There's not much to say about my progress on adapting to my chosen schedule. It seems that I'm still wanting to take the core sleep. The last two nights, when I woke up from my 11 PM nap, without really thinking about it, I laid down and proceeded to take another nap, waking up around 3 - 3:30 AM. I've been sleeping the best at my 5 AM nap, which makes sense, as I'm most accustomed to being asleep then. I also wake up feeling more refreshed from it, as it puts me waking up at about dawn. I've had trouble sleeping during my evening nap, although it's not getting darker at that time of day. I've been tired at 11 AM both days, and slept well then, aside from disturbances.
Now for something a bit more interesting. I've found that changing my sleeping time to a stricter schedule that I actually like has been a systemic change for me, and I'm starting to do better with doing other things on schedule around my naps as well. I've tried to come up with a regimen of stuff to do when I wake up, to give me something to look forward to doing when waking up, and to help me get adjusted to being awake at those times and making productive use of the hours.
Before going to sleep, I brush my teeth. I've been doing that more with polyphasic, as I don't put it off 'til "bedtime." If I'm not tired before my 11 PM nap, I exercise a bit and then try to relax and put myself in the mood to sleep. When I wake up, I go wash my face, have a meal, snack, or at least something to drink, and try to go right to work doing something. As an extra incentive to get up from my night and morning naps, I've contemplated doing my internet time then instead of in the evening, or maybe working on a project I'm really looking forward to finishing.
I'm still doing well as far as tiredness and energy levels go. About average. I wake up feeling really good from some naps, from others, I have grogginess. I think I'm seeing an improvement in productivity, but I still have a lot to do. My mood has been even. I still have bouts of anxiety, but I think sleeping at regular intervals, and having a schedule that assures that I at least lay down and try to sleep, has done something to improve my depression so far. I woke up with anxiety at about 3 AM the last two nights (which is why my sleeps didn't last longer than that). I keep thinking that it's because of the work I have to do, but it probably has more to do with my attitude. I know people who handle more and do better with it. I'm hoping to find a way to let the anxiety go, and I hope to eventually experience more of the mood-enhancement that most polyphasic practitioners claim to feel.
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