The
Importance of a Well-timed Nap
There
are few things more comforting than curling up in a warm spot in the sunshine
for an afternoon nap. It can be a luxurious indulgence, or a necessity after one
of those pesky sleepless nights strikes. But it can also be a writing tool. You
heard me right.
Used
to be, I wasn’t a fan of napping. I was one of those people who would complain,
“Oh, I can’t nap. I wake up so groggy!” Pro-nappers told me that was because I napped
too long. Though I didn’t disagree with them, once cozy and warm, I didn’t have
the discipline to get up and face the world again. By the time I struggled out
from under the covers, I felt sluggish and ugh. (The Mayo Clinic advises that
naps should be 20-30 minutes. Napping:
Do’s and don’ts for healthy adults - Mayo Clinic.)
So,
I avoided naps.
But
recently, I’ve taken my blankets and moved decisively into the pro-nap camp. It
happened unexpectedly when I was stuck on how to use the writing prompt, that’s
so cliché in a short story contest. I’d bounced from idea to idea with an
increasing sense of futility. Each time I put words on the page, they landed
flat with no rhythm or momentum. Convinced I was a failure, I gave up and
soothed myself by curling up with my favourite quilt in a patch of sunshine. In
the moment just before I drifted off, when the traffic noise, hum of the fridge
and my neighbour’s footsteps in the condo above me faded away, a story came to
me, almost fully formed. The words tumbled onto the page, and I named it
“Summer’s End”. It’s still one of my favourite short pieces and as a bonus, it
won second place in the contest!
Since
then, I’ve found that when stuck on a plot point, dealing with a recalcitrant
character, or even coming up with the name for a story, sometimes a focussed
and purposeful nap is when inspiration strikes.
Dad
was a napper. As a little girl, I remember his after-lunch routine. He’d tune
in to The Farm Report on the radio, then stretch out on the living room floor.
Never the couch, though, because he said he didn’t want to get too comfortable.
I could never figure out how he could both snore and still remember the prices quoted
for cattle, wheat, barley, etc. When the news was over, or maybe a few minutes
later, he’d heft himself off the floor and head out the door to the shop or
tractor.
On
the other hand, I never recall Mom napping. She was always in motion moving
from one task to another, rarely sitting for more than a few minutes, and never
resting. I don’t know how she managed because she was always the first one up
(to put the coffee on, of course), and the last one to turn out the lights and
go to bed. She was a remarkable woman (but that’s for another blog).
For
most of us in North America, we’ve adopted a monophasic sleep pattern, adhering
to the idea that you should sleep at night. A full 7-9 hours, most studies
would suggest. This evolved in the post-industrial age, with the invention of
electric lights and 8-5 work days. Prior to that, activity/sleep patterns were
governed by the sun, seasons, and rhythms of nature.
Biphasic
sleep patterns, where a person sleeps in two segments per day, is common in a
number of cultures. Consider the traditional siesta where there is a shorter
period of evening sleep and a planned nap lasting an hour or more. Biphasic
Sleep: What It Is And How It Works. For those of us used to
the monophasic pattern, we sometimes look at this as laziness, but the pattern
allows dwellers in hot climates to work during the cooler morning and late
afternoon hours and to sleep when it’s hottest. Some studies also show that the
extended nap in the middle of the day increases overall productivity.
Polyphasic
sleep patterns (there are at least three “recognized patterns”) take the idea
of long periods of sleep and toss them out the window. Adopting this sleep
strategy is not for the faint of heart and is not without negative side
effects. Polyphasic
Sleep: Benefits and Risks
But
let’s get back to the idea of a simple nap taken sometime during the day
(although between one and three in the afternoon seems to be the sweet spot). About
one third of North Americans regularly nap, and a higher proportion of those
are between 25-34. I wonder if the proportion of those napping would increase
if work schedules allowed for it? For individuals working from home, do they
take advantage of nap opportunities? Before you tsk about the lack of
discipline if they take the nap, studies have shown that memories and learning
are consolidated in our brains during sleep, and overall retention is enhanced.
If that’s the case, it would behoove all of us to enjoy afternoon shut-eye. Sleep Statistics
in Canada | Made in CA .
I
used to feel naughty taking a nap. Now, it’s part of my toolbox.
National Napping Day
is celebrated annually on March 14 (the unofficial holiday was first observed
in 1999).
No naps for me. If I take one during the day I can't go to sleep at night.
ReplyDeleteI love my afternoon nap!
ReplyDeleteI do not nap, but many historical figures were pro-nap. Napoleon took naps between state meetings, or in the coach when traveling short distances. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDelete