Sleep Cycles

[Odd Man Out]

On NPR today, I heard that pre industrial revolution writings often referred to people having two sleep cycles - one after sunset and one after midnight, separated by a semi-waking period. Then with the advent of artificial lighting, this natural sleep cycle seems to have disappeared, although it does reemerge in sleep studies where people are deprived of artificial light for long periods. I was wondering if any long distance hikers have noticed this?

[moytoy]

I have been on two sleep cycles for several years but it doesn't have anything to do with long distance hiking. Actually when I'm hiking I'll take something to make me sleep through my wake period in the middle of the night. I also take a nap in the afternoon if my workload allows. My wake period is when I do my internet exploring and some work related computer stuff. Then I'm ready to go back to sleep within a couple of hours.

[moldy]

Too many town breaks for it to take effect. So even a nose to the "grindstone" 10 on and 1 off thru-hiker won't be able to tell. Ask the Amish.

[Blissful]

I can say, if I don't sleep deeply at night on the trail, my dreams get so vivid. When I don't get dreams like that, I know I had a pretty good round of deep sleep sometime that night.

[Sarcasm the elf]

BBC news magazine recently published an article on the same subject.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-16964783



I commonly wake up for a short time during the middle of the night, but only when I have been getting enough sleep in the first place. Usually if i sleep straight through the night it means that I was exhausted or sleep deprived.

[Bati]

I definitely noticed it when I started and the nights were still long, since I started March 10. I would wake up in the middle of the night and take an hour or two to get back to sleep. Not a problem, since I was getting a lot of sleep. It was cold and the miles were difficult so the extra time in a sleeping bag was nice, even if I wasn't sleeping.

[Odd Man Out]

.... Ask the Amish.

Good idea - got their e-mail address?

[Odd Man Out]

I... the extra time in a sleeping bag was nice, even if I wasn't sleeping.

I know what you mean. I once was so tired, I went to sleep immediately upon going to be and in an instant, it was morning and time to get up. I felt like I was cheated of a whole night of sleep because it seemed to go by in the blink of an eye.

[Sarcasm the elf]

BBC news magazine recently published an article on the same subject.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-16964783



I commonly wake up for a short time during the middle of the night, but only when I have been getting enough sleep in the first place. Usually if i sleep straight through the night it means that I was exhausted or sleep deprived.

Sorry, I fixed the link, should work now...

The article is too long to post here, but worth the read.

[Pedaling Fool]

After over 20 years in the navy (I joined at 17) I don't remember anything about sleep cycles before the navy. However, now I can't really pin down sleep cycles; I wake at all hours of the night and it's hard for me to get to sleep. I don't know what I averaged in sleep hours in the navy, but I know it was less than 6 hours per night. What's funny is that there are regulations that set a minimum amount of sleep one should have, even during the most arduous underway periods, but it's one of those things everyone kind of laughs off as a joke. Thanks a lot Uncle Sam

[fredmugs]

On NPR today, I heard that pre industrial revolution writings often referred to people having two sleep cycles - one after sunset and one after midnight, separated by a semi-waking period. Then with the advent of artificial lighting, this natural sleep cycle seems to have disappeared, although it does reemerge in sleep studies where people are deprived of artificial light for long periods. I was wondering if any long distance hikers have noticed this?

Listenening to NPR should bore you right into a sleep coma.

[OzJacko]

Having spent a number of years working different shifts - 8 hour and 12 hour - and having read a fair bit about sleep patterns, I believe there is a lot of truth in what you have read.
However, as I understand it, it is more a case of two "sleep" periods approximately two to three o'clock both am and pm.
Studies show that most shiftworkers are prone to sleep issues at these two times of day. The notion of an afternoon siesta in many parts of the world has a sound foundation.
Personally I concur from my own experience that this seems to be the case and found that regardless of which shift I was on these were the times I was most at risk of falling asleep.
When changing sleep patterns it is also easier to gradually extend your day than shorten it. i.e. easier to go to bed and get up a halfhour or more later each day than sleep earlier and get up earlier, even (no especially) when done in large chunks.
I also found that I could get by for large periods on 4 or 5 hours sleep as long as it was essentially uninterrupted. After a week or so though, I would need a 12 hour sleep if I did this.

[pheldozer]

interesting read on polyphasic sleep cycles. it's basically a series of naps that results in being awake for 22 hours a day.
http://www.supermemo.com/articles/polyphasic.htm
supposedly da Vinci, Edison, Tesla, Churchill, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and Bruce Lee slept this way, but they all died before any research could be done on this, and is mostly anecdotal AFAIK

[atraildreamer]

However, as I understand it, it is more a case of two "sleep" periods approximately two to three o'clock both am and pm.
Studies show that most shiftworkers are prone to sleep issues at these two times of day. The notion of an afternoon siesta in many parts of the world has a sound foundation.
Personally I concur from my own experience that this seems to be the case and found that regardless of which shift I was on these were the times I was most at risk of falling asleep.

I did night shift, security-related work for 16 years. Your body "hits the wall" around 3 AM and wants to sleep, even strong coffee doesn't do much good!

Read where most nuclear reactor screw-ups (eg: Chernobyl) happened in the early morning hours when the body is at a low-point (scary).

Drove to Florida. Left at 9 PM, planning on driving through the night. On 95 South, all the cars were going 65-70 MPH. Around 3 AM, it was like someone threw a switch. All the traffic slowed down to 50-55 MPH and stayed at that speed until the dawn, when traffic sped up to 65 MPH again.

Avoid the night shift, if possible...it'll screw up your body's sleep cycles.

[rocketsocks]

I did night shift, security-related work for 16 years. Your body "hits the wall" around 3 AM and wants to sleep, even strong coffee doesn't do much good!

Read where most nuclear reactor screw-ups happened in the early morning hours when the body is at a low-point (scary).

Drove to Florida. Left at 9 PM, planning on driving through the night. On 95 South, all the cars were going 65-70 MPH. Around 3 AM, it was like someone threw a switch. All the traffic slowed down to 50-55 MPH and stayed at that speed until the dawn, when traffic sped up to 65 MPH again.

Avoid the night shift, if possible...it'll screw up you body's sleep cycles.

How very true. My longest run was when I went to work one day, and the sun went down, the moon came up.... the moon went down, the sun came up, and I went home....that was a rough one....21 hours straight....I don't recommend it, unless you need the dough.

[Rasty]

I did night shift, security-related work for 16 years. Your body "hits the wall" around 3 AM and wants to sleep, even strong coffee doesn't do much good!

Read where most nuclear reactor screw-ups happened in the early morning hours when the body is at a low-point (scary).

Drove to Florida. Left at 9 PM, planning on driving through the night. On 95 South, all the cars were going 65-70 MPH. Around 3 AM, it was like someone threw a switch. All the traffic slowed down to 50-55 MPH and stayed at that speed until the dawn, when traffic sped up to 65 MPH again.

Avoid the night shift, if possible...it'll screw up you body's sleep cycles.

How very true. My longest run was when I went to work one day, and the sun went down, the moon came up.... the moon went down, the sun came up, and I went home....that was a rough one....21 hours straight....I don't recommend it, unless you need the dough.

I hit that wall around the fourth double shift in a row. Working on five hours of sleep for six day guarantees I'm going to sleep 14 hours on my day off. Longest shift ever for me was 26 hours (90%) standing up which took an entire day to recover. For four years straight I would work until midnight and then be back at 4am for brunch. I didn't even try to take a nap because it made it worse.

[Pedaling Fool]

Anyone "suffer" from Sleep paralysis? I use quotation marks because it's generally considered to be a problem. But I find them kind of neat, I'm not sure, probably because I'm always aware when I'm dreaming. Although, the first time I experienced one, many years ago, it was a little unsettling, mainly because I didn't know what they were.

What I find strange is that they are always compared to some type of paranormal experience, that's not been my experience, but I do feel vulnerable and unable to move. It's a strange feeling, but I don't feel like I'm being physically constrained, just no control over my body and when I do try and move it's just a weird feeling, very weird.

Here's a little on it, but like I said, all the paranormal stuff that's normally associated with this experience is not present in my experience http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep_paralysis

Just curious how many other experience this thing?

[Rasty]

Anyone "suffer" from Sleep paralysis? I use quotation marks because it's generally considered to be a problem. But I find them kind of neat, I'm not sure, probably because I'm always aware when I'm dreaming. Although, the first time I experienced one, many years ago, it was a little unsettling, mainly because I didn't know what they were.

What I find strange is that they are always compared to some type of paranormal experience, that's not been my experience, but I do feel vulnerable and unable to move. It's a strange feeling, but I don't feel like I'm being physically constrained, just no control over my body and when I do try and move it's just a weird feeling, very weird.

Here's a little on it, but like I said, all the paranormal stuff that's normally associated with this experience is not present in my experience http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep_paralysis

Just curious how many other experience this thing?

Nothing like that but I haven't remembered a dream since I was around 8 years old. I know I dream, my wife tells me some of the things I'm saying.

[atraildreamer]

I hit that wall around the fourth double shift in a row. Working on five hours of sleep for six day guarantees I'm going to sleep 14 hours on my day off. Longest shift ever for me was 26 hours (90%) standing up which took an entire day to recover. For four years straight I would work until midnight and then be back at 4am for brunch. I didn't even try to take a nap because it made it worse.

One bad week, I did 4 days of 8 hour shifts. Then a 12 hour shift , a 16 hour shift and then a 24 hour shift (due to no-shows calling out). I had 84 straight hours (106 hours of pay figuring the overtime.) Told the boss when I passed him on the way to 2 days off: "Don't call me...I'll be sleeping for the next 2 days!)

Had a real good paycheck the following week!