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How to nap

boston.com

41–50 of 137 posts

Re: How to nap

#41
I've found 15-20 minutes naps after having lunch, to be amazing. I can wake up really quickly and being fully alert to keep working, without any drowsiness or performance hits.

I wish I could wake up with the same mood in the morning. I find it really hard to even wake up without putting the alarm in snooze at least twice.

Re: How to nap

#42
post #32

I cannot overstate how much power naps have improved my life. I started doing them regularly about seven years ago and have been recommending them to everyone I can since. Napping makes me happier, more alert, and way more productive. A shameless plug: I wrote a post about how I learned to nap here: http://unschooled.org/2011/05/how-i-nap

Can you and other nappers here explain how you are able to find somewhere to nap in a busy office environment (and your car isn't available)? For me, lying on the floor would be far too noisy with hundreds of PCs humming away and I would be at constant risk of being stepped on by my colleagues.

You can try what I always did in high school: bend over your desk and nuzzle into the crook of your elbow.

Re: How to nap

#43
post #36
post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Two tricks, both of which depend on your situation CAR: I used to go to my car and take a nap. Kick the seat back, eye cover, maybe ear plugs and put the alarm on vibrate and in my shirt pocket. Depending on someones situation and their proximity to their vehicle, if they drive.. It could be good. YOGA MAT: Everyone likes being hip and yogic. Buy a yoga mat. By tying yoga mats to napping it seems all so, much, more o…

I just have an incredibly hard time imagining how I could nap on a yoga mat in my cubile without everyone else stopping to watch it like a circus, and my manger wanting to discuss why I am literally sleeping on the job.

I did say depending on your situation.

Some people have a room they can go to, or maybe a spare office / meeting they can use / book.

Re: How to nap

#44

Finally! I was wondering how to do this! On a real note, napping changed my life. And when I had my own business, it really helped productivity to have a nap in the middle of the day. Now I work for the machine, and naps are unfortunately not allowed.

Now I work for the machine, and naps are unfortunately not allowed.

OK, here's a crazy idea!

I work for the machine, MOST of us work for the machine. Unions are in our past. But government might just be the way to force the machine to support naps for its workers.

If we start lobbying for a law to allow naps, how realistic is it for that to pass? Sure it's silly, but silly laws usually have a better chance of passing!

Re: How to nap

#45
post #36
post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Two tricks, both of which depend on your situation CAR: I used to go to my car and take a nap. Kick the seat back, eye cover, maybe ear plugs and put the alarm on vibrate and in my shirt pocket. Depending on someones situation and their proximity to their vehicle, if they drive.. It could be good. YOGA MAT: Everyone likes being hip and yogic. Buy a yoga mat. By tying yoga mats to napping it seems all so, much, more o…

I just have an incredibly hard time imagining how I could nap on a yoga mat in my cubile without everyone else stopping to watch it like a circus, and my manger wanting to discuss why I am literally sleeping on the job.

Would he not understand it if you just told him the truth? "I'm doing it because, overall, it makes me more productive."

Re: How to nap

#46
It amazes me that people can "nap". I can only nap when extremely tired, and at that point, I'm so behind on sleep that 20 minutes won't do a thing. I'll be lucky to wake up, and if I do, I'll be just as groggy. :)

Re: How to nap

#47
What I do to fall take a nap or fall asleep is to focus on a point just outside of my right temple, tension drops and mind rest for me faster that way.

Re: How to nap

#49
post #39

Twenty minute naps leave me in a horrid state of disarray. It takes me about an hour to recover from the grogginess, so I tend to stay as far away from them as possible. I've experimented with time and location variations, but never with any success. It makes me sad, because I know tons of people who work naps into their day with fantastic results.

This was a problem for me, too. I found that naps over 16 minutes knock me out as you describe, naps under leave me very refreshed and alert. I set my alarm for 16m in a quiet environment, 17m if I'm in a noisier environment or heightened state to give me a little extra time to fall asleep. Maybe some experimentation will help you find a time that works, good luck.

Re: How to nap

#50
The lark and owl distinction has been driving me crazy since I thought about my sleeping habits. I spent about 2 years with completely self-determined sleep (I even collected sleep data) and do not even approximately fit into those schemes. I alternate between a lot of sleep and no sleep over the course of 10 days continually shifting my waking hours into the night until I reset. Some people claim that this would be unhealthy, but (measured by introspection) I felt good and haven't been sick during that time. And I have spoken to some people that feel similar.

While all this is not based on anything that can withstand analysis, it adds a strange flavor to advice when it starts with broad categories which seem not entirely correct.

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