Polyphasic Sleep: There’s recent buzz about a sleep pattern called “Polyphasic sleep.” This centers on the practice of taking frequent cat-naps throughout the day; opposed to one eight-hour sleep-cycle. This practice is founded on the following concept: There are multiple phases of sleep, and REM is the one that proves itself critical for re-energizing the mind. Ironically, REM is also the period where the brain is most active–mainly due to dreams. Polyphasic sleep is founded on the theory that many catnaps throughout the day will result in immediate REM cycles, thus allowing you to shave off the time spent in the preliminary sleep stages. In theory, this sounds logically sound, however in practice, it’s much harder. Just because one takes many catnaps throughout the day doesn’t mean everyone else will. The practicality of this schedule typically deters people from adopting polyphasic sleep patterns. It must be noted, though, that there are a handful of historical figures and even presidents that have successfully, and sustainably, implemented bi-phasic sleep schedules (sleeping twice per day). My suggestion would be to adopt the sleep pattern that is most aligned with your environment and schedule. If your current sleep pattern has proven itself unsuccessful for an extended period of time, experiment with different sleep patterns--even bi-phasic and polyphasic sleep patterns if your environment and schedule permits it.
18 ways to leverage sleep for focus Not all sleep issues are in your control. If certain components of your psychological system are out of whack, your sleep will likely follow suit. For instance, if your cardiovascular system or nervous system experience harmful abnormalities, chances are your sleep will suffer. Yet there are certain elements within your control that you can learn to counter. Below we will explore eighteen such elements that you can control, and tools that you can apply to your life, which will allow you to get more peace out of sleep.