On taking naps

I took naps as a child, then I became an adult and gave up such silly things. Until I realized what I’d been missing.

In the last few years I’ve reacquainted myself to the world of naps. A good friend of mine impressed me with his ability to konk out during a conversation, waking up a few minutes later feeling more energetic.

Naps are a wonder. A good nap can make the difference between a day that drags forever and feeling refreshed and ready to tackle anything that comes up.

Recently I had a day with an impossible list of tasks to complete, both personal and professional. Instead of forcing myself to keep pushing I was able to lay down for a little bit and wake up completely refreshed. The day suddenly became so much simpler. The things I’d imagined as impossible cleared a path in front of me and I knocked them out one at a time.

The day was a little bit longer (I ended up working till 7pm), but I had the energy needed to think clearly and make the best decisions, instead of throwing the brute force of time at the problem.

I’ve experimented with three lengths of naps. Each serves a different purpose.

First, there’s the 15-20 minute power nap. I put in noise canceling earbuds, find a dark spot or put on an eye mask, and lay on my back with my favorite pillow cube. A few minutes later I pop back up, feeling energized.

Sometimes I can’t sleep, but more and more I’m finding an ability to relax enough to drift off. It’s taken a few years to get there, but I now have the confidence that if I lay down I’ll be able to rest. One trick has to been to reimagine a scene in my head in tiny details until my brain relaxes.

Power napping is perfect if there’s something I need to do in a short period of time, and I can’t afford to be sleepy. I don’t wake up from a sub 20 minute nap groggy. I feel great. Not 100%, but like I’ve had a few minutes to recharge. I’ve tried 45 minute naps with an alarm clock but I find it doesn’t work for me, it’s too stressful imagining the clock about to go off. I can just trust that I’ll wake up on my own after about 20 minutes.

Then there’s the hour long nap. When I initially lay down I’ll somewhat wake after 20 minutes, but instead of getting up immediately I go back to sleep and my body naturally wakes up an hour or so after going to bed. This is my sweet spot. I wake up feeling 100%, and not groggy, and often have the energy to spend the rest of the day tackling whatever comes up.

This is my preferred nap these days and I've managed to do it a few times over the last month. I’ll keep experimenting with it as time goes on.

Then there’s the thing of beauty, the three hour nap. This is only reserved for weekends, when I have nothing to do for half of a day. I’ll lay down after lunch and just let time go by, drifting in and out of sleep for a few hours. It feels like I’m charging my battery past 100%, for me it’s the fun kind of luxury I get to do a few times a year.

If you’re curious about napping I recommend giving it a try and seeing how you feel.