The Uberman Sleep Schedule (coined by Puredoxyk, the first Uberman sleeper) is a sleep schedule consisting entirely of 20 minute naps, spaced equidistant throughout the day. In its traditional form Uberman is 6 equidistant naps throughout each day.
There is nothing known about the long term health effects of being an Uberman, although there have been people who sustained the schedule for as long as a year with no serious health issues.
No one has EVER adapted to Uberman without the help of others, often in the form of a human alarm system.
A 6 nap schedule (2h total sleep) will consist of a nap every 4h, it will have a 2h and a 4h rhythm.
An 8 nap schedule (2h40min total sleep) will consist of a nap every 3h, it will have a 1.5h and a 3h rhythm.
The adaptation process for Uberman begins with 24-36h awake (or until one enters into a ‘second wind’, a rise in energy) at which point you begin taking a nap for every BRAC (1.5-2h). You might continue with this exaptation for 2-4 days until you are getting regular REM naps, or until you are no longer REM sleep deprived and unable to nap so frequently.
You may forgo the exaptation and simply go straight into the adaptation phase, as always. Nap every 3h or every 4h on the dot – depending on which rhythm you feel comfortable with.
An expectation of Uberman is to go through a most infamous ‘zombie mode’ where normal cognitive function is severely impaired (due to sleep deprivation). Starting with an exaptation may help alleviate these symptoms, and of course an 8 nap schedule will be less harsh than a 6 nap schedule to adjust to.
After this, one continues napping as your sleep cycles repartition (either on day 3, day 7, or day 10 – depends on the individual and their initiating sleep deprivation). It takes 3 to 4 weeks to adapt to the Uberman Schedule. Some people may adapt faster, but many have taken a whole month to start feeling adapted.
Whilst many people will claim that the adaptation period is finished after a month’s practice, the body will continue to ‘adjust’ to this schedule for many months as continual entrainment improves habituation. Note that usually people have habituated monophasic sleep for many, many years, and so whilst a month old Uberman should feel fairly rested and alert for about 22h a day, old mono-sleep habits still exist and it may take a long while for those to completely subside.
As habituation becomes stronger, an Uberman should gain some flexibility and be able to shift naps by an increasing amount of time without suffering from a rhythm disturbance. It becomes easier to recover from mistakes or events where naps cannot be taken when they normally would, and even occasionally a longer sleep period will usually not ruin an adapted Uberman’s schedule completely as it would have during adaptation.
Popularity
Uberman Schedule is the most popular and famous of poylphasic sleep schedules because of it’s 2h sleep total. It should be noted that only about , so perhaps only 5% of people can do this schedule comfortably. A much higher percentage of the population may find an 8 nap schedule more sustainable, as the extra ~40 minutes sleep can make the difference between SWS deprivation and health.
Non Equidistant Uberman
Because the body gets different types of sleep at different times of the day, non-equidistant timing may be possible, and maybe even beneficial to the sustainability of the schedule. Such a schedule might be achieved by starting with an equidistant 8 nap schedule and, once adapted to it, then cutting out a late afternoon nap. After adjusting to the 7 nap schedule, once adapted to it, then cut out a late morning nap. All three (8, 7 and 6 nap schedules) should be easily transitioned between because they have the same ultradian rhythm, and they have the same nap times. This model would allow for ‘sleep ins’ (8 naps a day) and ‘work days’ (6 naps a day).
Long Naps at Night
It could potentially be beneficial to take 40 minute naps at night. SWS generally takes longer than REM to transition into because there is a difference in brain wave frequency. The body takes a while to slow down and so this is why traditional Ubermen encounter the SWS crash so quickly, they simply don’t get enough SWS in a 20 minute nap because the first 15-20 minutes is light sleep. Of course you can repartition SWS, there is no problem in that, but taking 40 minute naps at night may avoid the need to repartition SWS so harshly, and maybe even increase the overall amount of potential SWS available in the schedule (due to increasing the total sleep from 2h to 3h).
Uberman Sleep
In some scenarios a persion adapting to the schedule will have an oversleep or ‘crash’ impending, and the best way to deal with a crash is to purposely ‘oversleep’ before the crash comes.
In other scenarios a person has adapted, and repartitioned their sleep, but they are still sleep deprived from the initial sleep deprivation stage. This is usually because they are getting enough REM and SWS to sustain their schedule, but no excess sleep and therefore not enough to recover. If they are to refeed sleep and catch up from the initial deprivation required to create enough sleep pressure to adapt, then they will regain homeostasis.
There are two notable ways to recover from sleep deprivation on a nap-only schedule, neither may be ideal, but they get the job done. They should be implemented no more than every few days, and usually started around dusk, ten hours before the crash. (assuming the crash is expected around 4am.)
First technique, a Core Refeed, is to have a 1.5h core sleep in place of a nap. It is that simple, have a core sleep between dusk and midnight, then continue to nap as per your usual schedule, napping at your next allocated nap.
Second technique, a Nap Refeed, is to start to double your napping frequency, for example if a [4/8/12] schedule Uberman may want to take extra naps at 6pm and 10pm.
These techniques basically increase the amount of SWS an Uberman can get (thus the sleep is around dusk) without disrupting adaptation too much. The more often you do this, the longer it will take to adjust to the Uberman schedule, of course it should be said doing a refeed is better than crashing as you are intelligibly managing your stress levels rather than succumbing to them.
Predicting oversleeps on a nap-only schedule:
When in a sleep deprived state, there is a balance of sleep pressures called a pressure ratio. This is a ratio of REM pressure vs SWS pressure, and as your body recovers sleep debt throughout our adaptation, the pressure ratio will change. A high ratio means REM pressure is greater than SWS, and a low pressure means SWS pressure is greater than REM pressure.
Sleep pressure is , which is greatly increasedby CNS activity, and .
REM pressure increases when glial fatigue causes (caffeine blocks this receptor site stopping that accumulation being detected). REM pressure increases with greater adenosine reception.
SWS pressure increases with a drop in . Calcium signalling is how in the central nervous system. SWS pressure is regulated by , and in simple terms the slowing of brain activity is a a result of nervous exhaustion (). The brain can perform the actions of SWS at a much lower rate than it normally does when it is awake, so SWS pressure builds more slowly than REM pressure.
Adenosine breakdown is fast during REM (and can clear in 15 minutes) so this system explains why high frequency REM sleep can be
Nautilus E614 Elliptical
The Nautilus E614 elliptical trainer shares many similarities with the model. Many would say that these are basically the same machine. There are several differences between the two though, but nonetheless they’re both excellent fitness machines for home use, offering a training setting similar to the commercial ellipticals.
The E614 from Nautilus offers a design that aims to cover all levels of workout that can be achieved on an elliptical trainer. It’s a machine made for stamina training, superior cardio and weight loss, with a minimum impact on your joints. Therefore, if you’re looking for a solid exercising machine that can supply a full body workout, this Nautilus elliptical is definitely one to put on your list.
Technical Details and Specifications
- Assembled dimensions: 71.5L x 26.7W x 63.2H inches (181.7L x 67.7W x 160.5H cm)
- Product weight: 167.3 lbs (76 kg)
- Supported weight: 300 lbs (136 kg)
- Stride: 20 inches (51 cm)
- Incline: Manual, 6 positions
- Footplates: Articulating, with cushioning
- Handlebars: Both mobile and fixed (with pulse sensors)
- Resistance system: Eddy current, 20 levels
- Console: 22 workout programs
- Bottle/Accessory holder: Yes
- Media tray: Yes
- Fan: 3-speed, incorporated in the console
- Speakers: Incorporated in the console
- Warranty: Frame 10 years, Parts 2 years, Electronics 1 year, Labor 90 days.
Frame
This elliptical exercising machine uses steel tubing for most parts of the frame. All metallic parts are powder coated with anti-corrosive paint, for a long-lasting finish. The frame consists of two main pieces: the front part with the flywheel case attaches to the rear part which incorporates the rails of the elliptical. It has three bases, all finished with plastic caps and adjustable levelers, to maximize the machine’s stability on just about any type of floors. The front base is equipped with transport wheels, while the rear base features a small handle, which facilitates the lifting and moving of the assembled elliptical.
Although it’s not exactly the smallest machine, this elliptical still occupies less space than others such as the . It has a 72 x 27 inches (182 x 68 cm) footprint, and evidently requires a little bit of clearance on each side, on its front and in the back. Therefore, prior to ordering it, you should make sure you have the adequate space.
The machine weighs 167.3 lbs (76 kg). It’s not the heaviest, but it’s not exactly a feather either. When assembled it can easily be rolled on its front wheels. However, if you must carryit up or downstairs, the task definitely takes two people. The maximum supported user weight of this elliptical listed by the manufacturer is 300 lbs. Heavier users, up 330 lbs, have reported that they’ve been using it without any damage for over a year though.
Like most elliptical trainers, the Nautilus E614 features both fixed and mobile handgrips. The mobile ones are longer, and slightly inclined towards the main axis of the frame, for a natural and ergonomic grip. The smaller, stationary handgrips include pulse sensors, great feature to have if you want/must monitor your heart rate. Both fixed and mobile handgrips are coated with rubber foam material, featuring plastic caps on their top ends.
The footplates are made of hard plastic material, with a pretty neat design, offering enough foot space even for users with a plus shoe size. They’re also articulating and cushioned to absorb as much as possible impact from your ankles, knees and lower back.
This elliptical trainer offers a fixed stride, of 20 inches. Now, this stride is just enough for users up to 6′ tall. Taller users might find it a bit short, but even so, this machine can still supply a consistent workout that will provide an excellent burn to your arm, back and leg muscles.
Incline, drive and resistance systems
The Nautilus E614 features a manual incline system, with 6 levels of incline. Evidently, this particular feature diversifies the array of possible workout routines. However, since the incline mechanism is manual, you cannot adjust the incline while actively working out on the machine. The incline is adjusted via a lever at the rear part of the flywheel case. The highest incline setting is about 30°, and will add 16-17 inches to your height. This being said, even if you’re 6’5″ (196 cm) tall, you should still have 2-3 inches clearance in a room with an 8′ (243 cm) ceiling.
This Nautilus elliptical machine is belt-driven, featuring a heavy-duty belt, stretch-resistant, made to last for many years of use. The drive system also involves a large pulley and a perimeter-weighted flywheel, meant to render a smooth motion.
The resistance system features an eddy current brake, which means the resistance is controlled exclusively through the console of the machine. It also requires to be plugged into a standard 120V power circuit, in order for you to benefit from any resistance from it. It can be operated though, without being connected to a power supply, however this way you will exercise only on its first level of resistance. Pedaling backwards on this machine is also possible. The box includes the adapter, which is a UL listed, rated 120V 60Hz Input, 9VDC, 1500mA Output. Class 2 adapter, and it plugs into the machine near its front base.
Console and other amenities
The Nautilus E614 elliptical machine features a pretty advanced console, which incorporates several accessories. To begin with, it has a 3-speed fan, great feature to have in case you must workout in a heated room. There’s an excellent quality sound system, consisting of two speakers, one on each side of the fan, on the lower part of the console. It also has a tablet shelf, which can accommodate pretty well just about any type of tablet or smartphone.
The console features a DualTrack display, consisting of two high-resolution LCD monitors, which give you the possibility to always keep an eye on your workout data. In case you will be using a tablet, it will overlay onto the top monitor, but your most important workout data such as time, distance and calories will still be visible on the lower monitor.
In terms of fitness oriented capabilities, the console equipped on this Nautilus model keeps track of your speed, time spent working out, distance, RPM, pulse, also displaying the current resistance level. It offers 22 workout apps, including 1 Quick Start, 9 Profile, 8 Heart Rate, 2 Fitness Test, and 2 Custom. It offers the possibility to set up goals for your workout, and also create your own, custom workout, or use one of the on-board programs, which will automatically change resistance, for a more challenging workout.
When it comes to the command keys, the console features direct keys for half the resistance levels, but there are also arrow keys for gradual resistance adjustment. There’s a Quick Start key for the standard workout program, and also a Pause key in case you need to briefly interrupt your exercising routine. The console also features a key for the preset profile programs, one for goal tracking and one for your user profile.
Last but not least, the console features a USB port, which allows you to copy your workout data, and export it to MyFitnessPal or Nautilus Connect, for a superior analysis, to compare it with others, or even to compete.
Assembly and Maintenance
For the assembly part there are 22 pieces to put together. However this task is far from bein so much more refreshing than large blocks of REM as experienced by a monophasic sleeper.
The first few days of adaptation both REM and SWS pressure will rise, but the REM:SWS pressure ratio will be high when REM builds faster. As days pass and REM sleep rebounds in naps, the ratio will equalize and there may be a lulling point. Very often however, a person’s REM rebound will be so powerful that the ratio drops low and soon afterward there is a SWS rebound.
This means that you can often predict a SWS ‘oversleep’ by realising an oversleep is anticipated by a really really refreshing REM nap. You might wake up from a random nap feeling like you had a big cup of coffee… beware, as there this is evidence that the next two naps the body will try to get SWS at all costs!
A note on nap-only rhythms
Not everyone’s rhythm’s are perfect, even when entrained. If after the first week or two you notice that one of your naps is not giving you adequate rest, or you are simply not sleeping in one of your naps, you should experiment with that nap by shifting it forward or backward 30-90 minutes to see if you sleep better having placed that nap differently. This will result in an imbalance in the equidistant nature of the schedule, but being equidistant is not as important as listening to your own body.
A note on exercise
While other schedules support exercise fine, few have been able to do proper exercise while on Uberman and still recover. It seems recovery from cardiovascular exercise is good, but weightlifting and sports can suffer from the low amount of total slow wave sleep. If you are set on weightlifting whilst Uberman, avoid traditional high volume bodybuilding routines, as the stress can cause a sharp increase in SWS pressure causing you to black out later that night. Evidence shows you might recover better from high frequency, low volume training whilst on a low sleep schedule.
A note on the
While there is a general consensus that you will be getting less than the recommended sleep totals, it seems frequency plays a role in the total sleep requirements. It may be that sleeping so often in lowers total sleep requirements but for the moment there is no proof or mechanism explaining this.
A note on failure
Often people will try the Uberman sleep schedule only to fail and give up polyphasic sleep completely. There is no reason you cannot move from being an Uberman to any other schedule that shares your Uberman rhythm! Many people have first started on Uberman only to transfer to and be incredibly successful with their new schedule. In fact it is recommended that people aiming for an Everyman schedule give Uberman a go before commencing, as Uberman has such a regulating effect on sleep, the entrainment is very beneficial for those wanting to do a milder schedule in the long term.
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