Why am I doing this? It’s for my health.

Results of taking a year off:

• I’ll spend January 2012 – January 2013 outside of NYC (I’m considering Chantilly, VA and Austin, TX)
• I’ll come back for the spring 2013 semester to complete my degree
• I’ll have the freedom to structure my life according to my own desires
• I’ll be a working entrepreneur for the next year

I’d love to hear feedback on my ideal day. Did you notice any glaring omissions?

I am not feeling great right now, but I am getting along. I have been sleeping correctly (i.e. 20 min. naps in 4 hour increments) since I overslept Tuesday night. It is kind of bitter-sweet…. I get pretty tired by nap time; the naps are getting progressively deeper and more restful, I think. Sometimes it feels good to take a nap, but most of the time I wake up a bit groggy and moody.

I have started to notice a pattern in how I fall asleep:

1. I lie down and get comfortable.
2. I realize that I am thinking too much about whatever was on my mind and try to clear my mind. Almost every time I think, “Wow, it is taking a long time to fall asleep.”
3. Some of my muscles begin to twitch.
4. My breathing becomes slower and more regular, and…
5. The next thing I know, my cell phone alarm is beeping.

It is not very enjoyable yet, still just kind of awkward and uncomfortable. One interesting thing is that I am not getting nearly as tired as I expected I would. It has actually been surprisingly easy to maintain this sleep schedule. I have probably not hit the peak of the transition period yet, though.

During the nights, I have mostly been doing Internet investing research and reading from books every now and then.

I have also been having bursts of energy. For example, this morning while showering I burst not only into song, but into dance, too! I have never danced in the shower before, but it sure was fun!

Around noon I went to check out a summer door-to-door sales job selling satellite TV packages. I am strongly considering taking the job, mostly because if I work hard and effectively, I could make considerable income, which I would save for future investment. The one catch is the schedule. My 4 PM and 8 PM naps would conflict with my work. The 4 PM nap would not be so critical, but 8 PM is prime time for door-to-door sales. If I take the job, my options will be to stop the polyphasic sleeping on May 13, after exactly 30 days of the experiment, or to adjust the sleep cycle so that I take more naps at night and fewer during the day.

I will probably consult some other polyphasic sleepers and get their opinions.

That’s it for now! If you have questions or comments, please feel free to use the comment form below.

Chris