On average we spend about 33% of our lives sleeping which means about 26 years of our lives are spent in sleeping. Sleep is essential for proper functioning of different activities of your body and mind. Sleep is important as it helps us to recharge ourselves physically and mentally. The normal sleep schedule talks about sleeping once per 24-hour period for about 7 to 9 hours from the night. This is called as a monophasic sleep schedule. In case of polyphasic sleep schedule, you sleep multiple times usually more than twice in a single 24-hour period. Let’s find out why you need it.

Maximize the frequency of activities

When you go for a polyphasic sleep schedule, it can help you to maximize the frequency of your waking activities. Many of us enjoy starting some tasks or activities right after we wake up. When you go for a polyphasic sleep schedule, you’ll be able to experience not just one first of the day activity but at least three such activities.

Immediate entry into REM sleep

An adult spend about 20% or 1 ½ hour in REM sleep each night. REM sleep is recognized as one of the most essential stages of the companies sleep cycle. It helps us by restoring our energy necessary for different bodily functions. If you go for a polyphasic sleep schedule, it will help you to go directly into REM sleep and that too several times. Monophasic sleepers spend about 65% in non-REM sleep or light sleep, which can be a waste when you compare it with polyphasic sleep schedule.

A night owl and an early riser

With polyphasic sleep schedule a you can become a night owl and early riser both. You can get benefits from both the sides. You’ll be able to work longer into the night and at the same time will also be able to rise early. You’ll be active late during the night and you’ll also be active in the morning hours. Once you finish up one of those power naps, you’ll be ready to go once the Sun sets.

Get multiple brain breaks throughout the day

If you go for a polyphasic schedule, it will help your mind and body to rest for short periods several times throughout the day. It is like having several multiple brain breaks fraud the day. Since a majority of polyphasic sleeping involves the REM cycle, your brain is restored various times in one single day.

Improve sleep quality

If you want to improve sleep quality dramatically, you can go for polyphasic sleep schedule. It focuses more on quality rather than quantity. In general in case of monophasic sleep schedule, many people get 12 hours of sleep and yet wake up groggy and tired. When you go for polyphasic sleep schedule, it will improve sleep density and stability. Instead of focusing on quantity, you’ll be focusing on quality and that will help you to get better results from the time you are spending sleeping. Even though you’ll be spending less number of hours sleeping, you will get an overall stronger sleep.

References 1. Polyphasic Sleep Mastery
2. Sleep and alertness during alternating monophasic and polyphasic rest-activity cycles
3. Irregular sleep/wake patterns are associated with poorer academic performance and delayed circadian and sleep/wake timing