A Word on Napping

Inspiration for this post came from two sources: this blog with the actual article, and that blog from my Google Reader which lead me there. Go read them, check out the blogs, then read my own take on napping.

I love naps, but I think they take some practice. The quick energizing nap? It never happens for me, at least not these days. In college and while I was working at Glens, I would sneak out to my car on lunch and take a nap. I don't recall too many instances where I overslept past the alarm, and I had awesome co-workers who were nice enough to come out and wake me up if I didn't show back up when lunch hour was over.

At that time, the need for those naps came from really late nights of partying. In general, I could stay up late, sometimes all night, and go work an eight hour day at the store without thinking too much about it. Yeah, it was uncomfortable, but I didn't have the headaches and nausea I have now when I don't get enough sleep. Those hour long naps, while not used after every late night, were extremely helpful in getting me through the rest of a day.

The other naps I took and take are those that happen in the afternoon when the urge to sleep comes out of nowhere. When I'm at home, I can give in to that urge. I always tell myself that I'm only going to lay down for 20 minutes, but it never happens that way. I end up sleeping for a minimum of three hours. While those three hours feel great, and I wake up feeling pretty good, it always leads to not being able to sleep later that night.

Reading this article has made me re-think the concept of the nap. Would I be able to get it right if I just practiced? Would it really be beneficial if I could slip out to my car on lunch and take a nap before finishing out the work day? I go through phases of exhaustion, and lately I've been feeling pretty run down. I would love if a little extra sleep could give me a pick-me-up.

I'd also love it if I could perfect the nap to help me focus on my writing and the courses I'm taking through my job. I have to take my test soon, and I'd prefer to do well instead of having to retake it. Maybe that miracle nap will help me retain and remember the ins and outs of food defense.

I'll be thinking about a plan of action for nap time to see if this really works. Mid-day car nap could be good, though it's kind of dependent on weather. I also wonder how an after work nap would fit in and if it would still let me get to bed at night if I really and truly limited it. If I can get this to work and become a professional napper, I'll be sure to share the results.