Ever since I was a kid, I’ve been taking afternoon naps. Now that I’m an adult, I’ve continued to take cat naps for about 1 to 2 hours after I get home from work.
Although none of my friends who know about my habit have come right out and said “That’s weird!” I suspect they think so, and my girlfriend occasionally teases me about it. So my question is, is adult napping considered “weird”? If it’s good enough for babies and pets, why not me? Does anyone else do this? Is there any evidence that adults “naturally” should stay awake for 16 or 17 hours and then sleep?
I can’t nap, and don’t like to. If I fall asleep in the daytime, I sleep heavily for an hour or two, then I’m groggy for the rest of the day.
But I know quite a few friends who do. One in particualar naps every single day. I don’t think it’s weird, but I do wonder about her metabolism, and all the living she misses out on! Most people I know do take little refresher naps at least occasionally.
I doubt that napping could really be at all bad for you. Taking a nap refresing you, and you feel better after napping, so why not(probably the same thought process of every druggy in the country, but it sorta made sense). I occasinaly take naps, and generally feel better afterward. Although your friends may consider it weird, at least you’ll be able to agrue with them into the wee hours of the night!
~drew
I guess napping would be considered “bad” if it affected your ability to sleep soundly at night. We all need to follow our circadian rhythm - some people absolutely cannot sleep during hours of sunlight, so they shouldn’t try to nap. But if you can do it, then do it and enjoy yourself. I think it’s better than being dead tired at 9 PM in front of the TV. Many countries around the world have siesta time
and then everyone stays up late, eats late, and they function just fine (OK, maybe not everyone functions well under those conditions).