Polyphasic schedules vary by number, duration, and spacing of sleep episodes. The best-known: Uberman, Everyman, Dymaxion, Triphasic, and Biphasic. Custom variants exist, but all split total daily sleep into multiple segments.

Switch between schedules to see a 24-hour doughnut. Sleep arcs are dark gray (core) and medium gray (naps); wake is light gray. Numbers on sleep arcs show the time ranges.

Illustrative timing only. Extreme schedules are hard to sustain and not recommended without medical oversight.

Breakdown: 6–8 naps/day of 20–30 min every ~4 h; no core sleep. Total ~2–3 h/day. Extremely difficult; strict adherence required. Modern documentation credited to Marie Staver (late 1990s); historical attributions (Da Vinci, Tesla) are anecdotal.

Breakdown: 1 core sleep (≈3 h at night) + 2–4 naps (≈20 min). Total ~4–5 h/day. Moderate difficulty; more practical than Uberman due to core sleep; customizable to needs.

Breakdown: Four 30-min naps spaced every 6 h; no core sleep. Total ~2 h/day. Popularized by Buckminster Fuller; reportedly stopped for social/professional incompatibility rather than acute health reasons. Extremely hard with no margin for missed naps.

Breakdown: Three sleeps (~1.5–2 h each), often after dusk, before dawn, and mid-afternoon. Total ~4–5 h/day. Sometimes aligns with circadian dips and certain cultural patterns.

Breakdown: Two sleeps - long night sleep plus daytime nap (e.g., siesta). Total ~6–8 h/day. Easiest and most common non-monophasic variant in many cultures.

Guidance for those who still choose to experiment: reduce core sleep gradually; schedule naps strictly and consistently; optimize sleeping environment; track mood/cognition/physical signs daily; ensure social feasibility; stop if adverse effects appear; seek medical input, especially with risk factors. Long-term adherence is rare even with “successful” adaptation.