From: Freeman Craig Presson (dhr@iname.com)
Date: Fri Jul 02 1999 - 10:04:15 MDT
On 1 Jul 1999, Brian D Williams wrote:
[...]
> According to the legend R.Buckminster Fuller once undertook to re- engineer
> sleep, it is claimed he slept whenever he was tired which worked out to a
> half hour nap every six hours, giving him a 22 hour day, legend has it he
> did this for many years.....
In the late 70s, I worked with a proto-transhumanist kinda fellow who went
by his initials (dib). He lived near the office so that he could easily pursue
his reworked sleep schedule. He tried taking naps that would be exactly
one REM cycle every six hours or so. Thus, he was sleeping about three
hours out of 24. Being a serious geek, he tried to be extra precise about
this. He started by timing his sleep for several nights. If his average sleep
time (without an alarm) was, say, 7:50, he concluded that his idiosyncratic
sleep cycle must be 47 minutes instead of 45. So when he started his one-
rem system, he would set an alarm for 47 minutes.
He seemed to think it worked fine, while most other people seemed to
think he was groggy all the time. He also decided to simplify a few things
such as haircuts -- bought a clipper and wore a self-styled buzz -- and
getting dressed -- he bought jumpsuits in various colors. He carried a
minirecorder to take notes -- no idea what he did about transcribing them
or finding any particular memo on the tape.
Definitely a fun guy to work with. I lost track of him -- would be interesting
to find out what he's into now.
(I'll try to mash the send button just once on this message).
-- fcp@traveller.com (Freeman Craig Presson)
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