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Polyphasic sleep is the practice of sleeping during multiple periods over the course of 24 hours, in contrast to monophasic sleep, which is one period of sleep within 24 hours. Biphasic (or diphasic , bifurcated , or bimodal ) sleep refers to two periods, while polyphasic usually means more than two. [ 1 ]
This is an accepted version of this page This is the latest accepted revision, reviewed on 12 January 2025. Short period of sleep during typical waking hours For other uses, see Nap (disambiguation). A man napping in a hammock, on a patio in Costa Rica A nap is a short period of sleep, typically taken during daytime hours as an adjunct to the usual nocturnal sleep period. Naps are most often ...
Sleep deprivation, also known as sleep insufficiency [2] or sleeplessness, is the condition of not having adequate duration and/or quality of sleep to support decent alertness, performance, and health.
Dietary and nutritional choices may affect sleep duration and quality. One 2016 review indicated that a high-carbohydrate diet promoted a shorter onset to sleep and a longer duration of sleep than a high-fat diet. [142] A 2012 investigation indicated that mixed micronutrients and macronutrients are needed to promote quality sleep. [143]
A sleep diary can be used track time to bed, total sleep time, time to sleep onset, number of awakenings, use of medications, time of awakening, and subjective feelings in the morning. [95] The sleep diary can be replaced or validated by the use of out-patient actigraphy for a week or more, using a non-invasive device that measures movement. [96]
Another tool is the Multiple Sleep Latency Test (MSLT), which has been used since the 1970s. It is used to measure the time it takes from the start of a daytime nap period to the first signs of sleep, called sleep latency. Subjects undergo a series of five 20-minute sleeping opportunities with an absence of alerting factors at 2-hour intervals ...
In individuals deprived of sleep, somnolence may spontaneously dissipate for short periods of time; this phenomenon is the second wind, and results from the normal cycling of the circadian rhythm interfering with the processes the body carries out to prepare itself to rest. The word "somnolence" is derived from the Latin "somnus" meaning "sleep".
Treatment for irregular sleep–wake rhythm tries to enable the body clock in the brain, such that a normal long sleep period at night can be achieved. Education about sleep hygiene is important, and counseling can be helpful. Melatonin, vitamin B 12, sleep aids, wake aids, and other medications may also be used.