You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
I know the STW demographic is a little chronologically advanced, but any regular nappers here? For me (59), it's not an age thing, I've always been a fan of a quick power nap. Since around my mid 20s probably. It's quite incredible how much of an instant lift a 15 or 20 minute* lunchtime nap can give me. It really is like a turbo boost battery charge. I feel genuinely refreshed and have more energy after a very short daytime snooze. It seems there is some science to back up the benefits.
Seems it's not for everyone though, Mrs Bloke can't do it at all. If she tries to sleep in the day, she wakes up more tired, irritable and lethargic.
*When I was working. Tbh now I'm retired it's more like 45 minutes mid afternoon if I can get away with it. If Mrs Bloke is about, I have to look busy!
I've never really enjoyed it, I normally wake up feeling more knackered than before. Though sometimes it's a necessity. (Slowoldman aged 69).
Working in the PU foam industry there's always something to nap on. China was good with their long lunch times, Morocco had 2 hour lunches although it nearly killed me napping outside whilst working in a Turkey heatwave and got severe sun stroke and ended up in hospital on a drip. Napping on works time is better than workpoop!
I'm 51 and love a nap!
I've been known to have 20mins at lunchtime at work. When the kids were younger I'd sometimes stop for a nap on my way home from work. I often have a nap before mid week night rides and usually nod off after weekend daytime rides😴
Usually feel refreshed afterwards unless I'm asleep for more than 30 mins!
Not quite the same but one sleep is apparently a relatively new phenomenon. We used to go to bed earlier, get up in the middle of the night and go do stuff, then go back till morning.
My step-father is one of the world's best post-lunch nappers. The man is amazing at being able to snooze for 30 minutes after he's eaten.
Not quite the same but one sleep is apparently a relatively new phenomenon. We used to go to bed earlier, get up in the middle of the night and go do stuff, then go back till morning.
apparently the two sleeps thing is why we still have ‘midnight mass’ - there was a shortage of things you could usefully do at night before electric light - but one thing you could do was go to church (and get the benefit of someone else’s candles)
I wish I could nap. As it is, I scrape through every afternoon like a zombie waiting for a bullet.
The problem for me if I have a nap is waking up and looking at the time and not being really sure whether half an hour or twelve and a half hours have passed.
The problem for me if I have a nap is waking up and looking at the time and not being really sure whether half an hour or twelve and a half hours have passed.
This. I will sometimes have a sneaky nap when I'm working from. If I'm reasonably well rested beforehand I'll wake up after 10 minutes refreshed and productive. If I've been struggling to get enough sleep, I'll wake up 30 minutes later feeling like shit
Huberman suggests NSDR (non sleep deep rest) - trying to reinvent the wheel?
I do kind of use his thing to nap. I'm not great at daytime napping, struggle to switch off. So just lay with eyes closed and chill. Sometimes I get lucky and power nap, otherwise it's quite nice anyway to chill for 15.
I'd love somewhere at work to nap, that's the dream!
My step-father is one of the world’s best post-lunch nappers. The man is amazing at being able to snooze for 30 minutes after he’s eaten.
My grandad would just nap mid conversation then come back in without skipping a beat. He would also watch cricket on ceefax, I swear he opened an eye every page refresh then continued.
Mid-Vuelta/Giro/TDF for 30 mins, usually with 30-60km left... perfect...
In Pilates class there was a deep relaxation bit at the end, lights down, controlled breathing, teacher counted 1, 2, 3...10, exhale....a few of those I was asleep. My mate used to wake me up all the time, they used to joke 1 day they 'll leave quietly and leave me in there asleep.
Some others just couldn't relax, all fidgety, I love kipping, trains, buses, planes. Shame it wasn't work time.
A nap just doesn't work for me - I feel rubbish when I waken and then have a poor nights sleep too.
Not for me. Tried and failed !
I wake up groggy, drunk almost. Then I would struggle to sleep of a night time.
53, two young for nana naps. I feel crap if I have one. We've a friend who loves her nana naps, and she's younger.
I'm a reverse lizard so become very inactive in the heat, so in the heat of the summer i would crash after work for 20 mins or so then do something sporty.
I put on In Rainbows . Asleep before the end of the first song and wake up to the words "on video tape" and I'm raring to go.
One day I must listen to the songs in the middle.
I'll only snooze for 45mins or so on a Monday lunchtime if I've over cooked it somewhat with bike rides and booze at the w/end.
zippykona
Full Member
I put on In Rainbows . Asleep before the end of the first song
Hang on, zippykona is a typo of zippy coma isn't it?
Oh yeah I forgot - my first job after leaving school was working in the local soap factory. I got put on clearing away spilled soap flakes and squashing cardboard boxes.
Middle of summer, 16 year old having just left school I couldn't stand up for 8hours let alone work. I crawled on top of the massive cardboard skip and fell asleep.
Woke up at 7:00pm with the factory all locked up and everyone gone home!
Naps are good. And, if one nap is good, two naps are better. FFS, if you're sleepy, take a 10 minute nap and then you'll feel refreshed.
Hold my beer! Something I'm genuinely good at.
I love a good nap and really look forward to having one. It does have to be used sparingly though, 30 - 40 mins at the most. Any more and I go too deep and feel groggy afterwards.
I'll get settled down and set my timer on my phone for 30 mins and shut my eyes, bliss!
Even Mrs F enjoys a nap when the opportunity arises. We're both early 40s, but work long hours.
As I often tell my team at work, I need a good nap so I have enough energy to go to sleep at night.
Not quite the same but one sleep is apparently a relatively new phenomenon.
The medieval sleep pattern of two sleeps was only for posh folks, Candles (for the awake period) are v expensive. Everyone else just went to bed.
this is very reassuring
love a nap, 10-20mins just after lunchtime and wake up feeling energised and ready to go, if I go over the first wakening and go for longer it doesn't work and feel groggy. Also an advocate for trains, hospitals, waiting rooms etc can drop off there like a narcoleptic. Had a wee snooze in the V&A in Dundee on Sunday when the family were wandering about. Very comfy chairs in the reading bit upstairs, would recommend!
problem I have is I have young people working with me who don't get it so I fight it and end up with the nodding dog thing between 2-3pm especially if its a sunny day and warm in our office! very funny for everyone!
Regularly have a 15-20min nap as part of my legal 45min tacho break. Eat my lunch, have a drink the a little nap before waking up refreshed and with 5-10mins left to scroll on here.
Well, unless I'm parked near a refrigerated truck or trailer which means I go for a quick stroll instead of possible.
Nope,they destroy me.
Tried the whole'power nap' thing,and I always felt worse after,plus it arsed up my sleep pattern/routine.
In my mid twenties, I used to have a power nap mid Friday afternoon before hitting the pubs/clubs for a massive drinking session, otherwise Id fall asleep in the pub just as the night was getting interesting.
I typically have a twenty or so minute nap after the first 5 or so laps of any Grand Prix (watching, not driving 😉). Perfect Sunday afternoon....
Hmm.. a bit of a mixed response. Good to see I'm not alone but sad that quite a few are denied the joy of a refreshing nap. I wonder if there is a nap gene?
I get the thing about napping too long can be counter productive and make you groggy. 20 minutes is the sweet spot for me, but that doesn't stop me exceeding it from time to time.
Can fall asleep at anytime no matter what time of day. Just cant stay asleep for long.
Now I don't have to go to work a Nana nap sometimes occurs.
Though if my girlfriend isn't working perhaps not 😉
It's a strange one as this afternoon I was very sleepy but suddenly decided to clear all my kitchen cupboards of anything out of date? Other days I will go for a walk out in nature?
I can nap, can easily fall asleep.within seconds of closing my eyes any time between 5am-9.30pm.
The minute I close my eyes in bed though, that's when I start thinking about stuff and it can take me 2 hours to get to sleep.
Currently working nights and am just about to head off for a break. Depending on how busy I am I might not always have one while on other nights I might escape for a run or walk instead of having a nap. Tomorrow is my day off and have picked up an extra shift for Sunday night so tonight is a nap night so I'll only need a couple of hours nap when I get home instead of loosing the day.
I love a good nap and can fall asleep anywhere. Trouble is I sometimes have trouble waking up. A Power nap in my armchair on a weekend or early evening can turn in to an actual mega sleep if Mrs F or the kids decide to leave me alone
Haven't for ages, but I liked a 15-minute shut eye. Any longer and I was asleep sleep and wouldn't get the benefit, but a 15-minute thing would do wonders.
I used to do it at my desk at work on my lunch. Can't now as I'm fatter and snore!
Naps are ace. Used to love having a nap in my chair after an early shift. If I was home before midday I had the time to spare an hour sat sideways with my legs draped over one arm. Used to be woken up with sore legs after about an hour so the perfect nap time.
Now, I'm older and my shifts are getting worse. The earlies are effectively night shifts in many cases and now I've got 2 kids naps are harder to come by. Next week is a killer, Mrs starts new job Monday so is in all week. I'm in at daft o'clock Monday (02:27) and Tuesday (00:22) but the kids were off to the grandparents. Both grandparents have covid and the eldest has got his sisters Chickenpox. So Monday and Tuesday I'll do a shift then have the kids all day. I'm so gonna need a nap on those days. We all know I'm not gonna get one.
I work from home and have big comfy swing chair in my office. Big weekend just past with my daughters 18th birthday, late nights on Sat and quite a bit of running and riding, so was struggling in meetings this morning.
Light lunch, lie down on swing chair, then ask Alexa to wake me up in 15 mins. My watch tracked 14 mins of sleep. Boom.
^^^ Perfect!!
Yup usually 20 mins around 2pm depending on the wfh meeting schedule on teams.
I really benefit from a post lunch kip.
Even a 10 min shut-eye, not really asleep, session does me the power of good.
Sadly, I can't do this at work.... 😞
I see napping as part of healthy living, just like I try to participate in daily exercise, I try to nap daily too.
Guess I've been "actively" napping for a good 15 years or more, but have always enjoyed it since my 20's
Cup of coffee before hand, out like a light for 20/30mins, wake up feeling like I'm winning at life (especially when I nap on a lunch break)
It's when I then nap again on the train home I know its been a good day.