Which Sleep Pattern is Right for You?

Done right, sleep is a real treat — relaxing, refreshing and good for you. Unfortunately, many of us struggle to get a good night’s sleep. In some cases, it might be because your sleep pattern doesn’t fit your needs. How can you know which sleep pattern is the best for you?

If you often wake up during the night or nod off during the afternoon despite a full night’s sleep, you may need to switch how you sleep. Your sleep cycle needs to fit your biological needs as well as your daily schedule.

For example, if you sleep fine at night but find yourself getting sleepy in the day, you might want to try shifting to “biphasic sleep.” This means you plan to sleep slightly shorter than usual at night and make up for it by scheduling a nap during the day.

Famous geniuses including Leonardo da Vinci and Nikola Tesla are said to have practiced biphasic sleep. It is a great way to reboot your mind if the effects of last night’s sleep wear off during the day.

We’ve created a sleep flowchart to help you figure out which pattern is best for you. Run through it and see what it suggests; there are more details on your chosen pattern underneath.

Sleep is too precious to take for granted — switching your sleeping patterns to better fit your daily lifestyle can help you improve your overall well-being.

Sources
University of Rochester Medical Center (2013). To sleep, perchance to clean. eurekalert.org
Green, A and Brown, C. (2015). An Occupational Therapist’s Guide to Sleep and Sleep problems. books.google.com
Ackerman, J. (2009). Napping: the experts guide. www.theguardian.com
Sterbenz, C. (2013). These Alternative Sleep Schedules Could Save You 20 Years Normally Spent In Bed. businessinsider.com