Mmmm. That beautiful sensation of floating, that sense of timelessness, that feeling of surrender. I’m talking about how it feels just before drifting off for a nap. It’s wonderful, right? Whether it be from pure exhaustion, relief on a scorching summer day, or intentional meditation, a nap can restore us.
I remember my mom used to have a “lay down” every day at 3 pm. Thirty minutes was all she took, and then she was up and about again. I remember how anxious she would get if that schedule were interrupted—by a sick child (me) infringing on her “me time” or a wayward phone call in the days when caller ID or answering machines were not part of the equation.
I envy that ability to escape for just 30 minutes. I can’t. Believe me, I have tried. When I take a nap, I check out for longer than 30 minutes. I wake up feeling groggy and wanting to stay asleep. I’ve tried setting an alarm, but that doesn’t help. It makes it worse because I stay awake hoping I set my alarm right.
Naps are healthy. They can help us to be more alert and more relaxed. They can help improve our performance, have a better reaction time, and boost our memory. Of course, when we are less tired, we are usually in a better mood.
The downside to napping, if not done properly, is that feeling of grogginess when you wake up. This is what happens to me. It even has a name: sleep inertia. It usually goes away in about half an hour, but it’s a long 30 minutes! Napping may also make it harder to fall asleep at night. Yep, I’m checking off that box. There has even been some research linking naps longer than one hour a day with higher risks of conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and cognitive impairment such as Alzheimer’s.
Our culture, or should I say western, cold-temperature culture, hasn’t always looked favourably on napping. Often people who nap are seen as lazy, unproductive, or lacking in ambition. Not so in other cultures. We’ve all heard of the siesta, popular in warmer tropical locations such as Mexico, but what about Japan’s inemuri? So, a siesta is a way to escape midday heat in many countries. An inemuri is seen to recharge after working too hard. Public napping is acceptable. Places like Italy and Greece also put a positive spin on a midday break, whether that be napping or taking some leisure time. In some Middle Eastern cultures, a qailula, or short nap taken before the afternoon prayer, is observed. And in China, many workplaces and schools allow time for a short nap after lunch. Can you imagine walking into a Canadian office and seeing employees asleep at their desks? That would not go over well.
But, you never know. Things are changing, and maybe napping will become more acceptable in our corner of the world. In fact, there is a National Napping Day! And why not? There is a day for everything. The next National Napping Day will take place Monday, March 9, 2026. National Napping Day has been around for a while. It was created in 1999 by Boston University professor William Anthony and his wife, Camille, to spread awareness on the importance of getting enough sleep and its benefits. I’ve missed the last 26 “days,” so I’m going to enter this next one in my calendar!
As we get older, our sleep patterns often change. The recommended duration of sleep is seven to eight hours, so it goes without saying that we may need a bit of a nap to make up for lost time during the night. Especially if you are a nighthawk but have dogs who like to get up early. Just sayin! Recently we left our dogs at home (with family) and went to visit our daughter in another city. I got 8.5 hours of sleep! What a bonus!
There is an art to napping. For the best results, keep it short. Twenty to 30 minutes is perfect and really, all you need. You should nap before 3 pm (no one told my mom that), and have a relaxing nap space—a quiet, dark place with no distractions. So, turn off the TV, the computer, and your phone.
If you’re concerned about not feeling refreshed afterwards, take a coffee-nap! You see, caffeine takes 20 to 30 minutes to reach its maximum level in the bloodstream. So, if you have a cup of caffeine just before taking a 30-minute nap, you should wake up just when that caffeine kicks in. There is a website that calls the coffee-nap a ‘nappucino! A little bit of pumpkin spice and whipped cream followed by a nap? Sounds good to me!
PS. If you feel the need to nap often and for longer periods of time, you may want to mention it to your health care provider.
Interesting Reads & Things
https://www.ucsf.edu/news/2022/03/422446/extended-napping-seniors-may-signal-dementia
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/is-napping-the-new-normal-1.4626346
Wanderings Art 