The other day I took an accidental power nap. It was after dinner. I didn’t know what the children were doing upstairs, and I didn’t care. I was weary and I really needed some time just for me so I sat on the sofa, put my feet on the stool, pulled a blanket over myself and realised that, in that moment, I just wanted to experience the quiet stillness. The TV stayed off. My cat joined me and settled on my lap, purring softly. I rested my head back and closed my eyes…
The next thing I knew I was regaining consciousness and I felt amazingly refreshed! I have no idea for how long I was out, but it was not long. I have since read about power naps and discovered that the optimal length is 10-20 minutes, as that gives your brain a chance to slow right down, without entering the deepest stage of sleep which would leave you groggy, if waking up from that. I have also found out that the best time to power nap is after lunch as then it will not interfere with your night-time sleep.
Sleep. Slumber. Snooze. Even the words for this wonderful phenomenon are beguiling. I love bed-time. I love that point in the day when I can say to myself, “That’s it. Time to clock off. You’ve done what you can. Now you can rest,” and I close my bedroom door, switch off my light and allow sleep to carry me away. Sleep is your body’s and your brain’s opportunity, each day, to reset. Matthew Walker in Why We Sleep states that “There does not seem to be one major organ within the body, or process within the brain, that isn’t optimally enhanced by sleep (and detrimentally impaired when we don’t get enough).”
Adult working-age humans need 8 hours of sleep each night and many, many of us do not get enough. A person who consistently does not get adequate sleep is at increased risk of: Alzheimer’s disease; cardiovascular disease; stroke; congestive heart failure; depression; anxiety; weight gain; type 2 diabetes; impaired memory. In short, sleep deprivation limits your life expectancy.
So, aside from ensuring that we give ourselves the opportunity to get eight hours of sleep per night, we can also help ourselves by scheduling power naps into our days. Find yourself somewhere warm, quiet and ideally dark. Alternatively, wear an eye-mask and noise cancelling earphones to keep light and sound at bay. A blanket is a good idea as your temperature will drop while you sleep. Set your alarm for 20-25 minutes, which will allow you some time to transition from wake to sleep, close your eyes and let sleep descend. I find that focussing on the high pitched ring in my head, and listening out for dips in frequency, can help me to turn away from thoughts and towards each moment as it passes, easing the passage to slumber. And when you wake, you can enjoy your boosted alertness, better concentration, and greater productivity.
Happy napping!
Rebecca Bartholomew, 10 November 2021
