Day 3 Update: Free Therapy

Today has been great.  On a scale of 10, I'd say my energy is a 7.  Brain capacity seems almost perfect (though I haven't actually done anything that would test it...).  I've been setting my alarm clock countdown to 30 minutes instead of 20 to allow myself 10 minutes to actually fall asleep.  I think I might alter my sleep schedule to include the 4 am - 7 am core sleep permanently.  I don't know if it's because of those 3 hours, but today I was able to lay on my friend's bed with almost no desire to sleep.  I tend to get drowsy in the hour before nap time but that seems fitting.

There's a weirdly psychological aspect to polyphasic sleep that I didn't expect.  I am naturally an extroverted person--to an unhealthy extent even.  I hate being alone whether it is due to boredom or discomfort with my own thoughts, I don't know, but the second one social interaction ends, I start scanning my cell phone looking for the next.  That was one of my biggest fears going into this experiment.  Not only would I be awake for many more hours but much of them would be spent alone.  

I'm surprised to say that regardless of whether it's 2 am or 6 am, those issues seem to have disappeared.  Maybe I'm so concentrated on not falling asleep that I am less occupied with my inner monologue?  I have no idea.  Maybe it will revert back when I have completely adapted to the polyphasic sleep cycle.  We'll see, but for now I get to enjoy therapy without the bill.

Day 3: Core Sleep

So Day 3 has begun decently well.  There's definitely less of the brain fog thing going on.  Energy isn't particularly high, but I can walk around without fear of falling asleep mid-step.  Last night instead of my 4 am nap, I added a core sleep cycle to the experiment by sleeping from 4 am - 7 am.  (Owen and Max, I owe you money. In hindsight, I realize that agreeing to a bet under the terms of oversleeping 2 hours or more was silly when part of the process involves experimenting with 3-hour core sleep cycles. Oh well.)

After the core sleep, I continued my regular nap pattern at 8 am.  I don't know whether today's energy and clear-headness is due to progressive adaptation or last evening's 3 hour  sleep.  I'm also realizing that I was holding myself to nearly impossible standards.  Until 12 am last night, I had only been a polyphasic sleeper for 2 days, but the increase of hours awake made me feel as if it were much longer.  Assuming that I had been doing it for ages, I was upset with my lack of progress, but in reality, Day 3 is considered to be the beginning of getting over the hump and I've only just started.  Definitely feeling good about all of this.  My family has even become supportive.  While they might not approve of the idea in itself, they view my determination as evidence that I just might make it somewhere in life.

My doctor sister told my mom that the 3 hour core sleep periods were  a really good idea.  It's probably smart, but I'm hesitant to do anything that might make the adaptation period any longer than necessary.  That decision will have to be more spur of the moment than anything else.