Biphasic Sleep: Tips and Sleep Schedule

Biphasic sleep is a sleeping pattern divided into two periods of sleep within a 24-hour cycle. It stands in contrast to a monophasic sleep pattern, wherein a person only engages in one long sleep period (typically at night). It also differs from a polyphasic sleep pattern, wherein a person takes many short naps in lieu of one or two long sleep periods.

A biphasic sleep cycle can take many forms. For some people, the first sleep period takes place in the middle of the night while a second sleep period takes place during the day—for example, a siesta during which a biphasic sleeper pauses their workday for an afternoon nap. For others, a biphasic sleep pattern can take place during shorter periods at night. A person may lie down for four hours of sleep, wake up for a couple of hours, and then go back to sleep until the sun rises.

For proper sleep hygiene, both stages of biphasic sleep should involve all types of sleep, including the essential REM sleep and deep sleep.

While biphasic sleepers get their sleep in two distinct periods, polyphasic sleepers engage in many periods of sleep throughout the day. Shift workers may engage in polyphasic sleeping, particularly when they're called to work at night during a natural sleep period. They may have one sustained sleep period supplemented with naps at various points throughout the day.

If your body naturally responds to biphasic sleep, you can incorporate it into your own sleep-wake cycle. To do so safely and effectively, consider the following tips:

1. 1. Put your phone away before sleeping. Sleep research shows that blue light impedes the body's ability to fall asleep. Avoid looking at digital screens (or use a blue light filter) during the hour before your bedtime.
2. 2. Use artificial light to wake up. If you're training yourself to adapt a biphasic sleep pattern, it's important to fully wake from your first sleep period. If your goal is to end your first sleep in the middle of the night, use a wake-up light to coax your body into wakefulness.
3. 3. Supplement your sleep with naps. If you’re a biphasic sleeper, you get the majority of your sleep in two sessions, but a 20-minute nap can be rejuvenating if you’re feeling drowsy.
4. 4. Keep your doctor in the loop. Let your doctor or healthcare provider know if you are planning to change your sleep pattern. They may have medical advice to make the process as safe and effective as possible.

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