The practice
The average American is chronically sleep deprived. Mostly because there is so much pressure on us from work, family, and everything else that we have to cut back somewhere, and apparently we’re cutting back on sleep. Of course, if you’re a new parent, you don’t have much choice about it—you’ll be short on sleep for a while.
But we do better when we can rest. So next time you’re tired, try to take a few minutes to lie down, close your eyes and relax. Set an alarm for 10, 15 or 20 minutes, and see what happens. Even a micro nap can make a difference. Just that little act of letting go and stopping can replenish us.
The theory
Some studies suggest regular napping reduces your chance of getting heart disease—presumably because a short rest reduces your stress. Or possibly because the ability to take a nap means you’ve somehow managed to get yourself the kind of life that enables you to take a break in the afternoon, and that this whole life is less stressed than the average.
Either way, a nap is worth it. A short rest can replenish you and calm you short term, and reduce the stress load in your system if you adopt napping when you need to as a practice long term. Meditation teacher Jack Kornfield likes to say, when teaching meditation, “If you find yourself getting sleepy during meditation, you know what that means?” Everyone leans forward earnestly, waiting for a pearl of deep wisdom. So he gives it to them. “It means…..you’re tired.”
The result
Jack Kornfield’s words are indeed a pearl of wisdom. If you’re sleepy, then you need sleep. Or at least a pause. A break. We used to take cigarette breaks in the old days. A micro nap takes about the same time, and is healthier.
And, if you’re reading this while thinking, "Yeah yeah, when am I going to fit a nap into my busy day?", then I offer you this: If your life has become such that you can’t pause and relax for ten minutes when you need to, then that’s not a quality life, and you may need to think seriously about making some changes.
The average American is chronically sleep deprived. Mostly because there is so much pressure on us from work, family, and everything else that we have to cut back somewhere, and apparently we’re cutting back on sleep. Of course, if you’re a new parent, you don’t have much choice about it—you’ll be short on sleep for a while.
But we do better when we can rest. So next time you’re tired, try to take a few minutes to lie down, close your eyes and relax. Set an alarm for 10, 15 or 20 minutes, and see what happens. Even a micro nap can make a difference. Just that little act of letting go and stopping can replenish us.
The theory
Some studies suggest regular napping reduces your chance of getting heart disease—presumably because a short rest reduces your stress. Or possibly because the ability to take a nap means you’ve somehow managed to get yourself the kind of life that enables you to take a break in the afternoon, and that this whole life is less stressed than the average.
Either way, a nap is worth it. A short rest can replenish you and calm you short term, and reduce the stress load in your system if you adopt napping when you need to as a practice long term. Meditation teacher Jack Kornfield likes to say, when teaching meditation, “If you find yourself getting sleepy during meditation, you know what that means?” Everyone leans forward earnestly, waiting for a pearl of deep wisdom. So he gives it to them. “It means…..you’re tired.”
The result
Jack Kornfield’s words are indeed a pearl of wisdom. If you’re sleepy, then you need sleep. Or at least a pause. A break. We used to take cigarette breaks in the old days. A micro nap takes about the same time, and is healthier.
And, if you’re reading this while thinking, "Yeah yeah, when am I going to fit a nap into my busy day?", then I offer you this: If your life has become such that you can’t pause and relax for ten minutes when you need to, then that’s not a quality life, and you may need to think seriously about making some changes.
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