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Coffee naps are better than coffee or naps alone

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Re: Coffee naps are better than coffee or naps alone

#41

Post by electromagnetic »

ArcticCelt wrote: post #39

I wish I was able to take naps. Do people can really fall asleep on command just like that when they have some spare minutes in their day? Shit, even when I am sleep deprived, I can barely fall asleep in my own bed, sometimes it literally take me hours. When I manage to take a nap it's usually involuntary by falling asleep in front of the TV.

Ditto this. My wife can nap no problem. I might nap every couple months, and its basically a disrupted sleep and not a nap. I wake up feeling terrible; groggy, mild headache, irritable. I'd have been better off not napping as it inevitably comes when I've got so much to do and no energy and that "if I have a quick nap I'll feel refreshed and be ready to work!" Nope!

Re: Coffee naps are better than coffee or naps alone

#42

Post by barbs »

ArcticCelt wrote: post #39

I wish I was able to take naps. Do people can really fall asleep on command just like that when they have some spare minutes in their day? Shit, even when I am sleep deprived, I can barely fall asleep in my own bed, sometimes it literally take me hours. When I manage to take a nap it's usually involuntary by falling asleep in front of the TV.

> * Do people can really fall asleep on command just like that when they have some spare minutes in their day?*

It depends on the time of day. I can't exactly fall asleep on command, but I'll find myself longing for a nap in the afternoon, usually around 2 or 3. I can fall asleep pretty quickly then, and usually I'll wake up about 20 minutes later.

Re: Coffee naps are better than coffee or naps alone

#43

Post by matwood »

ArcticCelt wrote: post #39

I wish I was able to take naps. Do people can really fall asleep on command just like that when they have some spare minutes in their day? Shit, even when I am sleep deprived, I can barely fall asleep in my own bed, sometimes it literally take me hours. When I manage to take a nap it's usually involuntary by falling asleep in front of the TV.

I can't nap, but just laying down for 20 minutes with my eyes closed in a quiet room gives me a huge energy boost.

Re: Coffee naps are better than coffee or naps alone

#45

Post by sciurus »

electromagnetic wrote: post #41
ArcticCelt wrote: post #39

I wish I was able to take naps. Do people can really fall asleep on command just like that when they have some spare minutes in their day? Shit, even when I am sleep deprived, I can barely fall asleep in my own bed, sometimes it literally take me hours. When I manage to take a nap it's usually involuntary by falling asleep in front of the TV.

Ditto this. My wife can nap no problem. I might nap every couple months, and its basically a disrupted sleep and not a nap. I wake up feeling terrible; groggy, mild headache, irritable. I'd have been better off not napping as it inevitably comes when I've got so much to do and no energy and that "if I have a quick nap I'll feel refreshed and be ready to work!" Nope!

How long are you napping for?

Re: Coffee naps are better than coffee or naps alone

#46

Post by ejain »

phpnode wrote: post #13
jisaacks wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I can fall a sleep in 1-2 minutes, and wake up without alarm after 15-20 minutes Any advice on how you were able to achieve this ability? I always try to take a quick nap but can never fall asleep fas t enough for it to be effective.

it takes practise. Likely you try and take a nap a few times, it takes too long and so the next day you don't bother. But if you can get through that it gets easier over time. Your body learns that it's "time to go to sleep". The other strategy is physical and mental exhaustion, for this I recommend starting a business and/or becoming a parent.

> The other strategy is physical and mental exhaustion

Sleep deprivation may make it easy to fall asleep fast, but then you won't wake up without alarm after 15-20 minutes.

Re: Coffee naps are better than coffee or naps alone

#47

Post by mmanfrin »

After a couple months of protracted late nights at a startup I worked for, I came up with an idea for a place which would offer by-the-hour nap+shower+coffee pods. You'd go in, pay $20 or whatever, have access to a shower and a bed, and at the end (or beginning) you'd get a coffee of your choice (if after, it would be ready for you when your nap was over).

I think this could do really well in Soma or the Financial District in SF. Just gotta enforce one-person-one-rule so that it doesnt become a place for prostitution.

Re: Coffee naps are better than coffee or naps alone

#49

Post by Widow »

crb3 wrote: post #24
jisaacks wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I can fall a sleep in 1-2 minutes, and wake up without alarm after 15-20 minutes Any advice on how you were able to achieve this ability? I always try to take a quick nap but can never fall asleep fas t enough for it to be effective.

Two techniques from my experience: - 'walk back' in your mind to center yourself away from forebrain activity and visual activity (this is a visualization technique) - cover your back with something insulated and/or warm. The less your back is staying tensed against chill air, the more physically relaxed you can be. I have a Thinsulate-filled sleeping bag that I use like a throw for this as it reflects body heat bett…

I noticed this when I started sleeping with my back against a body pillow. I wonder if it has anything to do with wanting to sleep with pressure around our bodies?

Re: Coffee naps are better than coffee or naps alone

#50

Post by Swizec »

ArcticCelt wrote: post #39

I wish I was able to take naps. Do people can really fall asleep on command just like that when they have some spare minutes in their day? Shit, even when I am sleep deprived, I can barely fall asleep in my own bed, sometimes it literally take me hours. When I manage to take a nap it's usually involuntary by falling asleep in front of the TV.

Yes. If you lay still with your eyes closed and make sure your phone and internet stay quiet, you will fall asleep in 10 minutes or so.

That then leaves enough to get 10 minutes or so of sleep and get back up 20 minutes after starting your nap. Much longer than that and you risk not getting up for another few hours.

Much less than that and you won't get any rest.

And yes, this works perfectly well even without falling asleep. Just lay still for 20 minutes and let your mind wander without distractions or worrying about what you're thinking about. Congratulations, you've just meditated.

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