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Monday, February 14, 2011

Biphasic sleep log - Day 24 - 13th Feb

Evening 13th: I forgot to take the noon nap today. I wasn't feeling sleepy and also just ate around that time. But that didn't have any effect on my energy levels - I was fresh, I was productive, I was enjoying life! So much so that I even thought of going to watch a movie at the cinema. Because the pressure of the work was no longer there, it's well within control now. My car didn't cooperate so I didn't go but still watched a movie at home.

"No Reservations" featuring Catherine Zeta-Jones, Aaron Eckhart and Abigail Breslin. Remember Abigail from "Definitely Maybe"? She's awesome!

Morning 14th Feb:
As per plan I went to bed at midnight last night. Nowadays, in addition to the alarm in my phone I also use the "inner clock" meaning the subconscious, both for the morning alarm as well as falling asleep. I instruct my subconscious that I am now going to count down from 100 to 1 and I want be asleep by the time I reach 1. Usually I am having hypnogogic illusions by the time I reach 80! I have never reached 50 on it yet.
Woke up this morning at 0445, before the alarm I think. And I felt nice and fresh, but then somehow I closed my eyes and slid back very smoothly into sleep without knowing it.
Funny thing is that the dream I had been having before waking up continued this time as well, so I did reach REM quickly it appears.
This time I woke up at 0533. There was no alarm any more. This time I felt even fresher and more rested (of course). But this time I didn't make the mistake of closing my eyes. It took some willpower but I got up.
As I said I was very fresh even without having to wash my face (but I did anyway!)
At the station, I had hot chocolate and I was quite aware of the fact that I was fresh, my mind was alert and active, I didn't miss the caffeine kick at all.
This continued till about 1030 when I went into a meeting. Then I really had to struggle to keep my eyes open. But that was the meeting, not me.

At this point I'd like to take the opportunity to summarize the weekend.
My sleeping times were not clock-punctual as you know from the log. Yet, I didn't suffer any consequences. So, biphasic is more forgiving than anything else. Even more so than monophasic, I'd say.
I have by now acquired the capability to take a short, 20-minute nap any time I need. I can fall asleep quickly and wake up absolutely refreshed.
I reach REM stage quickly and all my sleep including sildebacks and oversleep has been very good in quality.
My waking time has been amazingly refreshed and alert.
I am quickly losing the need for alarms.

But most of all, it's the use that I have put my time to. I have had periods of free-time when I have had weeks at my disposal and achieved nothing. So, just having the time does not translate into productivity. It's more to do with the mood and the state of mind that you are in.
On biphasic, I have been on like a superman (for want of a better word) all weekend. I have been on top of everything!
I have done creative work, in Photoshop mostly.
I have played my guitar, much more than I have done in weeks. I did both practice and improvising. Again creative work.
I have done chores and didn't get bogged by them.
I have had new ideas.
I have taken courageous decision that was pending.
I have been decisive, bold and generally on top of the world.
I have spent very, very little amount of time in just playing around. And didn't need to exercise willpower for it either.
The one thing I have not done is physical workout. It has been on my mind most of the time, but the sleep-eat-workout timing didn't work out. Every time I remembered I wanted to work out, I had either just eaten or was starving. Both wrong times for exercise. So, I need to set a reminder for it, but I feel motivated enough!
So, in short, biphasic, so far, has improved my life dramatically, including getting rid of the stress of things unfinished. I plan to do MUCH more with this.

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