New Year, New Resolution

This year, I wish to experiment with polyphasic sleep. Having heard about it via Blizzforums some years ago, it immediately captured my interest. Since at the time I was in school, I thought it would have been difficult to schedule the rigid naps I thought would be necessary. I am now unemployed, waiting to hear back from Great Hearts (for the second time, no less) and for the next month or so, I have a completely free schedule. I would always regret not trying, so today, 10 January 2012, is the date of my attempt. I shall likely fail multiple times (oversleeping will probably be a large problem for me), but how could I resist?

But what is polyphasic sleep? Simply put, it is taking short naps over a rather frequent period of time. The times I have heard the most are a thirty minute nap every four hours or so. I shall aim for 2 am, 6am, 10am, 2am, etc. I might adjust this to 1-5-9 or 12-4-8, but the first seems easiest so I'll stick with it for now.

Probably the greatest danger for me will be finding things to do with the extra time. Six naps of 30 minutes equals only three hours of sleep per night, so wandering about aimlessly would likely result in me sleeping more than I 'should'. It's too bad I quit smoking - cigarettes would help me remain awake enormously.

The extra time is my second motivation for trying this - the first being intense curiosity. Will it destroy me? Shall I find myself incapable of maintaining such a thing? Shall I truly find myself invigorated after a week or so under its influence? Who can say? So to begin, let me list (you know it's my favorite thing to do!) what I should like to work on during the increased awake time:

• Write. I have much to write - letters, this oft-neglected blog, my journal, my novel, etc. 
• Read. There is no end to what I must read. On my plate now is Christopher Bruell's book On the Socratic Education, an 'introduction' (gotta love that Straussian irony) to the shorter Platonic dialogues, the Dialogues themselves, Aquinas' Summa Theologica, and Dostoevsky's Demons, not to mention the Bible and various Christian disciplines which I should like to make a large part of my life.
• Practice. Though my musical ability has been irrevocably stunted, some pieces are still within my ken; most notably Schubert's Impromptus Nos. 1 and 4. Even his D959 sonata may not prove impossible, though almost certainly his Fantasie and second impromptu shall be. No matter, for I find I cannot set aside the piano indefinitely, nor abandon my cultivation of classical music.
• Exercise. My running dream has been frequently set aside, but never abandoned. My goal is to run three to five miles at once, and with the extra time I might well be able to do so. 

I don't know how I shall react to this experiment, and I am equally curious about the long-term effects. My 'career' shall likely, Dei volonte, be in the Church. If I am truly to become a priest, I can think of no better opportunity to maintain polyphasic sleep - I should set my own hours, if Father dePalma is to be trusted!

That is enough for now. Time to try it out. I shall write again when I am in the zombie state. Will it take two days or two weeks to overcome?