you feel groggy and disoriented.

Tips for Starting Biphasic Sleep

• Choose a biphasic sleep schedule and set a morning wake-up time.
• Take a nap at the same time every day, between 12:30 and 3:00 pm.
• Set an alarm to keep naps under 30 minutes to avoid sleep inertia.
• Drink coffee right before your nap for extra help waking up.
• Sleep in a dimly lit or dark room to help you sleep during the day.

Polyphasic sleep: sleeping more than twice per day, often to reduce total sleep time

Polyphasic sleep is a way of breaking up your sleep into multiple sessions over a day. Unlike the usual 7–9 hours of sleep a night, this method involves several shorter sleep times. The idea is that by sleeping multiple times a day, you can reduce the total amount of sleep you need while still feeling rested and alert. This can range from taking short naps to having a few hours of longer sleep followed by several mini sleeps.

Polyphasic sleep aims to tap into the most restorative phases of sleep more frequently. Sleep is made up of several stages, including deep sleep and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, which is the sleep cycle known for dreaming. By breaking sleep into smaller sections, there is a potential to make more of each sleep cycle.

There are several polyphasic sleep schedules, each with a unique pattern. While these types offer different ways to divide your sleep, they all aim to optimize time spent asleep for maximum efficiency and alertness during waking hours.

Uberman Sleep Cycle

The Uberman schedule is one of the most extreme forms of polyphasic sleep. It involves six short naps, each lasting about 20 minutes, spread evenly throughout the day. It totals only 2 hours of sleep in a 24-hour period. This schedule requires strict adherence to nap times to work effectively. It's often chosen by those who want to maximize their awake time, but its intensity and discipline make it a challenging schedule to maintain.

Everyman Sleep Schedule

The Everyman schedule offers more flexibility than the Uberman schedule. It includes one longer sleep period, usually lasting 3 to 4 hours, and two to three shorter naps spread out during the day. This schedule is often seen as more achievable than the Uberman, because it includes a core sleep period that helps satisfy deeper sleep needs. It's a popular choice for those looking to experiment with polyphasic sleep without going to the extreme lengths of the Uberman cycle.

Triphasic Sleep Schedule

The Triphasic schedule divides your sleep into three distinct periods. Typically, this includes a longer sleep at night and two shorter naps during the day. For example, you might sleep for 3 hours at night, take a 90-minute nap in the morning, and another 90-minute nap in the late afternoon. With a pattern that feels closer to traditional sleeping habits, the Triphasic sleep schedule tries to align with the natural rhythms of the body and is considered one of the more natural forms of polyphasic sleep.

Benefits of Polyphasic Sleep

• Increased lucid dreams: Polyphasic sleepers often experience more REM sleep because their sleep cycles are broken up, allowing for more frequent entry into this dream-filled stage.
• Increased productivity: By reducing the total time spent sleeping, you have more time awake. Spending less time asleep can be a significant benefit for those looking to squeeze more into their day.
• Improved memory and learning: Some polyphasic sleepers report improvements in memory and learning. The theory is that by sleeping multiple times in a day, you're repeatedly entering sleep stages that might help consolidate memory and enhance learning capabilities.
• Better time management: Polyphasic sleep might help with your time management. With a strict sleep schedule, you might need to plan your day more carefully. More structure can lead to improved organization and a more efficient approach to handling daily tasks.

Risks of Polyphasic Sleep

• Reduced reaction time: When sleep is fragmented or reduced, as in polyphasic sleep, it can lead to feelings of grogginess or a state known as sleep inertia. This can result in slower reaction times, which might be significant in situations like driving or operating machinery.
• Sleep deprivation: Even though polyphasic sleep aims to make sleep more efficient, there's a risk of not getting enough total sleep. Chronic sleep deprivation can bring negative implications like impaired cognitive function, mood swings, and a weakened immune system.
• Circadian rhythm disruption: Polyphasic sleep can disrupt our natural sleep-wake cycle, potentially affecting functions like hormone regulation and digestion or leading to long-term health consequences.
• Difficulty in maintaining social and work commitments: A polyphasic sleep schedule requires strict adherence to sleeping times, which can impact your social and work life.
• Long-term sustainability: For many, the strict schedule and discipline required for a polyphasic sleep pattern can be difficult to uphold over extended periods.

Sleep deprivation: the risks and consequences of not getting enough sleep

Sleep is essential for our overall well-being, and getting insufficient sleep can have several negative consequences. While the recommended amount of sleep for adults is at least seven hours per night, many people function on much less. This can lead to what is known as sleep debt, which can impact your energy levels and cognitive performance.

Chronic sleep deprivation can have a range of adverse effects on your health and daily life. It can affect your metabolism and raise hormones that increase your appetite, leading to weight gain. It can also impair your learning and memory, making it difficult to focus and retain information. Additionally, lack of sleep increases your risk of accidents, as it slows your reaction time and impairs your decision-making abilities.

Sleep deprivation has been linked to various health problems, including an increased risk of heart disease, kidney disease, diabetes, stroke, high blood pressure, and obesity. It can also lead to mental health issues such as depression. In children, sleep deprivation can cause hyperactivity, attention problems, and poor school performance.

To maintain optimal health, it is crucial to prioritize sleep and aim for the recommended seven to nine hours per night for adults. If you have trouble falling or staying asleep, there are several strategies you can implement, such as maintaining a consistent sleep schedule, limiting screen time before bed, creating a relaxing bedtime routine, and avoiding caffeine close to bedtime.

In some cases, sleep deprivation may be due to an underlying sleep disorder or health condition. If you consistently struggle to get enough sleep, it is important to consult with a healthcare professional, who can help identify any underlying causes and provide personalized advice or treatment options.

Sleep debt: how to recover lost sleep and reduce tiredness

Sleep debt, or sleep deficit, is the difference between the amount of sleep someone needs and the amount they actually get. For example, if your body needs eight hours of sleep per night but you only get six, you have accumulated two hours of sleep debt. Sleep debt can be caused by common activities like working, commuting, socialising, relaxing, and watching TV.

Being in a prolonged state of sleep debt can increase the risk of diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and stroke. Sleep deprivation is also linked to reduced immune function, metabolic dysregulation and weight gain, and a greater risk of falls and accidents. It also affects memory and cognitive functions.

• Keep a set sleep schedule: Maintaining a set sleep schedule allows you to prioritise sleep and ensure you are getting sufficient rest. If you need to change your sleep schedule, do it slowly by adjusting it in increments of 15 to 30 minutes.
• Develop a nightly routine: Having a nightly routine allows your body to relax and prepare for quality sleep. Set an alarm for 30 minutes to an hour before bed to remind you to dim the lights, turn off electronics, and find a relaxing activity.
• Consider daytime habits: If you are chronically sleep-deprived, rethink any daytime activities that may be contributing to sleep issues. Make sure you are getting enough sunlight and exercise during the day, not drinking caffeine too close to bedtime, and restricting activities in your bed to just sleep and sex. Limiting screen time before sleeping may also help reduce sleep issues.
• Improve your bedroom environment: Optimise your bedroom environment for sleep. Keep the temperature comfortable for sleeping, block out any lights or noises that might keep you awake, and consider replacing your mattress, pillow, or sheets if they are old or uncomfortable.
• Take a nap: A brief, 10- to 20-minute nap can help you feel more refreshed during the day. A mid-afternoon nap can increase working memory, learning, and mental acuity for a few hours. However, be careful not to nap too long or too late in the day, as this can disrupt your nighttime sleep.
• Be patient: Remember that it can take days to recover from a sleep debt. Increase your sleep time slowly, by 15 to 30 minutes at a time, until you reach the optimal amount of sleep for your body.
• Talk to your doctor: If sleep debt is interfering with your daytime activities or if you are struggling to recover, speak with your doctor. They can determine if you have an undiagnosed sleep disorder, like insomnia or sleep apnea, and offer personalised tips for improving your sleep.

Sleep disorders: what they are and how to treat them

Sleep disorders are conditions that affect the quality, timing, and amount of sleep a person gets. They can have a significant impact on both mental and physical health, as well as daily functioning. Sleep disorders can manifest in various ways, including difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or feeling alert during the day.

Types of Sleep Disorders

There are over 80 types of sleep disorders, and insomnia is the most common. Other sleep disorders include:

• Sleep apnea: A breathing disorder characterised by pauses in breathing during sleep, often resulting in snoring and gasping for air.
• Restless leg syndrome: An urge to move the legs, usually accompanied by uncomfortable sensations.
• Narcolepsy: Irrepressible periods of sleep and lapses throughout the day.
• Circadian rhythm sleep-wake disorders: Misalignment between a person's internal clock and the external light-dark cycle, leading to significant sleep problems and daytime sleepiness.
• Parasomnias: Physical actions or verbal expressions during sleep, such as walking, talking, or eating.
• Hypersomnolence disorder: Excessive sleepiness despite getting adequate sleep.

Causes and Risk Factors

Sleep disorders can be caused by various factors, including:

• Medical conditions: Heart disease, asthma, nerve conditions, or pain can disrupt sleep patterns.
• Mental health conditions: Depression, anxiety, and cognitive disorders are often associated with sleep disorders.
• Genetic factors: Sleep disorders can have a genetic component, with a higher risk among those with a family history.
• Substance use: Caffeine and alcohol consumption, especially close to bedtime, can disrupt sleep.
• Work schedule: Working night shifts or having an irregular schedule can impact sleep.
• Age: Older adults tend to get less sleep and experience changes in their sleep architecture.

Symptoms

Signs that you may have a sleep disorder include:

• Regularly taking more than 30 minutes to fall asleep.
• Waking up frequently during the night and struggling to fall back asleep.
• Feeling sleepy during the day, taking frequent naps, or falling asleep at inappropriate times.
• Snoring loudly or experiencing breathing pauses during sleep.
• Tingling or crawling sensations in the legs or arms, relieved by movement.
• Vivid dream-like experiences while falling asleep.
• Episodes of sudden muscle weakness triggered by strong emotions.
• Feeling unable to move upon waking up (sleep paralysis).

Diagnosis

Sleep disorders are typically diagnosed through a combination of a physical exam, sleep history, and medical history. Sleep specialists may also recommend a sleep study (polysomnogram) to monitor body and brain activities during sleep.

Treatment

Treatment options for sleep disorders vary depending on the specific disorder and can include:

• Lifestyle changes: Adopting a regular sleep schedule, improving sleep hygiene, and incorporating relaxation techniques.
• Cognitive behavioural therapy: Addressing anxiety and improving sleep habits.
• Medications: Sleeping pills, alerting agents, or supplements like melatonin may be prescribed for short-term use.
• CPAP machine: Continuous positive airway pressure devices are commonly used to treat sleep apnea by keeping airways open.
• Light therapy: Exposure to bright light in the morning can help regulate sleep-wake cycles.
• Alternative therapies: Mindfulness, meditation, yoga, massage therapy, and acupuncture are generally considered safe but lack strong evidence for their effectiveness.

Frequently asked questions