If you know me at
all, you know that I nap every afternoon about two o’clock. It’s almost a
religious ritual, and very few things can keep me from my nap. Tell me there’s
an event at two o’clock, and I’m likely to send my regrets. Sometimes I feel a
bit guilty about it or self-indulgent, but I have decided to conquer those
feelings.
I come from a
family of nappers. My dad, a physician and hospital administrator, walked a
mile home for lunch every day and then took a twenty-minute power nap. When my
brother, also a physician, first retired he took three or four naps a day, and
I still hesitate to call him between one and five, because his nap time is more
fluid than mine.
When my kids were
little, I required afternoon naps almost until they went to school. Some were
good nappers and slept soundly; others not so much, but they were required to
take a “body rest.” Sometimes they fell asleep in spite of themselves.
When I worked full
time, my naps were confined to weekends, but I was still faithful about them.
In the eleven years I’ve been retired, I’ve missed very few naps. I work hard
in the mornings—it’s my best time—and about two I begin to get unbearably
sleepy.
Sleep researchers
generally agree on the importance of naps, though several various reasons are
offered. One study shows that a nap restores alertness, prevents burnout,
heightens sensory perception, reduces the risk of heart disease, and makes you
more productive. Another suggests it increases your patience and lowers blood
pressure. For me, I know that I often just drowse and do some of my best
thinking when I’m napping. Ideas come, and when I get up, I’m refreshed and
ready to write.
How long should
you nap? Some experts suggest that there are four kinds of naps—the short power
nap that my dad took. The half hour nap that leaves you groggy. The hour-long “short”
nap, and the ninety-minute one, where you get some good REM sleep and go from
deep sleep to dreams. On a good day, I do sleep an hour and a half and dream
wildly—but then I dream at night and remember those dreams. And if I sleep
soundly in the afternoon, I don’t always leap right out of bed—I lie there and
contemplate, unless Sophie insists she’s ready to go out.
All this is on my
mind because I didn’t get a good nap today. The yard guys came right at two,
which involves the noise of their machines plus Sophie’s indignant barking that
they dare invade our property. So it was maybe two-thirty before I lay down.
Then it sounded to me like planes at Carswell (okay I guess I mean LTV) were
revving their engines. That was followed by the neighbors’ yard crew who always
come early on Tuesday morning but broke their routine today. Their appearance
requires more indignant barking from Sophie.
So a little after
four I dragged myself out of bed—yes, I get in the bed, under the
covers—knowing I hadn’t slept. The funny thing is that maybe I had slept and
didn’t know it. I remember as a child telling my mom I lay awake all night, and
she assured me that I slept and didn’t realize it. I also used to tell her I
itched all over, and she’d tell me that was a sign I was about to fall asleep.
Clever woman, my mom.
Back to this
afternoon, I got up feeling tired and have had no ambition this evening. Good
thing I had leftovers for dinner. I truly think that nap makes a difference.
There’s a possibility though that it’s better not to try to nap than to try and
get up frustrated. But I’ll keep trying.
Please don’t call
me between two and four in the afternoon.
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