Intro to Napping: Part 4

I have a friend. We'll call her Blaura Berrante. We were talking the other day and she said, "Chloe. This information about naps is all well and good, but how can I take a 20 minute power nap when it takes me 30 minutes to fall asleep?!" [Paraphrased]

Blaura makes a good point. If you aren't the kind of person that can fall asleep at the blink of an eye, taking short naps is next to impossible. Unfortunately, the Take a nap! book doesn't really address this issue in depth and there isn't a lot on the SleepEducation.com website (which is produced by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, so I assume it's legit).

So off to Google we go!

While many people have weighed in on this issue, none seem to have legitimate expertise in Napping as a Science. All the advice is based on personal experience, which I don't want to knock, but it's important to note.

Through my research, I found that the majority of napping advice had to do with either one's physical situation or one's psychological state.

1. PHYSICAL

• Ideally, you should find a dark, quiet area if you're serious about napping. Eye masks might be embarrassing to wear in a public place, like the library, but they block out light like whoa. So get over it.
  
• Lie down if possible. The Boston Globe says it takes 50% longer to fall asleep when you're sitting upright. Also, "There is something to be said for getting horizontal." William Anthony, Ph.D. (I just like this quote.)
  
• Get comfortable on a chair, couch or bed and make sure the room temperature isn't too hot or too cold.
  
• White Noise can be used to block out sound when a quiet place isn't available. Free mp3s can be tested and downloaded here. Also, Pzizz offers a similar thing. However, to really block out all noise, you have to crank it up, which then sounds like you're on an airplane. For me, this is too LOUD. Whatever happened to ear plugs?! Ear plugs are a painless way to literally block out the sound, not just cover it up with more noise, even if it is "white."
  

2. PSYCHOLOGICAL

• Set an alarm so you won't worry about oversleeping, but keep it out of view. I find that if I open my eyes to a view of the clock, I get anxious about wasting precious sleep!
  
• Relax. Take deep breaths and try to quiet your mind. Many, many people weighed in on this issue, offering their own relaxation methods and mantras. Suggestions ranged from telling yourself "This is the most comfortable place on Earth" to thinking about animals sleeping in the woods (?). Whatever method you use to relax is up to you, but I think it's important to deliberately do SOMETHING. Ignoring stress never made it go away.
  
• Lastly, several people on Ask MetaFilter swore that they fell right asleep after having an orgasm. While I doubt that you have time for a quickie in the middle of the day just so you can then take a nap, it's something to consider. *wink, wink*
  

Above all, I think it just takes practice to fall asleep quickly and painlessly. Closing your eyes and expecting sleep to come immediately is unrealistic for a novice napper. Especially if it's the middle of the day, you're in a crowded cafe, you have a million things to do, and you're hungry and cold. I say, quit the bullshit and schedule a dark, quiet, horizontal nap for yourself. Then write yourself a thank you note. Then reply with this Someecard. Etc.

And finally. If you can't fall asleep yourself, you should at least enjoy watching Cute Things Falling Asleep!!?!?! I'll leave you with this:





Sources:
Yahoo Answers (How do I fall asleep when trying to take a nap?)
Ask MetaFilter (I can't nap! 9/27/2007)
Mental Floss (7 Simple Rules for How to Take a Nap, 1/2/2009)
Lifehacker (A guide to power napping, 3/24/2007)
Boston Globe (How to nap)