Is It Safe?
In general, yes, it is safe. There are an increasing number of people switching to a polyphasic lifestyle and living on it for 6-12 months with no issues. Beyond that, its hard to say what the long term effects are. No scientific long term studies have been done so we can't say for certain how it will affect you 30 years down the road.
What If I Get Sick?
It is advised that if you develop an illness that you revert back to a monophasic sleeping schedule until you get better. When you are sick the benefits of a longer sleeping cycle are far greater, as this is the time your body fights the infection.
With that being said, I do not suggest giving up your nap times, only to make sure you get a full night's sleep in addition to them. This will not only make it easier to transition back into polyphasic sleeping after you are well again, but it will provide your body with even more rest time to fight the illness.
Who Shouldn't Try It?
In general I believe most people could benefit from polyphasic sleeping, however I would not recommend you try it unless you are younger than 18. During puberty you do a lot of growing, and this takes place while you sleep. There are also a wide array of other crazy hormones in your body at this stage of your life that you don't want to throw off balance. So wait until you're done growing.
I would also advise that pregnant women avoid it for two reasons, the first is that you're devoting a lot of extra resources to the little baby growing inside you and that is already taxing enough on your body, give it the rest it needs and ensure that your child develops properly.
The second reason is because it's the last time you're going to get a full night's rest for the next 10 years, so enjoy it while you can. You'll essentially be polyphasic for the first year or two of it's life whether you like it or not.
Lastly, if you have any sort of mental illness I would advise against trying it. I would hate to see a sleep deprived schizophrenic trying to survive the adaptation period.
How Do You Break Up Your Eating Schedule?
Since a typical person eats three times a day, once after waking, once during noon, and once a few hours before bed, this leaves a big gaping hole for us poly-phasers.
Many people recommend eating once per cycle, so someone on Uberman could be eating 6 small meals a day.
It is also recommended that you eat shortly after waking, as having a full stomach could cause troubles while falling asleep.
Are There Restrictions on What to Eat?
Yes, most definitely you should be avoiding caffeine as it has a half life of 6 hours and will cause issues while napping. Others who are used to consuming lots of caffeine are able to nap if they just cut back considerably.
It is also recommended to avoid alcohol, as it can make it harder to wake up from a nap. It is also much harder to sleep off your drunkenness when you only sleep 20 minutes at a time.
I have read many recommendations on avoiding meat and avoiding high GI foods. I personally only follow the latter. I have been a low carber for many years and rely heavily on meat in my diet and it does not interfere with my sleeping. However I would recommend avoiding high GI foods in general, regardless of if you're polyphasing. So I am somewhat biased on this question. The best I can say is to listen to your body, what works for me may not work for you, so just keep those two things in mind.
What Role Does Fitness Play?
I'd say about as much of a role as any healthy lifestyle. If you don't exercise, you wont be healthy.
I would recommend not exercising vigorously just before a nap, the increased adrenaline levels can make sleep difficult. I'd recommend making sure you have at least an hour to unwind before a nap, or ideally exercise just after you wake up.
I have found that poly-phasing has increased my activity levels, I was an avid jogger in the past but the last few summers I haven't been able to find the time. Now I am jogging most mornings just after the sun comes up. I also find myself going for a walk quite often during my 3am-6am stretch.
Isn't Sleep Deprivation Extremely Bad for You?
Yes, it is. There is no question about that. However you must understand that you are not depriving yourself of sleep, not after the initial adaptation period. Your body adjusts to your new sleeping schedule and learns to utilize the naps to do all the rejuvenation your mind and body needs. After adaptation you will find that you are the opposite of sleep deprived, you are energised instead.
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