Powerful Nap Hack
When you struggle with sleep as much as I do, you have to develop some strategies to deal with the tiredness that goes along with nights of restless or nonexistent sleep. One of my favorite things in life is the nap. Naps are awesome. I can sleep so much better during the day… I just drop right off and sleep for hours. Unfortunately, that’s rarely something that fits into a daytime schedule – there are kids, work, errands, and all those other pesky disturbances that interfere.
So I can’t take a three-hour nap and still be a good employee, but I’ve learned a few tricks that let me nap AND still be on-task. My techniques are nothing new and earth-shaking, but they’re really effective for me. If you want to give it a try…
Don’t power through. This has taken me a lot of years to learn. I’ve fallen asleep over my keyboard more times than I’d like to admit. But I finally figured out that when I’m struggling to stay awake, I’m useless. I’m not focused, I’m slow, and I’m not getting much accomplished. So give yourself permission to take a short break – that brief time away will more than pay for itself in increased focus and effectiveness.
Power up. I’ll admit it, I rely on chemical assistance. Most of the world runs on coffee, so it’s not like I’m alone! So take a dose of your favorite energy booster – coffee, 5-hour energy shots, methamphetamines, your kids’ ground-up Adderall… whatever works for you. (A note about my previous statement – Obviously that was a joke. I’m a good Mormon girl… I would never advocate coffee.) (A note about my previous note – Okay, obviously that was also a joke. Never use illegal drugs or illegally obtained prescription drugs. Always get your own Adderall prescription.) Chase your caffeine with a big glass of water. Dehydration will make you more tired, and caffeine will make you more dehydrated. Be sure you’re drinking plenty of water so you don’t sabotage yourself.
Take a power nap! I know, easier said than done, right? What if you’re at work in an office? I’ve laid down on the floor of my office or cubicle (a la George Costanza). I’ve even sneaked a quick snooze in a bathroom stall. At home with a bunch of kids to contain? An excellent time to allow some quality screentime… cuddle everyone together on the couch (so you know where they are and what they’re up to) and let them watch a favorite show. Another great technique is to let the kids play beauty parlor or check-up. While you lay there dozing, they can happily fix your hair and make-up or check out all your imaginary ailments. They’re contained and entertained so you don’t have to worry that they’re off getting into trouble while you snooze. And I can hear you asking now – but what about that caffeine I just took? Isn’t that so I don’t need to sleep? Well, no. Your body still needs sleep, or at least a chance to rest and recharge, even if you don’t fully fall asleep. And the effects of the caffeine aren’t instantaneous, so a nap at this point is actually perfect. Settle in for your nap and set an alarm for 15 minutes. That’s about how long it takes for the caffeine to kick in. When your alarm goes off, you’ve had a little rest to let your brain reset and now the caffeine is zinging through your veins and helping you feel alert and ready to get going again. (Note: Resist the urge to touch the snooze button… the insidious power of the snooze button can overcome the effects of caffeination.)
It’s not an earth-shattering breakthrough, but it is effective. Give it a shot!
