I’ve survived 24 hours of polyphasic, and at this point, that feels like a major victory. The downside is that by all accounts it’s going to get worse before it gets better. I intentionally started sleep-deprived (directly after returning from a Thanksgiving trip, with no night of monophasic sleep to start) because I’m hoping that it will help me adapt faster; not that I would have purposely deprived myself of sleep first, but since I’d already lost some sleep over the weekend, I didn’t want to take the time to recharge all the way only to drain again. Better to get it all over with at once, assuming it works that way. My theory is that maybe this way, my body will crave the REM sleep sooner and adapt faster. Of course, I’m pretty sure that everyone who tries this fantasizes about a really fast adaptation.
It’s definitely fair to say that I’ve been pretty tired the whole time since my last entry. I’ve mostly felt like I do when I stay up too late on a Saturday night, and start nodding off in front of my computer. The roughest time was the period from 12:30 to 4:00 a.m. I was so tired that I couldn’t remember that I actually had a contingency plan; I was going to clean the office (physical moving around work) and possibly go to Wal-Mart. But when it came to it, I forgot that I had options. Bah. I gave myself an extra 30-minute nap, not so much to relieve the tiredness (I knew it wouldn’t do that) but to try to make the time pass faster. Steve Pavlina did this and I don’t see how it could be detrimental, as long as the time is limited. I figure better an extra controlled nap than a crash.
At that early morning point, I really started to question the whole idea of this project. I couldn’t remember why I wanted to do it, and I couldn’t come up with any reasons good enough to offset the unpleasantness of being awake, dead-tired, by myself, while the man I love was sleeping in our bed alone. However, I know that I tend to think with my emotions rather than my head in the middle of the night, especially while sleep deprived, and I was not going to change course at the worst time. Better to wait until a good time and then consider it a little more objectively.
Tonight has the potential to be even worse. Ugh. But I’m going to try to be better prepared. For one, I’m going to hang out with my sister until she goes to bed (usually around midnight). That gets me through one cycle. I’m just going to take my knitting in her room and endure her crap TV shows because she’ll keep me awake.
I have a mental list (which I think I’d better write down here in case I forget it at 2 a.m.!) of things I can do. I like the way this idea was done on “Placebo’s Polyphasic Sleep Journal Attempt 2“, so I’m going to imitate it. Here’s his scale:
0 = not at all tired. I couldn’t sleep if I tried.
5 = Yawning from time to time. Bed is beginning to look enticing.
10 = My eyes are closed 90% of the time, I can’t keep them open no matter what I do.
Things I intend to do:
- Computer stuff: designing the interface for my new blog and working on several web app projects (when I’m between a 0 and a 6)
- Writing a necessary manual: it needs done (when I’m between a 3 and a 7)
- Knitting, sewing, and other crafty things (when I’m between a 4 and a 7)
- Online gaming: I think I’ll try my hand at some Unreal Tournament online (when I’m between a 5 and an
- Physical tasks: cleaning the office, unraveling sweaters (yes, for real) (when I’m at a 8 to 10)
The idea is that I will gradually move from activity to activity as each one is more appropriate. I liked Sean’s addition of stretching after naps, too, so I’m going to see if I can integrate that. Later this month or next, the plan is to borrow the church’s bass guitar and learn that. I think, unfortunately, that for the adaptation phase at least, reading and movies are pretty much out. I just nod off too quickly… well, at night. In the day, I’ve been able to read some. And we did watch an episode of Alias this evening.
Hmm, what else? I’m concerned about back pain. I have a hard time sitting in office chairs at the best of times for long durations, but I’m afraid to sit down on the couch for fear I might just tip over and zonk out. I’m trying to maintain good posture and hoping for the best.
Oh, and I tried out the “Jewelry Class in a Box!” and guess what… it’s utter crap. I reviewed it over on my new blog. Kind of a disappointment as I had visions of becoming a fabulous jewelry creator while shifting to polyphasic. Ah, well, I’ll just have to become a genius bunny-knitting bass-playing ricebag-sewing kook.
