An afternoon nap can truly be one of life's greatest blessings. Taking the time to indulge in a short sleep often leaves one feeling refreshed and revitalized for the rest of the day. Many cultures around the world have come to appreciate the virtue of the afternoon nap: the Spanish enjoy the siesta, Chinese their wujiao and, in Bangladesh, the short afternoon break is referred to as the bhat-gum.
Napping is as natural as falling asleep at night. A nighttime sleep and an afternoon nap involve the same physiological changes as the body cycles through different stages of sleep. Sleeping implies the individual repeatedly passing through all sleep stages throughout the night whereas napping rarely involves going past the first two.
Regardless of sleep stages, an afternoon nap is usually characterized by falling asleep in locations other than the bedroom. For this reason, a good afternoon nap means becoming more mindful of following three simple practices: falling asleep in the right place, falling asleep at the right time and falling asleep for the right length of time.
The Right Place is a Safe Place
An afternoon nap involves a conscious decision to surrender to the natural urge to sleep whereas "dozing off" implies falling prey to excessive fatigue and exhaustion. Therefore, a healthy nap means being in a location that is safe and comfortable. Of these three, safety is the most important. As a general rule, if no saber tooth tiger prowls within a mile of the location, enjoy the snooze.
The Right Time is Well Before Bedtime
Although no two nappers are alike, one key element is shared among all: napping too close to bedtime will disrupt the natural sleep cycle. Hence, an afternoon nap is not an early evening snooze. The best time to nap would be sometime from early to mid-afternoon. Most nappers set aside a regular daily time to rest, while others strategically choose a time well before important events or meetings.
The Right Length is Usually No More Than a Half Hour
Naps come in all shapes and sizes. Some naps can be as short as five minutes while others can last up to 45 minutes or longer. Napping longer than 45 minutes means entering a deeper stage of sleep that will inevitably result in a feeling of grogginess upon awakening. Some individuals set timers to avoid sleeping for too long while other more experienced nappers rely exclusively on their instincts. In general, a good afternoon nap lasts between 10 to 30 minutes.
In summary, the best location to nap is a safe one, the best time is anytime before late afternoon/early evening and the best length would be 10 to 30 minutes. Although every napper is unique, the essential criteria for a good nap revolves around these three points. Have a sweet snooze.
The urge to sleep can be a worthy hedonistic pursuit during the day or at night. Learning how to enjoy a good sleep can be just as satisfying as a pleasant afternoon nap.
References:
Better Sleep Council Canada, "To Nap or Not to Nap" (accessed February 10th 2010)
National Sleep Foundation, "Napping" (accessed February 10th 2010)
Michael Falcone - My Suite101 articles represent my first attempts to experiment and learn the craft of online writing. Since 2009, I've had the opportunity ...
