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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

#101

Post by gurtwo »

pqs wrote: post #97

This is a well known practise in Spain. I com from Spain and I have always seen my family (parents and grandparents) drinking coffee after lunch and, then, doing a nap on the couch. Usually, we sit on the couch, take the coffee together and then every person takes a newspaper or magazine and after a few minutes of pseudo-reading everybody is sleeping or in a state of deep relaxation. We sleep for 20 minutes. That's a…

As a spaniard myself, I can confirm this is an accurate description of what siesta looks like on most cases. Short nap on the couch after a coffee, for those who take lunch at home, or just on the weekends otherwise.

Re: Coffee naps are better than coffee or naps alone

#102

Post by clarry »

DaniFong wrote: post #21
virtuabhi wrote: post #6

I have read this before. I do not understand how you can sleep for 20 minutes. It takes more than 15 minutes just to fall asleep.

Read this carefully: I used to think this way as well. This thinking lead me to the exact wrong strategy for naps. There are many stages of sleep; stage 1 through 4, and REM sleep. These, it is hypothesized, have distinct physiological functions. Most importantly for this discussion, waking up out of each have very different effects. Waking from stage 1 sleep makes you feel immediately refreshed, and people perform b…

I think I know what it feels like to actually sleep for 20-25 minutes. Yes, it is refreshing. I also know what it is to try sleep (and fail) for the same amount of time. I don't find it refreshing, it just pisses me off. Unfortunately this is very common for me. It depends on the exact circumstances, but saying that it usually takes a minimum of fifteen to twenty minutes to actually fall asleep might actually be reality for many people, me included.

Re: Coffee naps are better than coffee or naps alone

#103

Post by vegancap »

I don't know if it's just me but, how the hell do you nap?! I tried once, and I was still wide awake when my alarm that was supposed to wake me up from my hour long nap went off. I'd have to be really drunk, or not have slept for days in order to nap. I don't understand how people just nap on queue, I feel like I'm missing a trick here :(

Re: Coffee naps are better than coffee or naps alone

#104

Post by pqs »

pqs wrote: post #97

This is a well known practise in Spain. I com from Spain and I have always seen my family (parents and grandparents) drinking coffee after lunch and, then, doing a nap on the couch. Usually, we sit on the couch, take the coffee together and then every person takes a newspaper or magazine and after a few minutes of pseudo-reading everybody is sleeping or in a state of deep relaxation. We sleep for 20 minutes. That's a…

I should add that, during siesta, many people fall sleep in front of the TV. In July, the Tour de France is perfect for that, due to the beautiful scenery and the flow of the race.

Re: Coffee naps are better than coffee or naps alone

#105

Post by Sammi »

themodelplumber wrote: post #79
kirse wrote: post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It just takes practice. For a nap, it helps to unwind quickly by focusing on deep breathing and allowing your mind to wander. During a nap you're not trying to lose consciousness as if you're "totally asleep" either. It's almost like you're hypnotizing yourself into a deep state of relaxation. A pair of sunglasses or sleep mask can also help to reduce any daytime light to make it easier. Practice it for a year, you'l…

I agree, it takes practice. I can't let my mind wander though. If I want to take a nap in the middle of the day I have to consciously visualize something. The visualization that has worked best for me over the last year has been sitting in my childhood home, assembling the tail section of a scale model Su-24. The end product looks a lot like this one: http://paperwings.orgfree.com/su24/index.htm (except I never finis…

Well there is a right and wrong way to let you mind wander. The right way is what is taught in Mindfulness meditation. It requires hard training, and I'm not very good at it (yet I hope).

The "trick" is to let you mind wander without intentionally thinking about anything, but just letting thoughts float on by without getting attached to any one of them. Just notice all the different things your mind is bringing up, and let it happen, without grabbing hold of any one thought.

My big problem is that I have a strong inner voice that is explaining or narrating almost all that I do. This voice if focusing my thoughts, so I need to stop talking inside my head for this to work. I kind of just need to shut up and watch my thoughts instead :)

Re: Coffee naps are better than coffee or naps alone

#106

Post by Dewie »

I'm thinking of putting a mattress beneath my desk/cubicle. I have a hard time falling asleep on command or taking naps at all. Maybe properly lying down instead of lying kind of uncomfortably on the floor will help with that.

This is in a university setting, so I have no managers to worry about. The only problem might be noise (I often sleep with earplugs anyway), and weird looks.

Re: Coffee naps are better than coffee or naps alone

#107

Post by Dewie »

Sammi wrote: post #105
themodelplumber wrote: post #79

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree, it takes practice. I can't let my mind wander though. If I want to take a nap in the middle of the day I have to consciously visualize something. The visualization that has worked best for me over the last year has been sitting in my childhood home, assembling the tail section of a scale model Su-24. The end product looks a lot like this one: http://paperwings.orgfree.com/su24/index.htm (except I never finis…

Well there is a right and wrong way to let you mind wander. The right way is what is taught in Mindfulness meditation. It requires hard training, and I'm not very good at it (yet I hope). The "trick" is to let you mind wander without intentionally thinking about anything, but just letting thoughts float on by without getting attached to any one of them. Just notice all the different things your mind is bringing up, a…

This has sometimes worked for me when I'm trying to fall asleep. When I'm successful, it's like I'm letting go of the narrative of my own thoughts, and instead just seeing it unfold. Eventually, I start to feel as if the thoughts are drifting into a dream, as I start to feel engulfed in my thoughts rather than just observing them unfold.

Re: Coffee naps are better than coffee or naps alone

#108

Post by pfortuny »

pqs wrote: post #104
pqs wrote: post #97

This is a well known practise in Spain. I com from Spain and I have always seen my family (parents and grandparents) drinking coffee after lunch and, then, doing a nap on the couch. Usually, we sit on the couch, take the coffee together and then every person takes a newspaper or magazine and after a few minutes of pseudo-reading everybody is sleeping or in a state of deep relaxation. We sleep for 20 minutes. That's a…

I should add that, during siesta, many people fall sleep in front of the TV. In July, the Tour de France is perfect for that, due to the beautiful scenery and the flow of the race.

This is so so so common. Everybody watches the Tour de France is Spain because it is such a good sleep-inducer. So real.

Re: Coffee naps are better than coffee or naps alone

#109

Post by pqs »

pfortuny wrote: post #108
pqs wrote: post #104

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I should add that, during siesta, many people fall sleep in front of the TV. In July, the Tour de France is perfect for that, due to the beautiful scenery and the flow of the race.

This is so so so common. Everybody watches the Tour de France is Spain because it is such a good sleep-inducer. So real.

I hope advertisers don't discover this fact!

Re: Coffee naps are better than coffee or naps alone

#110

Post by baby »

themodelplumber wrote: post #79
kirse wrote: post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It just takes practice. For a nap, it helps to unwind quickly by focusing on deep breathing and allowing your mind to wander. During a nap you're not trying to lose consciousness as if you're "totally asleep" either. It's almost like you're hypnotizing yourself into a deep state of relaxation. A pair of sunglasses or sleep mask can also help to reduce any daytime light to make it easier. Practice it for a year, you'l…

I agree, it takes practice. I can't let my mind wander though. If I want to take a nap in the middle of the day I have to consciously visualize something. The visualization that has worked best for me over the last year has been sitting in my childhood home, assembling the tail section of a scale model Su-24. The end product looks a lot like this one: http://paperwings.orgfree.com/su24/index.htm (except I never finis…

> I can't let my mind wander though

I force myself to. I just simulate what happens when I really start falling asleep. I create random thoughts and I chain them as fast as possible.

Example:

If I break the ice with my hammer the calendar will fall on monday, but I have to escape from a huge mountain today, etc... Works super well for me. If I really need to sleep I'll use that technique, if I'm not sleepy I can do that for like 20 minutes, I have to focus not to think about something and just think about those random and nonsense stuff and I will fall asleep eventually.

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