“I’m SO Tired!” How many times a day or week do you say that to yourself? Are you tired right now? As I write this, I could sure use a nap myself.
I’ve started to notice of late that I often feel sleep deprived. I’m always busy and moving, and yes, Tired. I look at my dogs (I have 4 chihuahuas) who have no napping “shame” whatsoever. They just Stop, Drop and Nap at any given moment (more on that later).
The “Cat Nap” Meets Inception
Before we became dog people, we had cats, siamese ones to be exact. Our senior cat, “Peeps” recently passed away at the ripe old age of 19. But he had a nice long and full life.
You can best be sure he was passing the time well enjoying his cat naps towards the end. Truth be told, there would be times we would walk by and wonder if he was still alive. We’d actually have to poke him to be sure!
If you’ve ever seen the movie Inception, which is one deep movie (too long to explain so google it or better yet watch it), there are different “levels” of dreams they have to weave through.
I think Peeps may have actually been in some deep level of an “Inception”-like cat nap. He must have been stuck in limbo somewhere down there with Leonardo DiCaprio. Must be nice. (Sigh)
Why We Stop Napping
In any case, what seems to happen is the roles reverse with age. When we were kids, nap time felt like this drudgery, almost like a chore that was taking away from our playtime. We heard things like, ..”Because it’s good for your young brain!”, blah blah… yeah whatever.
And now that we are adults, with responsibilities, napping is like our “playtime”, and we WISH we had the luxury of taking one like we did before. And we watch as our pets have the nerve to take their cat naps!
Another issue is the “hustle” mentality. If you’re not working “hard” every minute of the day and drinking 4 coffees by noon, then you’re a slacker. But is it possible we’re doing it all wrong?
Stop, Drop and Power Nap!
This is where I might get a little cheesy, but it will get the point across. Remember when were taught the Stop, Drop and Roll as kids if you ever caught on fire? As silly as it sounded, I never forgot it.
If I ever caught on fire, I’d remember to “Stop, Drop and Roll” because you need to DO something to put out a fire right? Ok, so if you’re Tired (Hello!), then you shouldn’t you be doing something to put it “out”? Or does that mean more work to add to the sleep deprivation? Think about it…
Why You Need to Start
Yes, I’m going to say it, and you are going to remember it. It’s time to “Stop, Drop, and Power Nap!” If your body says it’s Tired (aka, on “Fire”), then it needs you to address it somehow because it’s not going away.
It goes without saying that getting a sufficient amount of sleep will improve your physical health, emotional stability, and productivity. The opposite holds true if you don’t get enough.
Now I’m not saying Stop, Drop and Nap in the middle of traffic! But look, most people can take 10-15 minutes out of their day to at least close their eyes, whether it’s in a comfortable chair, sofa, or mat, to take a few deep breaths, quiet your mind, and relax.
Since so many are working remotely these days, you may have the option for a full on power nap in bed of at least 20 minutes to really get a nice recharge, that will make such a different in your day.
Let’s take back our evenings, our afternoons, our tired bloodshot eyes, our late nights, and find a way to get back to sleep again. It can start with a power nap. Next time you find your eyes heavy, remember – STOP, DROP, & NAP!