Biphasic Sleep: What It Is And How It Works

Biphasic sleep describes a pattern of sleep in which a person sleeps in two segments, or phases, per day  Trusted SourceNational Library of Medicine, Biotech InformationThe National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information.View Source . Although many people sleep for seven or eight hours straight each night, biphasic sleep may be more common than you think. Biphasic sleep is also referred to as segmented or bimodal sleep.

Biphasic sleeping is practiced by a variety of people across cultures. For example, people who enjoy siestas are considered biphasic sleepers. Some people adopt a biphasic sleep schedule to maximize their productivity. Additionally, many animals are biphasic sleepers, including birds, insects, and mammals. Learn more about biphasic sleep, including how it impacts sleepers.