Alternate Sleeping Strategies

Getting tired of the usual 16 hours awake / 8 hours asleep or 18 hours awake / 6 hours asleep routine? You’re not the only one. While this type of sleep, monophasic sleep (getting your sleep all at once, in a single “block”), may be the norm, it is not the only option.

Biphasic / divided / segmented sleep is the practice of dividing your sleep in to two separate blocks, usually a larger block at night and a smaller block during the day. For example, it is commonplace in some cultures for one to supplement their nighttime sleep with a mid-day nap (about, wikipedia) or siesta. Taking a nap in the middle of the day can be refreshing and prepare you for the second half of your day. Interested in giving divided sleep a try? Consider scheduling a Snoozester wake up call to help make sure you don’t “overnap.”

We recently blogged about another alternate sleeping strategy, polyphasic sleep, the practice of sleeping multiple short intervals throughout the day (with the goal of increasing the number of hours one is awake). Polyphasic sleep usually requires one to maintain a fairly set schedule of sleeping and waking up.

Have you tried any of these (or any other) alternate sleeping strategies? If so, post a comment and tell us about your experience.

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Important:
The Sleep Blog does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Instead, this website provides general information for educational purposes only. Always seek the advice of a qualified health care provider if you have questions or concerns regarding any medical condition or treatment.