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Does Polyphasic Sleep Work?

  • Writer: Sophie Bostock, PhD
    Sophie Bostock, PhD
  • Apr 15, 2021
  • 1 min read

Can you improve productivity by adopting a polyphasic sleep schedule? i.e. Can you hack sleep with short naps over 24 hours?


It's a tempting idea. A quick Google and you'll find recommendations for all sorts of 'recipes' for sleep... the Uberman, Everyman, Dymaxion.. Short bouts of sleep were allegedly good enough for Leonardo de Vinci, so how about for the rest of us?


Here I talk about the rationale for polyphasic sleep, and what the latest research says about its impacts..



see here for the review paper by Weaver and colleagues in Sleep Health.



This is especially relevant for me, since I'm embarking on a rowing adventure this summer which will involve embracing a polyphasic sleep/row schedule.


Many thanks to Pip Hare, solo round the world yachtswoman, and Dan Wakerley, of the masterful On Shoulders of Giants Atlantic-winning crew, for sharing their experiences of polyphasic sleep with me.


I've shared a few tips but if you have your own experience of thriving on polyphasic sleep to share, I'd be interested to learn more!



13 Comments


meery232er
Jan 01

Detailed and practical, this guide explains concrete rebar in a way that feels approachable without oversimplifying. The step by step clarity is especially useful for readers new to the subject. I recently came across a construction related explanation on https://hurenberlin.com that offered a similar level of clarity, and this article fits right in with that quality. Great resource. explanation feels practical for everyday rauhaneusers. I checked recommended tools on https://www.eljnoub.com

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bitaro
Dec 15, 2025

This post patterns in a very accessible way The https://www.easylawinc.com science was broken down clearly without feeling overwhelming It reminded me of a sleep related article I read on an easylawinc based review blog easylawinc.I like this post.

Edited
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bitaro
Dec 15, 2025

The exploration of sleep patterns feels balanced and https://www.docsoutsidethebox.us reassuring offering science based perspective without pressure I came across a similar discussion on a docsoutsidethebox based review blog docsoutsidethebox.

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bitaro
Dec 12, 2025

This https://paygration.com post explained sleep habits in a way that felt very clear and easy to understand. It made me think of a related viewpoint I found on a paygration review blog.

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sughra noor
sughra noor
Dec 11, 2025

Really interesting exploration of polyphasic sleep — your post made a potentially confusing topic very accessible and easy to understand. I appreciated how you balanced the curiosity around alternative sleep schedules with a grounded look at what research actually supports. It reminded me of a piece I saw recently on mindful health habits on a sherwaytrilliumdental page https://www.sherwaytrilliumdental.ca/, which also encouraged thoughtful engagement with wellness trends. Looking forward to more posts like this!

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Every few weeks I tackle a juicy sleep question in videos or blog posts. Sign up for occasional updates, or to get your question answered.

If you'd like more information about speaking, coaching, or consulting, please get in touch! You can reach Sophie at sophie@thesleepscientist.com.

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© 2024 Sophie Bostock Version 3.0.

Based in Hampshire, United Kingdom

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