I have always had trouble getting to sleep at night (even as a baby). It’s a chore because I know I have to get up in the morning at a certain time. If I don’t get to sleep promptly I’ll never get my 8 hours of shut eye. So I struggle and stress about it thus delaying sleep. But daytime naps are a treat and a pleasure with no timetable. I prefer a good 90 minute sleep cycle to feel fully refreshed. Sometimes I go so deep that I go to what I call the Nap Planet[sup]tm[/sup]. Bliss.
The European idea of a siesta after lunch is my idea of civilization.
I used to take naps a lot. I figured, if I’m tired and don’t need to do anything for 2+ hours, why not? Here’s the problem-
If I know I have to get up to go do ____ in ____ hours, I will not sleep well. I’ll sleep restlessly because I’ll be afraid I’ll oversleep.
Unless I am fatigured, a nap will just make me even more tired aferward than when I went down for a nap. Also, I tend to wake up drenched in sweat when I take a nap- and often I feel either too hot or too cold.
However, if I’ve done something phsyically demanding; just did a long run, hard day of work, lifted weights at the gym, etc- then a nap works well for me. Often during vacations, I’ll get up, eat, move about for a bit, then take a nap about two hours later
I took a nap yesterday as I was feeling yukky - heard the 4:00 church bells as I drifted off - woke up about 5:40 & was at aquacize by 6:00. Never would have made it without the nap.
Rainy day naps are good - I also like napping in the afternoon sunshine that comes in the bedroom windows sometimes. That’s usually when Spooner-dog will come & join me.
Some days, I take 'em at my desk after lunch. No more than twenty minutes. Just close my office door, put my head down, clear my mind, and zzzz… I’m usually much sharper afterwards.
My dad always took naps pretty much every day and I always thought he was nuts… Until I learned that when one burns the candle at both ends, naps help prevent burnout. Now I’ve discovered that my sister is also a big fan of naps; evidently, he’s passed on the napping gene to both of us.
My favorite part of napping: Two dogzillas and two catzillas can’t resist the nap pile-on either. (I’m going to have to get a bigger couch.)
Must have at least a 90 minute nap cycle or there’s no point for me. I could never get the hang of a “power nap.” Those just leave me feeling groggy and unsatisfied.
Best thing on TV to nap to (for me): Indy car races! I think this is because my dad raced motorcycles while I was growing up. So every weekend, he packed us all in the van with his bikes and off to the races we went. One day a couple years ago, I asked my mom, “Did you put us down for naps in the back of the van, while we were at the races?”
“Yeah, why?”
Because that explains why I can’t stay awake through an entire race! The engine noises (and the smell of gas and oil) take me right back to my comfort zone and I’m out like a baby in 20 laps or less!
I used to nap, back when I had a normal schedule. But now, I only work every other week, and when I do work, it’s in the evenings. I get so much sleep at night that I rarely need a nap any more. It’s great. I woke up at 2 pm the other day.
[bubba]
MMMMmmmMMm Naps!
Short naps, long naps, sofa naps, bed naps, floor naps, hammock naps, naps with hubby, naps with babies, naps alone, naps in the tub with bubbles, book naps, soft music naps…
[/bubba]
I am a serious nap-o-holic.
I love mid-afternoon naps in my bedroom when it is cool and dark, preferably rainy outside.
Curling up under a blanket and a nice cool pillow.
Pure bliss.
I also have to add one to the list:
The Finally got the sick kid to sleep after being up all night with him nap
Almost as good as the Grandma’s taking the kids for the afternoon nap
I definitely love naps… of course, one side effect is that they usually make me so refreshed and all afterwards, I usually stay up way past when I should be going to sleep! Oh well. What can you do about it. Might even try and get a nap in at my brother’s later… but we’ll see what evil chores and stuff my mom makes me do first…
I think I have to agree with Blackeyes on the highschooler’s view.
My classmates and I constantly beg our teachers for naps during the day (especially our 7:30 classes. Those are the worst) For some reason they think that what they have to say is more important than our lack of sleep…I can’t imagine why. Then they get all annoyed when we go to sleep anyway. Then again, I would never do that I love to listen to their wonderful words of wisdom. Coughyarightcough
It was so much simpler when we were in kindergarden and we fought tooth and nail to not take naps…sigh.
Hi. My name’s stofsky and I’m a napaholic. I’m fortunate enough that my job allows for daily naps and my wife allows for weekend snoozes. A day without a nap is like a day without oxygen.
Gazelle from Hell, I used to frequent the boards until they went down in February or March. Then I learned to live without them, and now I’m back. Perhaps that’s where you remember my name from.
I love taking naps at university. Nothing like setting out all your textbooks, studying hard for about five minutes, putting your head down, and waking up half an hour later to find out someone’s stolen your pen and there’s a giant drool stain on your classmate’s copy of Great Expectations.
It’s always been my favorite way to pass time between classes.
I love to listen to their wonderful words of wisdom. Coughyarightcough