Some of you who have had to work from home during the pandemic may have recently discovered the magic of a midday nap. I’ve been lucky enough to have worked from home for years, and I’ve long said that naps are one of the reasons I don’t think I’ll ever go back to the office. (That, and the freezing air conditioning.)
Research abounds on the benefits of a daytime nap. Studies show that taking a short afternoon nap can help:
- improve your mood
- release stress
- support your immune system
- lower blood pressure
- improve memory
- regulate emotion
- increase work performance
- and help your brain connect new information
But if the science doesn’t convince you, let me suggest a few more reasons to make twenty-minute naps part of your daily (or at least occasional) practice. I’m a professional napping person for life – and a defender of rest– and I’m happy to share what I discovered.
The case of naps
- Skip the caffeine
Most of us feel a slump after being awake for about eight hours, often around 2 or 3 p.m. Next time, consider taking a cat nap instead of another cup of coffee (if you have the option). For me, afternoon caffeine is hit or miss, but a nap is a sure thing.
- Inviting inspiration
Honestly, naps are part of my writing strategy. When I hit a wall on a project, I move on and let the challenge simmer in the back of my brain. When I add a nap to this simmer, I often wake up with new ideas and the ability to see new connections and solutions. Naps can be an instant pot for creativity.
- Giving up control
When we believe that we are the source of all that is right and good, we begin to think that the world might stop spinning on its axis if we don’t keep it spinning. Imagine the exhaustion. (And arrogance?) When we let go and take a nap, we recognize, at least for a moment, that life goes on just fine without us—a good reminder for all of us from time to time.
- Human being
Paying attention to your body’s needs and responding graciously can ground you in your physicality and remind you that you are not superhuman. You are simply human, which is enough.
- Become vulnerable
Laying your head on a pillow (or a couch, or even a car window) in the middle of the day is a vulnerable thing. You go from being a mover and shaker to an unprotected living organism. You let go of your defenses and trust your surroundings. You put yourself out of the race, at least for a little while. There is something to be said for what this kind of practice can do for our souls. And ourselves.
- Catch the wonder
Stopping to breathe and rest can open you up to things outside of the linear, busy, driven world of work and accomplishment. What might you notice or discover if you let your brain go to sleep for a few moments during the day?
- Trust your body
It can be easy to go through life not listening to your body. Or maybe you’re listening, but you don’t actually believe what you’re hearing. What if you trusted that to be sleepy is it a message, a need and an invitation from your physical self: to stop, rest and reset?
Pause permission
For those of us who sometimes find value in what we accomplish, a nap may seem counterproductive but, ironically, a nap can often make us more productive– and the practice of stopping, breathing and resting can allow us to perform even better. Consider this your permission to steal thirty minutes for yourself.
I want to acknowledge that I am aware that taking a nap is an option that some people don’t have. Jobs might not allow it, workplaces might not accommodate it, responsibilities and demands might not leave room for it. But I also know that some of us believe we don’t have space when we really do. (Note to self: twenty minutes of napping could do a lot more good than twenty minutes of doom scrolling.)
Take a good nap
If you are new to napping, there is tips that can help you improve your naplike keeping it short (twenty minutes versus an hour or more) and timing it well (mid-afternoon or too late in the day). And people with insomnia should probably skip naps and consider meditating instead. Beyond that, try grabbing a pillow, closing your eyes, and falling asleep. You might be surprised what you discover.
At least two naps were taken while writing this piece. Who wants another one?
Julie Rybarczyk is a freelance writer, fair-weather blogger, and empty-nester stay-at-home mom who lives alone and loves it. She’s perpetually the coldest person in Minneapolis. So you’ll find her most of the year under layers of wool, behind steaming cups of tea. Or on social media at @shortsandlongs.
