The art of napping
When we were kids, nap-time was part of our day, whether we liked it or not. As adults, it seems many of us have given up on naps. But after a long day staring at a computer and dealing with the hustle and bustle of the modern world, taking a brief snooze after work sets up the evening hours perfectly. Twenty minutes to an hour is ideal, anything longer messes up bedtime later (longer naps are better for weekend afternoons).
I’ve noticed there are two schools of thought on naps. Some people consider afternoon shut-eye as highly luxurious and totally worth it. Other people think it's super lazy and not something they could ever imagine finding time for. I look at it as “sharpening the saw.” A brief rest is completely rejuvenating and allows me to stay active throughout the evening. I wake up ready to get stuff done.
It’s in our genes
Short sleep breaks are the kind of activity our Paleolithic ancestors likely took regular advantage of, in-between their various daily responsibilities. In his book
The Primal Blueprint: Reprogram your genes for effortless weight loss, vibrant health, and boundless energy
“Imagine a product that increases alertness, boosts creativity, reduces stress, improves perception, stamina, motor skills, and accuracy, enhances your sex life, helps you make better decisions, keeps you looking younger, aids in weight loss, reduces the risk of heart attack, elevates you mood, and strengthens memory. Now imagine that this product is nontoxic, has no dangerous side effects, and, best of all is absolutely free.”
Who wouldn’t want some shut-eye after reading that? Hopefully now you’re sold on the idea. Here’s how to get the most out of your nap:
Make it official
Regular naptime should happen in your bed, not on your couch. If you find yourself falling asleep—unplanned—on your couch, you need to sleep more at night. You’re tired! Unplanned naps in front of the TV aren’t nearly as effective and should be saved for Thanksgiving.
Create a nap-time ritual
Even though the nap itself is brief, there’s no reason not to think of it as an important part of your day. Get undressed, wash your face and brush your teeth. Condition yourself to wind down when getting ready. By the time your head hits the pillow, you’ll be ready to relax completely.
Have a pre-nap snack
A small snack will help you relax, especially if it has tryptophan in it. Try turkey, chicken salad, or a hard-boiled egg. Focus on protein. Even though carbs can be relaxing, they make waking up tougher.
Make your room as dark as possible
Anytime you sleep, your bedroom should be as dark as possible. Now might be a good time to invest in one of those fancy eye masks. The darker the room, the better the nap.
If you must, set the alarm
Until you know you can wake up naturally from your nap, set your alarm. The point of the nap is that it be brief. Oversleeping will completely mess up your sleep schedule; you’ll stay up way too late and be exhausted the next day. If you find that you need to nap longer than an hour, you probably need more sleep at night. Over time, you might discover that napping allows you to sleep less at night, but don’t plan on that right away.
Spend some quality time with your kids…napping
If you have young kids who have a set nap-time, you’re in luck. There’s no better way to bond with your kids and get some much-needed rest at the same time. Napping AND multi-tasking! Brilliant! By establishing nap-time rituals with your children (like having a special snack, book, blanket), nap-time can become one of the favorite times of day—for all of you.
Make a list of things you need to do...then let it go
Quieting your brain in the middle of the day can be very challenging. Remind yourself that in twenty minutes you’ll be a new version of yourself with more energy and focus. If that doesn’t work, remind yourself that people who get adequate sleep have less belly fat.
