What is the perfect way to take a nap? How long? Where? What time? Help me out, people!

-- Anonymous, December 17, 1999

Answers

My Nana encouraged everyone to take 20 minute naps every day. I still don't know how she could do it. I am not a napper. They always sound so lovely and yummy, but then I can't settle down in the middle of the day---However, I LOVE to nap in the spring or summer to a light thunderstorm. I think that it totally depends on your mood and your sleepiness factor. I had these two friends in college that would nap, like, all the time. It was soooo annoying. I would knock on their door at any given time of the day and eventually, one of them would stumble to the door all cranky and sleepy-eyed and say that they were napping. Well, I guess that this hasn't solved your problem, but that's my two cents. Maybe you should set an alarm for awhile to train yourself or trick yourself into those 20 minute naps. Sweet Dreams!

-- Anonymous, December 17, 1999

15 to 20 minute power naps work for me. But I have to be either sick or very tired. I don't really fully fall asleep, just the REM stage and I twitch alot.

-- Anonymous, December 17, 1999

Napping is great for you if you can get in the habit. Try to do it the same time every day, and try to get your feet higher than the rest of your body. The gravitational blood flow is supposed to create some sort of super rich oxygen bath for your heart and brain- which apparently makes for a more refreshing, rejuvinating, (redundant) nap. Obviously pick a time where you can at least have some hope of keeping the habit going every day. Twenty or thirty minutes this way is supposed to do wonders. Me?..nap?.no way. I'm just an encyclopedia of useless information. I don't have time to try all this stuff.

-- Anonymous, December 17, 1999

I have yet to master the art of napping. My husband comes home from work, sleeps for half an hour while I make dinner, and comes back refreshed and ready for a late night of programming. If I take a nap when I come home from work, I'm lucky if I'm up before morning. And if I do get up, I'm usually babbling incoherently for the next hour. Taking a few minutes to sit down and flip through a magazine or read a chapter in a worthless novel tends to work better for refreshing

-- Anonymous, December 17, 1999

if i nap, i'm gone for hours. i'm serious--anything less than 90 minutes renders me confused, bitchy and sad. i get seriously mixed up if i awake from a nap too early. i can have conversations with people on the phone and not even know it...it's horrible. for me, the perfect nap is about 3 hours. unfortunately, that's next to impossible when you're not in college. even then, it's hard.

love

-- Anonymous, December 17, 1999

I am the QUEEN of naps. I love naps. I can't take one EVERY day but I try. I have an hour lunch break. I work in the 4th largest building in the world (no joke) it's the size of an entire city block. It takes 20 minutes to go to the cafeteria and eat. Then I go settle myself in the library (if I want quiet) or a window seat on the first floor (if I want warm) and I read. After about 20 minutes I doze off. 20 minutes later WITHOUT FAIL I wake up. It's a beautiful thing.

I used to work in an office where my boss was gone a lot (it was just the two of us). When he was out I would invariably put my head down after lunch and take a 20 minute snooze. If he, or any clients, called I would immediately be wide awake and on the phone as though I had been working busily away.

The best naps however are take on Sunday afternoon after you have eaten lunch and cleaned up the kitchen. You have read the paper. Your husband is watching football. Your 5 year old son is occupied or better yet playing at a friend's house. You stretch out on the couch to read a magazine and the next thing you know the magazine drops to your chest and you are in complete oblivion. You feel yourself shutting down and you think "Yeah, this is gonna feel sooo good." These last at least 1 hour. The only drawback to this perfect nap scenario is that I then can't get to sleep at my normal bedtime. But it's worth it!

Ahhh. I gotta go lay down. Have a good one everybody!! :)

-- Anonymous, December 17, 1999

I nap like this. I tell myself I'm just going to lie down for a while, but then I conk out, I drool, and Pamie shows up. After that, everything goes to hell.

-- Anonymous, December 17, 1999

I used to be jealous of my husband because he could lay down for a 15 minute nap and he would wake up exactly 15 minutes later. I could never do it. When I asked him how he did it, he told me that before he laid down, he looked at the clock and set his "brain clock" for 15 minutes, and that's what woke him up. I laughed at him and mocked him for a while, but the truth is that with some practice, it really works.

Now I go home after work and take a 20 minute nap before I have to pick up my kids. I am much happier and much more patient in the evenings. I still set the alarm just in case, but I always wake up 1 or 2 minutes before it goes off.

-- Anonymous, December 17, 1999

I had a roomate in college who could lay her head down on her desk at 3:00am and conk out for exactly 10 minutes, then wake up, feel great and keep studying. She also was the type of person who fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow, ran 6 miles a day and raised money for poor children in Africa in her spare time. This only after pulling a 4.0 GPA and having a fabulous social life. I, on the other hand, can do, nor did any of those things and I'm a rotten napper. If left on my own I will sleep 8 hours for my "nap" and day becomes night and it's just a mess. Maybe there is a corelation between extremely perfect people and the ability to nap well. I always hated that roomate, Hi Mary if you're out there.

-- Anonymous, December 17, 1999

I am so jealous of power-nappers. I'm one of those that cannot nap less than 1 hour, normally about 3 hours, and even then I wake up groggy and disoriented.

I do get some benefit out of simply lying down for 20-30 minutes without going to sleep. It's not really the same, but that can usually keep me going another 3 or 4 hours before I collapse.

And when I need to nap, there is no option. I must sleep. Resistance is futile. There is no place too loud, too hectic, too inconvenient for me to get the nods. Can't actually fall asleep for more than 2-3 seconds under those circumstances, though. I wish I was one of those people who could sleep anywhere.

-- Anonymous, December 17, 1999

Naps are torture for me. When I nap, I immediately drop into a deep sleep. When I wake up, no matter whether its been 20 minutes or 3 hours, I'm completely confused, don't know what day or time it is, i can't walk straight, and I have a splitting headache. This state lasts for about half an hour, during which I gradually become less confused and my headache goes away. Its strange, the only time I ever get headaches is when I take a nap. And they're always really painful too.

Also, whenever someone wakes me out of a nap, I'll be in a state of confusion. I've had after-nap conversations with people, with me telling them that I have to go feed the tigers, or that I have to cook the mittens. And once after being woken from a nap, I went upstairs and threw my shirt in the toilet and peed in the hamper.

-- Anonymous, December 17, 1999

Okay..so maybe you have heard these. I would like to use them...but I snore..LOUD..so there is no public napping for me.

TEN BEST THINGS TO SAY IF YOU GET CAUGHT SLEEPING AT YOUR DESK:

10. "They told me at the blood bank this might happen."
9. "This is just a 15 minute power-nap like they raved about in that time management course you sent me to."
8. "Whew! Guess I left the top off the White-Out. You probably got here just in time!"
7. "I wasn't sleeping! I was meditating on the mission statement and envisioning a new paradigm."
6. "I was testing my keyboard for drool resistance."
5. "I was doing a highly specific Yoga exercise to relieve work-related stress. Are you discriminatory toward people who practice Yoga?"
4. "Why did you interrupt me? I had almost figured out a solution to our biggest problem."
3. "The coffee machine is broken..."
2. "Someone must've put decaf in the wrong pot..."
And the #1 best thing to say if you get caught sleeping at your desk... 1. " ... in Jesus' name. Amen."

I guess I could try a 'sonorous meditating' excuse...hmmm

-- Anonymous, December 17, 1999

Napping is a seductive, painful thing. It calls to me, it begs me, it says my name lovingly, but I must. not. give. in. It is torture and the road to insomnia induced early mornings, and if you can't sleep 'till ten it really sucks to still be awake at four in the morning.

And to all power nappers, bite me.

(My naps usually range between 2 - 3 hours and even then it feels as if I could go on for hours more. During daylight hours I can lay down on any bed and be out in seconds, at night it takes a good hour or so for me to actually fall asleep. What's up with that?)

-- Anonymous, December 17, 1999

Female napping, on couch, with muddy boots still on. Boots are delicatly propped up on opposite couch arm.

TV: On. Preferably to PBS.

Quilt: Optional. If the quilt covers the female, she is asleep for hours. If she only wants a short nap, she naps on top of the quilt.

Cat: Absent.

Waking: Female will wake when sound from TV changes for a new show. Optionally, cat discovers napping female and sits on female's face. Female wakes up when she begins to dream that she is being suffocated by a Yeti.

she's actual size

-- Anonymous, December 17, 1999

i am in college and i swear, the only way my roomate and i survived last year was our habitual taking of power naps. we both had 9:20 classes, so we got home from class, did some work, checked e-mail and then conked out for 18-23 minutes before our next classes. it was great, i love naps.

-- Anonymous, December 17, 1999

I take naps in the most inopportune places, but taking a nap in my nice, warm bed is impossible. Not that my bed is bad--it has a crimson down comforter and a Mickey Mouse plush blanket with blue sheets--it's actually a very comfy work of art. Anyway, I'll end up just lying there in the dimly lit room blinking my eyes and tossing and turning. Then I'll get up to pee. Then I'll close my blinds. Soon my naptime is over. I'll just be groggy, instead of refreshed. Where I CAN take naps is at school. My US history teacher will start talking and I'll prop my head in my hands and pretend to be staring down at my book so it looks as if I'm reading, and of course, position myself behind someone with a particularly big head...and I can usually drop off to sleep, and wake up five minutes later feeling excellent. Once, I was watching El Mariachi in spanish class, and we were on these couches...the only way to get comfortable was to tilt my head back...so I nod off, and suddenly, I hear this large snore, which, to my surprise, has come from myself! I was really startled, but that turned into embarassment as I noticed everyone staring at me. Not very feminine. On my college trip, the Harvard lady actually told me to wake up. Well, their chairs aren't very comfortable anyway.

I think I might be semi-narcoleptic. It's not exactly a conscious effort.

I still drool. I'm 16. I thought that by this time I'd have grown out of it, but hearing that you drool too is encouraging. I am not alone in my puddles, and the gummy corners of my mouth upon waking up.

-- Anonymous, December 17, 1999

Ever since I was a small child I've hated naps, there is always something better I could be doing. I like to sleep, but only at night. Naps are a waste of time, but if they work for you, nap on! -g

-- Anonymous, December 17, 1999

my roommate power naps, kind of like eric. (well, except when she's stressed out or has stayed up until 4 am studying organic chemistry, then she's grumpy when i wake her up from her nap to go to dinner.) but me, i'm like pamie. i'm a huge bitch when i nap - i'm no good unless i can sleep for three hours at a time. give me three hours, and i'm set to go. twenty minutes? bah. an hour? forget it.

but of course, i can sleep all the time. whereever, whenever, no matter how much sleep i've already had. i am a sleeping machine.

i adore naps. especially in the fall, with the windows open under a blanket, just warm enough. and thunderstorms are nice, too.

-- Anonymous, December 17, 1999

I am the nap queen.

Are you listening, world? Oh, and Amy (Of "Who I Am") and I are the cookie princess and queens, respectivly. Just off the topic.

I nap anytime, anywhere. I'm a nap slut. I'll take it where I can get it. Five P.M. with a hot date at seven? I'm probably napping. Nine a.m. after an eight a.m. class? Napping. Two in the afternoon when I don't have to be somewhere? Napping.

I don't know how I do it. I just nap. All the time. Okay, I still need an alarm clock to wake up, but...

-Meghan

-- Anonymous, December 18, 1999

Nap? what is that..! I can stay up for hours without sleeping. When I do nap, it goes somewhere between 30 minutes to an hour and a half... but what are naps, if you can spend your day on the net, sort of napping, while talking about that amazing episode of .... that was on yesterday! and what about drooling on the keyboard, while your e-mail alert wakes you up every 10 minutes, because .... had to tell you that he adores you, since you, are, of course, Leonardo DiCaprio.

Zzz...Zzz...

-- Anonymous, December 18, 1999

I love napping. But I just can't. There are days when I just have to nap, and I curse and swear and stumble to the bed. My brain says NO! Don't Do It! The body says Oh Yeah...this'll be sooo good. Then I wake up 3 hrs later...Like Foul Ole Ron. Mumbling to myself and bumping into the walls. Get to bed that night at 3am and the Whole Week is completely stuffed. Naps - Ya gotta Love/Hate 'em.

-- Anonymous, December 18, 1999

Okay, here is the straight info, pamie. Perfect length of nap, 20-30 mins, not including the time it takes to get to sleep. How to limit self to that time? I have found a small digital kitchen timer with an annoying buzz, and I clip it to my collar, edge of pillow, whatever. I used to be able to have these perfect little naps without an alarm, but then I went on SSRI meds and could sleep easily for a couple of hours. Hence, the kitchen timer, which is easy to set (unlike our regular alarm which is across the room. I keep this little timer handy and can now enjoy the impulse to nap without worrying that I'll ruin my night's sleep. Give it a try!

-- Anonymous, December 19, 1999

Yep... I am a controlled napper - in fact if I remember corectly there was a conversation on the weekend that went a little like this;

The scene: me and my boyfriend have just arrived at our friends place at 2 in the morning after a 4hr drive... I settle on the couch for a quick snooze...

My boyfriend: (15 mins later) do you want a drink?

Me: (instantly awake) yep - pass it on over!

At this point I point I think I fell asleep again for another 15 mins. My boyfriend had given me the drink, and seeing me fall asleep over it, takes it back. All of a sudden I wake up again, 100% alert....

Me: hey, where's my bourbon gone?

Actually I don't know if this speaks more about my napping skills or my alcohol intake.

-- Anonymous, December 19, 1999

I am a terrible napper. I love the idea, and sometimes there is nothing I want more than to just drop onto the bed and die for 30 minutes or so. Unfortunately, I too get horrible headaches if I am awakened from a nap too early. Everything seems louder when I nap, and normal noises like the phone ringing or a toilet flushing that suddenly sound like pots clanging or thunderclaps, will put me into some kind of inner turmoil. I wake up dazed, my heart pounds so hard I panick that I'm about to have a heart attack, and I get grumpier than hell.

If I fall asleep on the sofa while Charlie and I watch tv, he will say,"Why don't you just go on to bed?" because he feels like he has to keep the volume down so as not to disturb me. I then turn into Demon Woman, and usually say something like, "Stop telling me what to do!!!" and I get a frown on my face that actually makes my brow hurt. I can feel it. I always apologize later, because I know I do it but I can't help myself. My dad is the same way, so at least I get it honest.

-- Anonymous, December 20, 1999

The trick is just to get someone or something to wake you up after 20 minutes. Then no playing the "just 5 more minutes!" game or you'll feel like shit. Sleep more than that and you'll just be groggy. Believe me, I know whereof I speak! My hubby is too sweet to be mean to me, waking me up from a nap. He won't just pester me until I get up if I've told him to wake me up in twenty. Probably afraid of getting his head bitten off, because I'm a bit of a shebear upon wakening. (Probably because sleep is my favorite pastime.) So I end up sleeping for an hour or two, then the rest of the day is shot.

I too am the kind of person who can sleep anytime, anywhere, if need be. Sometimes I just get these sleepy fits that I can't control, and I MUST sleep. At those times, all I have to do is allow myself to fall asleep for mere seconds, and I'm fine again. I don't know what this is, but it's weird. I've nodded off for brief periods at my desk at work -- in an open cubicle where everyone could see me, even. I remember in high school one time my mom was cooking dinner, and I was on the couch, and I told her to wake me when dinner was ready. She was like, "It's coming off the stove right now!" And I said, "Right, like I said, wake me when it's ready!" I nodded off, she woke me up two minutes later, and I was great!

-- Anonymous, December 20, 1999

And the power of suggestion is very strong.....I Am Getting Verrrrry Sleeeeeeepy! Must. Nap. Now.

-- Anonymous, December 20, 1999

There is really only one good time to take a nap, and that is right after you wake up. Forget the power naps. I like snooze bar naps. In fact I wake up early just to take them. Nap breaks would be a cool company benefit. Just lay some cots out in the break room. Except I sleep nakie.

-- Anonymous, December 21, 1999

the perfect nap- in a bed you don't normally sleep in, curled in the fetal position under a soft blanky for up to two hours.

*sigh*

-- Anonymous, December 23, 1999

As far as I've seen, you don't choose the nap, it chooses you.
example:Studying for finals?
NAP: Come on, baby, look now heavy your eyelids are. You need me.
ME: NO, I have to STUDY... where were you last night?
NAP: Oh, baby, I'm sorry -- here, let me make it up to you. Take a little snooze, you'll feel better, I swear.
ME: No, seriously, I have so much to do -- once I'm done all of this studying I will give you LOTS of attention, I promise.
NAP: Come on, you remember what you learned in psychology, right? I help you learn -- I'm like THIS with REM sleep, baby. Come on. I know you want to. It's for the best, believe me.
ME: Well...
snore

-- Anonymous, December 23, 1999