Caffeine

I've cut coffee out of my diet, which is something often recommended for people adapting to polyphasic. Using it is antithetical to taking naps; if you drink a cup of coffee, when nap time rolls around, you're either a) too wired to sleep, or b) so exhausted that you pass out and don't want to wake from the nap. Drinking coffee (or anything else with large doses of caffeine) causes peaks and valleys in your energy. I'd rather be more even in my energy level throughout the day, and not have any trouble taking a nap when I need it. Besides, naps are healthier and more refreshing than any stimulant. If I feel like I'm craving something to refresh me, a nap is the best thing. I'm also going to cut back on refined sugar, although I know I can't cut it out of my diet completely. I've been trying for a while to consume it sparingly, and I will continue to do so. If I have to eat something with a lot of carbs, I'll try to time eating it right after a nap. As I have my nap schedule now (5, 11, 5), I usually eat when I awaken from my nap.

I will, however, continue drinking tea of all sorts. I've found that tea does not cause spikes and lows in my energy level like coffee, soda, and energy drinks do. This makes sense, as most teas have about half of the caffeine. Also, tea is good without anything added to it, whereas sodas and energy drinks always have sugar or a disgusting-tasting artificial sweetener, and if I get coffee at a cafe, it usually has something in it, and truthfully, coffee is so acidic that it's not pleasant to drink much of it unless it has a little milk or sugar in it. Milk, while good for you, is not low-carb either, and consuming enough carbs of any type can cause the same energy spikes that refined sugar does. One of my friends claims that high-carb diets are why many cultures are biphasic -- you need an afternoon nap to recover from a lunch of rice or noodles. I don't think consuming such foods is bad, it is just important to be mindful of how it will affect one's energy level. Also, I'm going to, in the future, continue having an occasional cup of coffee as a treat, but I'm just not going to keep a daily habit of drinking it. I'm especially not having it when I'm trying to work -- it makes me way too jittery, and then exhausted afterward.

Anyway, tying this in to my experiment, I've had no problems cutting out the coffee, and I think it probably contributed to my success in napping and waking up refreshed yesterday. Also, yesterday morning, I had some chamomile tea about an hour before my mid-day nap. Perhaps that was helpful in allowing me to be relaxed enough to sleep in public.