(Madisyn Taylor)
As we focus on the many obligations gladly undertaken in order to create the lives we want, sleep is often the first activity that we sacrifice. We're compelled by both external and internal pressures to be productive during many of our waking hours. While this can lead to great feats of accomplishment, it also disrupts the body's natural cycles and leaves us craving rest. Napping represents a pleasurable remedy to this widespread sleep deprivation. Though judged by many as a pastime of little children or the lazy, the need for a nap is a trait that all mammals share and an acceptable part of the day in many countries. It is also a free and effortless way to improve our health and lift our spirits.
Lack of sleep, whether ongoing or the result of a single night's wakefulness, puts stress on the body and mind. It can negatively impact your physical and mental health. At one time, napping was considered a natural part of life. In the past hundred years, however, electricity and modern conveniences have provided us with more time to engage in personal and professional activities. Consequently, there is now less time for sleep.
- A mere ten minutes of sleep in the middle of the day can leave you feeling more cheerful and alert.
- A half-hour long nap can sharpen your senses and refresh your energy reserves
- A short nap can even help to sustain you through a long day.
My Thoughts:
My life has never been governed by sleep. I have never needed more than three to four hours a night and have been known to run for days without the need for a nap. However, the years have finally caught me out with that one. As I am getting older my body is craving more and more rest times.
Gone are the all-nighters glued to my keyboard writing, as are the late nights.
I do still get up anything around six o’clock and love watching the day break, but come eleven at night I am ready for my bed, although I do still usually read until midnight.
That said, it is now not unheard of for me to snuggle down for a snooze in the afternoon, especially if it is a hot day and sit with the windows open in the study basking in the sunshine, but I don’t want to make a habit of it.
I think I am always going to be the kind that considers sleeping during the day a waste of time, time when I could be writing, knitting, gardening, reading etc. etc.