Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Monday, March 19, 2012
rules for napping
my late husband was a world-class napper. he could fall asleep anywhere, anytime, regardless of caffeine intake. i was in awe.
i never took naps. i couldn't settle enough in the middle of the day to fall asleep. plus, i had things to do. lots of things.
in the last couple of years, due to horrendous nighttime sleep (or lack thereof), i've been learning about naps, and their utility in the event of sleep deprivation, combined with early working hours.
over the years, i've worked out some guidelines for naps. here they are.
1. naps are taken fully dressed. shoes and glasses may be removed. if you take off all your clothes, just go back to bed.
2. naps are best taken on saturday or sunday afternoons. the rest of the week is fine as well, just a bit more difficult. napping on a rainy (or snowy) afternoon is the best. napping on the beach, well...you get it.
3. naps should last no longer than one hour. 20-30 minutes is best. an exception can be made in cases of staying out all night, or being up with a sick child. other than that, if the nap lasts longer than an hour, it's not a nap. take your clothes off, go to bed and stay there until morning.
4. naps are best taken on a couch or sofa. (what's the difference between a couch and sofa anyway?) the bed may be used if necessary. if on the bed, you must be on top of the covers, NOT underneath. if you're under the covers, you're in for the night. don't delude yourself.
5. when napping, it's best to be in a slightly raised position, rather than fully reclined. use one or more pillows under the back. it's really quite comfortable, and if you're congested, helps with sinus drainage, and snoring.
6. if you take a nap with a partner, be aware that it may not be a nap. it may turn into something more connubial, convivial, or canoodly. all of this is good, it's just not a nap.
and yes, in case you were wondering, i pretty much wrote this in my head, in the middle of the night, when i couldn't sleep.
here's some beach napping sounds:
i never took naps. i couldn't settle enough in the middle of the day to fall asleep. plus, i had things to do. lots of things.
in the last couple of years, due to horrendous nighttime sleep (or lack thereof), i've been learning about naps, and their utility in the event of sleep deprivation, combined with early working hours.
over the years, i've worked out some guidelines for naps. here they are.
1. naps are taken fully dressed. shoes and glasses may be removed. if you take off all your clothes, just go back to bed.
2. naps are best taken on saturday or sunday afternoons. the rest of the week is fine as well, just a bit more difficult. napping on a rainy (or snowy) afternoon is the best. napping on the beach, well...you get it.
3. naps should last no longer than one hour. 20-30 minutes is best. an exception can be made in cases of staying out all night, or being up with a sick child. other than that, if the nap lasts longer than an hour, it's not a nap. take your clothes off, go to bed and stay there until morning.
4. naps are best taken on a couch or sofa. (what's the difference between a couch and sofa anyway?) the bed may be used if necessary. if on the bed, you must be on top of the covers, NOT underneath. if you're under the covers, you're in for the night. don't delude yourself.
5. when napping, it's best to be in a slightly raised position, rather than fully reclined. use one or more pillows under the back. it's really quite comfortable, and if you're congested, helps with sinus drainage, and snoring.
6. if you take a nap with a partner, be aware that it may not be a nap. it may turn into something more connubial, convivial, or canoodly. all of this is good, it's just not a nap.
and yes, in case you were wondering, i pretty much wrote this in my head, in the middle of the night, when i couldn't sleep.
here's some beach napping sounds:
and places to nap:
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