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→Variants
Over the years, a lot of Siesta sleepers have adapted with non-standard variants, including reducing variants. The timing of the core sleeps also report diverse results. Therefore, beginners should look through the differences in the alternate scheduling variations before choosing the desired version to attempt.
Over the years, a lot of Siesta sleepers have adapted with non-standard variants, including reducing variants. The timing of the core sleeps also report diverse results. Therefore, beginners should look through the differences in the alternate scheduling variations before choosing the desired version to attempt.
=== Late core ===
[[File:Siesta Late Core.png|center|thumb|Siesta with late night core]]
[[File:Siesta Late Core.png|center|thumb|Siesta with late night core]]
Despite the advantages, adaptations to this variant are often remarked to be more challenging than to the default version, because shifting the main sleep way out of the SWS peak will often require strong management of food, exercise and dark period to ensure a sufficient amount of SWS. Those with lower SWS requirements will hugely benefit from this setup, as it allows late bedtime and early wakeup time at the same time. The daytime core, being pushed to much later in the afternoon suits the natural tendency of longer sleep as SWS peak (evening hours) draws closer. This core can be pushed all the way to '''~7:30 PM and ends at 9 PM''' in another successful example. It may also be socially intrusive in a way that this long daytime sleep may interfere with other commitments after work.
Despite the advantages, adaptations to this variant are often remarked to be more challenging than to the default version, because shifting the main sleep way out of the SWS peak will often require strong management of food, exercise and dark period to ensure a sufficient amount of SWS. Those with lower SWS requirements will hugely benefit from this setup, as it allows late bedtime and early wakeup time at the same time. The daytime core, being pushed to much later in the afternoon suits the natural tendency of longer sleep as SWS peak (evening hours) draws closer. This core can be pushed all the way to '''~7:30 PM and ends at 9 PM''' in another successful example. It may also be socially intrusive in a way that this long daytime sleep may interfere with other commitments after work.
=== Slightly modified core length ===
[[File:Siesta 5.png|center|thumb|A Siesta with a 5.5h night core]]
[[File:Siesta 5.png|center|thumb|A Siesta with a 5.5h night core]]
This Siesta variant would line up with the 90m cycle scheduling rule, however, so far it has reported much less success than the standard version. It is alleged that people with slightly lower monophasic requirements (e.g, 7h) would have a comfortable time adapting to this variant. However, it is also very possible that after adapting to the default Siesta version, the night core can naturally shorten down to 4.5h, but it does not happen very often. With some amount of extra sleep, it is possible to attempt this version if one wants to rake in a bit more extra time during emergency events.
This Siesta variant would line up with the 90m cycle scheduling rule, however, so far it has reported much less success than the standard version. It is alleged that people with slightly lower monophasic requirements (e.g, 7h) would have a comfortable time adapting to this variant. However, it is also very possible that after adapting to the default Siesta version, the night core can naturally shorten down to 4.5h, but it does not happen very often. With some amount of extra sleep, it is possible to attempt this version if one wants to rake in a bit more extra time during emergency events.
=== Night core extension ===
[[File:Siesta-extended 1.png|center|thumb|Version 1 of Siesta extended]]
[[File:Siesta-extended 1.png|center|thumb|Version 1 of Siesta extended]]
This variant also sees a lot of success, mostly in people with active lifestyles or are still growing mentally and physically. The adaptation difficulty is much milder than the default version, and extending the night core follows the 90m cycle rule (mostly for convenience). This extended version still gives a decent amount of sleep reduction for people whose monophasic need is around 9h each day. The most common form of scheduling this setup is to have a slightly longer core at night and keep the daytime core as it is. However, the night core can still be further extended, which would raise the total sleep higher and become '''non-reducing Siesta''' (no sleep reduction from monophasic) if it is preferred. An example would be a 6.5-7h night core, and a 90m daytime sleep for an individual with ~8-9h monophasic baseline.
This variant also sees a lot of success, mostly in people with active lifestyles or are still growing mentally and physically. The adaptation difficulty is much milder than the default version, and extending the night core follows the 90m cycle rule (mostly for convenience). This extended version still gives a decent amount of sleep reduction for people whose monophasic need is around 9h each day. The most common form of scheduling this setup is to have a slightly longer core at night and keep the daytime core as it is. However, the night core can still be further extended, which would raise the total sleep higher and become '''non-reducing Siesta''' (no sleep reduction from monophasic) if it is preferred. An example would be a 6.5-7h night core, and a 90m daytime sleep for an individual with ~8-9h monophasic baseline.
=== Daytime core extension ===
[[File:Siesta-extended 2.png|center|thumb|Version 2 of Siesta-extended]]
[[File:Siesta-extended 2.png|center|thumb|Version 2 of Siesta-extended]]
Contrary to the first version of Siesta-extended, this version surprisingly scores some successes thus far, but with a stranger distribution of sleep that looks almost like Segmented sleep. Sleepers who would resort to this variant likely have work hours at night of some sort, and other commitments in the evening. As a result, the night core is often cut short, hence the extension of the daytime core by a full cycle. Ideally in this setup, the dark period would start 1.5-2h before the night core, and resume until ~1.5-2h after the night core to stabilize the circadian rhythm with a solid dark period. Without proper dark period management (e.g, shift work, rotation work hours), it is tremendously difficult to make this variant work, however.
Contrary to the first version of Siesta-extended, this version surprisingly scores some successes thus far, but with a stranger distribution of sleep that looks almost like Segmented sleep. Sleepers who would resort to this variant likely have work hours at night of some sort, and other commitments in the evening. As a result, the night core is often cut short, hence the extension of the daytime core by a full cycle. Ideally in this setup, the dark period would start 1.5-2h before the night core, and resume until ~1.5-2h after the night core to stabilize the circadian rhythm with a solid dark period. Without proper dark period management (e.g, shift work, rotation work hours), it is tremendously difficult to make this variant work, however.
=== Shortened daytime core/Non-reducing variant ===
[[File:Non-reducing Siesta.png|center|thumb|A non-reducing Siesta variant]]
[[File:Non-reducing Siesta.png|center|thumb|A non-reducing Siesta variant]]
A 60m sleep block is usually discouraged for attempting under most, if not all, polyphasic patterns. However, under '''non-reducing condition''', it can be natural to wake up after 60m rather than a full 90m core. 60m sleeps have been anecdotally researched and tried by a couple of polyphasic sleepers over the years who often naturally fall back to this seemingly "odd" sleep duration. The reason is that the 60m sleep duration provides mostly SWS and the sleeper would likely wake up during the transitional light sleep stage, before the usual REM sleep block would enter. Under non-repartitioned sleep, all sleep cycles follow the regular order, in which NREM1 initiates the cycle, followed by NREM2 (starting to actually fall asleep), SWS (deep sleep, unaware of the surrounding), NREM2 (transition stage) and finally REM sleep. The body at this point has completed the required amount of vital sleep in the day and naturally wakes up, without compressing the core sleeps. However, outside of non-reducing condition, a 60m sleep block should not be scheduled from the start.
A 60m sleep block is usually discouraged for attempting under most, if not all, polyphasic patterns. However, under '''non-reducing condition''', it can be natural to wake up after 60m rather than a full 90m core. 60m sleeps have been anecdotally researched and tried by a couple of polyphasic sleepers over the years who often naturally fall back to this seemingly "odd" sleep duration. The reason is that the 60m sleep duration provides mostly SWS and the sleeper would likely wake up during the transitional light sleep stage, before the usual REM sleep block would enter. Under non-repartitioned sleep, all sleep cycles follow the regular order, in which NREM1 initiates the cycle, followed by NREM2 (starting to actually fall asleep), SWS (deep sleep, unaware of the surrounding), NREM2 (transition stage) and finally REM sleep. The body at this point has completed the required amount of vital sleep in the day and naturally wakes up, without compressing the core sleeps. However, outside of non-reducing condition, a 60m sleep block should not be scheduled from the start.
