The Da Vinci sleep schedule is better suited to people who can control their daily schedules. Basically, the system requires followers to sleep in several 10-minute bursts, for a total of two hours a day. A variation of the Da Vinci sleepschedule requires people to sleep 20 minutes for every four hours that they are awake. This technique, known as "powernapping" or the "Uberman's sleep schedule" is actually in use in many corporations as a way to up production of their employees.
People who try the Da Vinci sleep schedule often go through a very difficult adjustment period. Experts agree that the first two weeks can be extremely difficult and can lead to lack of coordination, low energy levels, and drop in their alertness level. Others experience nausea, headaches, or lost of appetite. All the symptoms go away on their own after 10-14 days, and the body goes back to reacting normally.
The main benefits of the Da Vinci sleep schedule include free time, more vivid dreams, and a strict control over your body. Proponents of the method is so effective that a lot of people throughout history are said to have used during their most intense times, including poet Lord Byron, Thomas Jefferson, and Napoleon. The main drawbacks of the Da Vinci sleep schedule are the difficulty of the system. Because it requires repeated naps throughout the day, it is unlikely that it can be used by people working a regular schedule. It is also not a good option for people with low blood sugar or certain medical conditions, since the additional stress on the body can lead to medical problems.
研究表明睡眠的长度并不影响我们醒来时的清醒程度。关键因素是我们完成了多少个完整的睡眠周期。每个睡眠周期都分为5个明显的阶段,在每个阶段中,大脑的运作和脑波也不相同。我们可以很保证地说,一个睡眠周期平均持续90分钟,包括65分钟的正常睡眠(Normal or non-REM)和20分钟的REM睡眠(在这段睡眠期内我们通常在做梦);接下来又是5分钟的正常睡眠。REM睡眠在前面的睡眠周期中显得比较少(一周期中少于20分钟),在后面的周期中变得比较多(多于20分钟)。如果我们睡得很完整,很自然,不使用闹钟把我们叫醒的话,我们将会在90分钟的倍数后醒来。例如,4个半小时,6小时,7个半小时或9小时,而不是7小时或8小时。在两个睡眠阶段之间,我们实际上并没有在睡,而是处于两个阶段的交接阶段,如果我们没有被打扰的话(光,寒冷,膀胱,吵杂声),我们很自然地进入下一个睡眠周期。一个只睡4个周期(6小时)的人将会比一个被打断完整周期的睡8个小时,10个小时的人感觉更好。