Polyphasic Sleep: An In-Depth Look at the Everyman 2 Schedule
What is Everyman 2 (E2)?
Everyman 2, or E2, is a highly popular schedule in the Everyman line. It consists of 2 naps and a core sleep of 4.5 hours by default. It’s part of the Ubersleep Formula that details the Everyman schedules with the number of naps and the duration of the core sleep. E2 has garnered a massive amount of attempts over recent years, making it one of the most popular polyphasic schedules of all time.
Mechanism of E2
E2 removes one more cycle from the core and adds the second nap compared to E1. The premise behind this is that one 20-minute nap can replace one 90-minute cycle of sleep. The REM amount that each nap can provide will be able to sustain alertness just as well as a 90-minute sleep duration.
The core sleep of E2 has 3 full cycles of 90 minutes each. The general idea is to follow the body’s natural rhythm while sensibly maintaining other work/school schedules and commitments. It is advisable to have a core during the graveyard hours (midnight through 8 AM) for a good balance of REM and SWS pressures.
The first nap is usually around sunrise hours (REM peak), which virtually guarantees quality REM sleep for the bulk of the nap. The second nap is often around afternoon hours and may only contain light sleep rather than REM sleep if it is late into the afternoon (e.g., 4 PM onward).
Adaptation to E2
Adapting to E2 can be achieved by two methods: cold turkey and gradual adaptation. Cold turkey has proven to be the most efficient adaptation method because of the higher likelihood to retain the necessary amount of SWS during adaptation. Gradual adaptation from E1 takes a very long time; the adaptation to E1 by itself is often already time-consuming.
Alternate Variants of E2
E2 has a reasonable amount of total sleep and only 3 sleeps each day. Most of the sleep total also goes into the core. This gives E2 a wide array of scheduling options. Some variants include a 5-hour core, early core, late core, somewhat equidistant sleep blocks, pronap, E2-shortened, and E2-extended.
Each variant has its unique characteristics and benefits, catering to different lifestyles and sleep needs. For example, the 5-hour core variant is suitable for those who want to have a more comfortable time flexing the core sleep after adapting. The late core variant is suitable for those with lower SWS requirements and allows sleepers to have social time in the evening.
Lifestyle Considerations for E2
E2 can fit into regular 9-to-5 workdays, part-time jobs, and full-time jobs if you are able to take the first nap right before work and the second one in the early afternoon. It’s also friendly for night owls, as the schedule can be rotated later than other harder schedules.
E2 also allows for some extent of exercise and flex sleep after adaptation. Some adapted E2 sleepers have been able to fully recover from a 5-hour time zone traveling incident, suggesting that limited amounts of substance use may be possible on E2.
However, individuals with high REM requirements who cannot complete E2 adaptation can switch to a Dual Core schedule with a longer sleep around dawn.
Conclusion
E2 is an amazing polyphasic schedule in terms of usage stats and well-rounded sleep distribution. It offers an impressive amount of sleep reduction each day.
Abbreviations:
- REM = Rapid Eye Movement sleep
- SWS = NREM3 = Slow-Wave Sleep
- E = Everyman schedules
- DC = Dual core schedules