The power of napping
Ah, napping. One of my (and Data’s!) favorite pastimes.
Sometimes I feel like napping doesn’t get the credit it deserves. That it’s only beneficial for the very young or the very old. But I don’t think that’s true!
I read an article on the NY Times blog yesterday (read here) about the importance of napping for N.B.A players (and sometimes N.H.L. players) on game day*.
Because their schedules have them up very late at night for games, interviews and traveling (sometimes not in bed until 3:00 am), and up early in the morning for practice (around 9:00 am), they don’t always get a full night’s sleep – and a full night’s sleep for them is 9 hours.
So they take a pregame nap in the afternoon, for about 20 minutes to two or three hours. According to the article:
Czeisler [known as the N.B.A. “sleep doctor”] said that players who got nine hours of sleep were more likely to react quicker, remember plays better and generally maintain their health more consistently. He said that biologically, the body rests best at night or in the midafternoon, enhancing the value of a nap.
Sounds good to me! Now, how can I apply this to my life? I get about 6-6.5 hours of sleep a night… do I get to take 2 hour naps the days before races? Or how about a nap or two every weekend?
Do you ever take naps? Do you feel like there is stigma associated with adults taking naps? If you are an athlete, do you nap more in the competitive season?
The other day I was talking to some running club friends and telling them how there is nothing better than getting up at the butt crack of dawn on a summer day, doing a long run, then coming home and taking an hour nap (after showering and eating). It feels so good!
*I am not sure how often the N.B.A. players play, or if they take naps on non-game days.
Themocracy
I’m totally with you on this one! I love naps!!
BTW, love the pics! So peaceful…like Sleeping Beauty.
Oh I just love naps!! The only problem I have it making myself take out my contacts and get into bed to nap. I hate falling asleep with my contacts in – makes my eyes feel all funny. I used to come home from class in college at 3pm, take a 20 minute nap and then go to practice at 4pm. It really did make a difference!
I am a HUGE fan of naps!
I nap on the train in the morning and sometimes in the evenings too. Occasionally I’ll nap on the weekends but not too often these days. Delilah naps all the time though and lays on me sometimes (like Data). Last night I had to run to Target and when I layed down on the couch, she layed on me. I think she didn’t want me to leave again.
I used to get so upset with my husband when he napped – COME ON – you could be cleaning!! 🙂 Now, I don’t care if he naps (he wakes up before the sun for work!). I rarely nap, but agree with you – love naps after waking up super early for long runs in the summer. Problem is, my 30 minute power naps, usually turn into 2-3 hour naps.
I think my husband feels like you do – that I shouldn’t be napping. But I get up at 4:30 every week day!
My naps are probably a bit too long too though 😉
I never take naps because I go to bed on old lady time, and if I took a nap when I got home, I’d never fall asleep at night! But I firmly believe that the US should adopt a siesta policy. :p
<3 <3
I second your siesta policy!
Your cat is awesome.
I love naps, I think they are essential!! Although the article says that some players take a 20 min nap…I don’t see how a 20 min nap would do anything but make the person cranky. That’s like a tease!
I am a horrible napper. I wish I could do it! Mr. Darcy, on the other hand, is a champion napper. He was joking with me last night that when I say I am ready to fall asleep, I fall right to sleep and when I wake up, I’m awake. Further evidence that I do nothing half-assed. Ha! He is the opposite of me.
My cat, Dottie, loves to lay on our legs like that. Cat heaters!
I LOVE naps! Most of the time I will nap on the couch but the ultimate is when I actually take the time to get in bed…usually letting a little sunlight in to make me warm (like a dog or a cat!). Ahhh…I’m going to “third” the siesta policy 🙂
Many moons ago in my previous life, my ex-wife and I used to have a few cats. They’d sleep with us every night and sometimes I’d wake up with a cat “in my face” which, you know, is rather scary when you’re half asleep 😉
I have to agree with the person who said 20 min naps are a tease. Totally right! I need at least 2 hours to feel rested. 🙂
I am a champion napper and it’s one of my all-time favorite activities. Ha! I’m so excited for Spring Break next week because it means I get to come home after work every day and take a nap! Woo!
Oh man, naps as an adult are so indulgent. I wish I naps didn’t leave me feeling groggy and disoriented or I’d take them more often. I agree, there’s nothing like going out for a long run and then taking nap.
I’ve read positive articles about naps too! I love naps, but I usually try to nap for less than an hour or I feel tired/groggy the rest of the day.
i loooooove napping. every saturday and sunday. 20 min-3 hrs. now if i was only 2 feet taller and male…. just kiddin’.
my favorite part of spain? siestas. fa’ sho.
I’ve never been a nap person! I only nap when I’m sick, which is how I know I’m actually sick. 🙂 I know some people love them, but usually once I’m up…I’m up. Too much goes through my head if I ever lay down to take a nap, so I feel like I spend more time trying to fall asleep than I do actually napping. Maybe I’m not tired enough?
I do sometimes sit like a zombie…during which I should probably try harder to nap. Hmmmm.
I love taking a nice nap. It is few and far between though because i fear that I will sleep to long and not be able to fall asleep at night.
I’ve never been one to take naps, but wow, I feel like I could use one today! It’s so funny that I just read this after I wrote the post that will go up this evening…about sleep and my need for more of it…LOL
I wasn’t one to take naps until after college but I looooove it. I don’t take one nearly every day, usually just once during the week on my day off (today!) and maybe one on the weekends, depending. It’s interesting though, naps make me feel better but my mom absolutely hates them. She says she feels like the rest of her day is off-kilter if she naps!
I love naps! I don’t have the urge to nap during the day now, though. It’s probably because I go to bed by 7P and wake up at 6A.
Hehe love those pics. Webster LOVES to stretch out on top of us too!
I actually have a hard time napping. I always have trouble falling asleep and sometimes I wake up feeling really disjointed and out-of-it so I don’t nap very often. HOWEVER, one time in my life when I DID nap a lot was when we were backpacking around Europe for 3 weeks. Especially in Italy and Greece where it’s part of their culture to nap so shops will close down for 2-3 hours in the afternoons. We got in the habit of getting up early go-go-going for the morning, having lunch, going back to our hotel and napping and then going back out until late at night. It was pretty sweet I must admit 🙂
I love a good nap, but it’s something I don’t do too often. My wife loves a good nap as well. Sundays are about the only day I can get away with a nap.
Love the pic of Data under the blanket, peeking his head/face out.