I have dreaded the dropping of the nap forever so it's very surreal to be in the position of really needing our almost 5-year-old to drop his nap since 1) his bedtimes are getting later and later and 2) kindergarten in the fall means no more naps. He's kind of halfway there and it's odd to be looking forward to it. Travel is easier when you're not worrying about building a nap into it. I do miss having my own regular nap times but I'm also a bit less exhausted now that he's older.
I've been a big believer of some version of a grown up nap though anything longer than 20 minutes leaves me with what I can only describe as a non-alcohol induced hangover.
I love this. And don't forget the classic bath-induced nap! Whatever that level is... usually involves days when you are sleepy from the start, and ideally very cold! So you have to take a bath to warm up, even though it sounds hard because you are already SO tired, but you do it anyway because you are amazing and ambitious. But the hot bath makes you so much sleepier that you can't even get dressed after your bath and you fall into bed naked except for your damp towel and pass out for 3-4 hours.
I don't have the chance to nap a lot anymore, but when I do it's usually this kind, because they're not really by choice - they happen to you. But in a wonderful way, as long as you can give an effectively sheepish smile afterwards to your partner who has been watching all of your kids while you bath nap all afternoon and say, "sorry, I couldn't help it!!"
I love your calm descriptions of naps- about 90% of the time that I say to myself, "I'm going to take a nap," I just end up laying down in the dark on my phone. Which is also not bad!
I also feel obligated to say that I am one of those people who is most productive in the late afternoon. Which is a shocker to me too tbh. I read a book once that brought up the typical early bird / night owl concept but added Third Bird: naturally being the most productive in the afternoon. I'm a third bird! I just defrost for a long time in the morning and waste some time after I defrost before I naturally get into the swing of things. I have a lot of memories of getting in the zone while writing my thesis starting at like 4PM...
Like a toddler, I tend to resent naps and sleep generally. I would like to stay fully conscious all the time, if it were possible. But is not possible, and the older I get, the less possible it is. I am most likely to nap when I am marathon training - getting up early and running ridiculous distances make it a much more attractive prospect. I am not, however, terribly productive most late afternoons - the mind tends to wander. I try to reserve it for thoughtless, repetitive tasks if I can so that I can just drift along.
in answer to this question: "I’m curious: do you have a rest practice? Have you ever? Do you sometimes?"
during the lockdown phase of the pandemic, in replacement of traveling/touring, i initially scrambled to fill my schedule with so many online shows, podcasts, live-streams, and other comedy activities that i ended up busier than i was when i was traveling for a living!
eventually, i came to a realization/decision that i would aim to take one day a week completely free from scheduling anything. didn't mean i wouldn't DO anything that day, just that i wouldn't schedule anything. in a roundabout way, i reinvented "the sabbath" in a way.
now that society is spinning again, i STILL find it valuable to aim to pick one day a week where i can not schedule anything. i will still look at my email in the morning to see if anything is "urgently important" and i'll respond to those, but otherwise, i will allow myself the luxury of leisure for one day. i'll read. i'll rest. i'll walk. i'll play my guitar. i'll do some things that i do other days but i don't "have to."
in addition to feeling like it refuels/recharges me, i would say that it reminds me that so little of my usual everyday busy patterns are as time-sensitive or urgent as they seem, and so hopefully the day of rest carries its restful energy into my other days as well. HOPEFULLY!
also, it's nice to stop working on "work" things when it starts to get dark, if i can manage that.
thank you for asking! there may be more answers i could come up with, but i'm going to rest here for now.
THANK YOU SOPHIE! I’ve always envied countries where a ‘siesta’ after lunch is part of the culture. My brain and body functions much better when I take some time to just surrender and relax mid-afternoon, to get my ‘Second Wind’. 20 mins if short on time. 45 mins is the sweet spot. Even if I don’t fall asleep, just having some down time notably extends my productivity and enjoyment of a full day.
“it’s balletic around hardness.” is an incredible turn of phrase hot damn
I have dreaded the dropping of the nap forever so it's very surreal to be in the position of really needing our almost 5-year-old to drop his nap since 1) his bedtimes are getting later and later and 2) kindergarten in the fall means no more naps. He's kind of halfway there and it's odd to be looking forward to it. Travel is easier when you're not worrying about building a nap into it. I do miss having my own regular nap times but I'm also a bit less exhausted now that he's older.
I've been a big believer of some version of a grown up nap though anything longer than 20 minutes leaves me with what I can only describe as a non-alcohol induced hangover.
I agree - twenty minutes is just about right for me to feel refreshed.
I love this. And don't forget the classic bath-induced nap! Whatever that level is... usually involves days when you are sleepy from the start, and ideally very cold! So you have to take a bath to warm up, even though it sounds hard because you are already SO tired, but you do it anyway because you are amazing and ambitious. But the hot bath makes you so much sleepier that you can't even get dressed after your bath and you fall into bed naked except for your damp towel and pass out for 3-4 hours.
I don't have the chance to nap a lot anymore, but when I do it's usually this kind, because they're not really by choice - they happen to you. But in a wonderful way, as long as you can give an effectively sheepish smile afterwards to your partner who has been watching all of your kids while you bath nap all afternoon and say, "sorry, I couldn't help it!!"
I love naps! The nap ladder idea is genius, and I will be putting it into practice pronto. Thank you!
I love your calm descriptions of naps- about 90% of the time that I say to myself, "I'm going to take a nap," I just end up laying down in the dark on my phone. Which is also not bad!
I also feel obligated to say that I am one of those people who is most productive in the late afternoon. Which is a shocker to me too tbh. I read a book once that brought up the typical early bird / night owl concept but added Third Bird: naturally being the most productive in the afternoon. I'm a third bird! I just defrost for a long time in the morning and waste some time after I defrost before I naturally get into the swing of things. I have a lot of memories of getting in the zone while writing my thesis starting at like 4PM...
Like a toddler, I tend to resent naps and sleep generally. I would like to stay fully conscious all the time, if it were possible. But is not possible, and the older I get, the less possible it is. I am most likely to nap when I am marathon training - getting up early and running ridiculous distances make it a much more attractive prospect. I am not, however, terribly productive most late afternoons - the mind tends to wander. I try to reserve it for thoughtless, repetitive tasks if I can so that I can just drift along.
I usually sleep too long in the morning to be able to fall asleep, but I do lie down and rest.
Never had a robot though.
dear sophie,
thank you for this/these as always!
in answer to this question: "I’m curious: do you have a rest practice? Have you ever? Do you sometimes?"
during the lockdown phase of the pandemic, in replacement of traveling/touring, i initially scrambled to fill my schedule with so many online shows, podcasts, live-streams, and other comedy activities that i ended up busier than i was when i was traveling for a living!
eventually, i came to a realization/decision that i would aim to take one day a week completely free from scheduling anything. didn't mean i wouldn't DO anything that day, just that i wouldn't schedule anything. in a roundabout way, i reinvented "the sabbath" in a way.
now that society is spinning again, i STILL find it valuable to aim to pick one day a week where i can not schedule anything. i will still look at my email in the morning to see if anything is "urgently important" and i'll respond to those, but otherwise, i will allow myself the luxury of leisure for one day. i'll read. i'll rest. i'll walk. i'll play my guitar. i'll do some things that i do other days but i don't "have to."
in addition to feeling like it refuels/recharges me, i would say that it reminds me that so little of my usual everyday busy patterns are as time-sensitive or urgent as they seem, and so hopefully the day of rest carries its restful energy into my other days as well. HOPEFULLY!
also, it's nice to stop working on "work" things when it starts to get dark, if i can manage that.
thank you for asking! there may be more answers i could come up with, but i'm going to rest here for now.
love,
myq
"...aggressive floors..." 😂 Brilliant!!!
I attempted this yesterday afternoon and ended up sleeping for most of the next 14 hours. Whoops! (My body clearly needed it)
THANK YOU SOPHIE! I’ve always envied countries where a ‘siesta’ after lunch is part of the culture. My brain and body functions much better when I take some time to just surrender and relax mid-afternoon, to get my ‘Second Wind’. 20 mins if short on time. 45 mins is the sweet spot. Even if I don’t fall asleep, just having some down time notably extends my productivity and enjoyment of a full day.