Comment by fsiefken | Hacker News Reader

Comment by fsiefken | Hacker News Reader

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Ah, I did it for a year and started before my first child was born. At 3 weeks my body finally transitioned to polyphasic sleeping (similar time as to the transition to dvorak typing) and I was finally functioning through all the sleep deprivation. Concentration was similar to monophasic sleeping.

I could take care of the baby while my girlfriend was sleeping at night and I could go out or work on my hobbies all night (with 27m naps) without any problem. It was like I was a liberating experience, I watched the whole of society shutdown at night, but I was awake every day all by myself, it was very odd. I also realized I didn't really need a house if I could sleep anywhere, except in winter - but I started thinking I could just sleep 30m here and there (in trains, at work, in the park on a bench) perhaps with electric blankets. A real nomad lifestyle. I also noticed that I had to force myself being productive at night as my executive function wasn't quite there - it was like my mind was used to doing nothing consciously at night, an unconscious part didn't really see a point in being awake and doing things at night - so I mostly just was sitting there, contemplating or meditating. When I made a todo list it was better.

As I also had to organize naps outside and at friends and family places it caused some tension and conflicts (I can tell some really wild stories) - and eventually, also because I didn't want to risk potential long term issues I went to 2 naps and eventually 1 nap each day.

Regarding 35 minutes, you risk entering deep sleep with 35m, at least I did when I went over 30m a nap. Or did you mean 25 minutes?

I found it would typically take 5-10 minutes to fall asleep. The one thing I did notice, that was really weird, is that as I fell asleep I'd have trouble "remembering to breath". Which was quite a strange experience.

I once got woken up by a security guard in the casino as I was taking my 35 nap sitting up and I found when I just said the phrase "medical reasons" he backed off.

> The one thing I did notice, that was really weird, is that as I fell asleep I'd have trouble "remembering to breath". Which was quite a strange experience.

Have you considered getting tested for sleep apnea?

Having had similar issues, "forgetting to breathe" usually gets diagnosed as central sleep apnea, which is usually associated with heroin abuse or heart failure. In my case neither was true, so docs generally threw their hands up and said "huh, weird!".

In addition, the therapy they recommended (bi-pap or something like that, basically a two-way assisted breathing machine) did absolutely nothing for me.

What finally helped was a min dose of an SSRI, which I started for totally unrelated reasons. Guess it was anxiety, never got any confirmation from any doctor that this is a known presentation of it, but swear to God literally two days on the stuff made me sleep easy with no breathing problems whatsoever. After six months I got off and once the withdrawal symptoms broke (real bad in my case, which is super weird for a min dose, but :shrug:) I've never had the problem again.

Sounds like an experience of

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep_paralysis#Threat_hyper-v...

As one falls asleep one loses the ability to voluntary breath. This can cause sensations of suffocating and resulting in panic if experienced when still conscious.

Yep, bi-pap is the intermediate machine that insurance protocols force you to try and fail on before they’ll approve the machine that actually works for your condition: ASV (Adaptive Servo Ventilation). It’s crazy expensive if you buy it new, especially if through a DME vendor. But you can buy them used with minimal hours on them for $900 or so, which is what I did. It actually works for me.

> I also noticed that I had to force myself being productive at night as my executive function wasn't quite there - it was like my mind was used to doing nothing consciously at night, an unconscious part didn't really see a point in being awake and doing things at night - so I mostly just was sitting there, contemplating or meditating. When I made a todo list it was better.

Very interesting. I wonder if this helps to explain why I'm not all that productive when experiencing insomnia, even on the occasions when I say "okay well if I'm gonna be wide awake, I'm gonna get some work done on xyz"

I have just the opposite reaction...I get much more productive late at night. Possibly because of lack of distractions.

I worked midnight-8am for 10 years right out of high school, and now, if I'm not asleep by midnight my body just 'revs up'.

Sleep Hygiene and Reading are my saviours here, I have a rigorous sleep routine. Phone on charge in different room, electric blanket on, ablutions, kindle for some fantasy (a change from heavy reading), then if I make it to 30 minutes (I set a timer on HomePod) I set a sleep timer with the Podcast "Sleep with me" on HomePod. I never get to the end of my 25 minute timer.

> it was like my mind was used to doing nothing consciously at night

I used to stay late and do school projects at night (mostly programming). I always felt my mind is so calm and with no outside distractions I was able to focus very well and be very productive (may not be objective truth at all though).

Was same teens and early 20s. Daytime Has never gone well for me.

I would use full black out blankets, ear plugs and noise canceling headphones with video game music.

Pair programmer was wonderful for me, as it kept me on task and I didn’t give into distractions as easily.

Later diagnosed as ADHD. Medication made a massive quality of life. Up until my body decided that stimulants are invaders and my immune system went bonkers.

> Up until my body decided that stimulants are invaders and my immune system went bonkers.

Have you found anything that gets close to it?? I have quite bad gerd and so taking any medication is a quick way to end up on the toilet but I would love to be able to focus!

I have pretty bad acid reflux and my stomach often would get very acidic by the end of day. (Even if I ate nothing)

Fruit and yogurt helps me a lot.

I think it's because fruit doesn't digest primarily in the stomach, so it moves the pills faster into my intestines.

Not a doctor.

Atomoxetine (strattera) is a non-stimulant ADHD medication that might be tolerated better. Additionally, I noticed that stimulants don't upset my stomach nearly as much if you take it with a substantial meal.

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