The Myth of Leonardo's Sleep Technique Leonardo da Vinci is often mythologized for his alleged polyphasic sleep schedule, where he supposedly slept 15 minutes every four hours. This idea suggests that such a regimen allowed him to maximize productivity and creativity by reducing total sleep time to just 1.5 hours per day. However, no historical evidence supports this claim; researchers have found no documentation proving Da Vinci followed this method.
Scientific Insights on Sleep Cycles Sleep consists of deep restorative phases early in the night and lighter REM stages closer to morning, each serving distinct purposes—physical recovery during deep sleep and psychological processing during REM. The common belief that pre-midnight rest is more valuable reflects these scientific findings about the quality of initial sleeping periods being higher than later ones.
Experiments with Polyphasic Sleeping Patterns Attempts at polyphasic sleeping show mixed results; one notable experiment involved an artist maintaining short naps under observation while preserving cognitive function despite reduced overall rest duration (3 hours). While feasible temporarily without severe consequences for work efficiency, long-term adherence disrupts natural rhythms and may carry negative implications due to interference with biological cycles.