Surprisingly, nothing did. I wouldn't say I fell asleep, but I would say I felt better than before I took the rest, so I think that counts for something!
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Experiment: tested and in need of more testing still
Yesterday I wrote about the 15 minute power nap, and today I decided to test it out. I set the alarm on my phone, locked the dogs out of the upstairs room, and prepared to see just how much rejuvenation can come from such a short rest. 30 seconds in, the dog began to scratch at the door. 30 more seconds and Marianna was yelling for me from downstairs where she was taking her rest. I got up, went out to see what Marianna wanted, returned to the couch with the new knowledge M had given me regarding a fairy's ability to fly. I began to doubt the practicality of getting any rest at all, let alone 15 straight minutes. A few more minutes, and I realized I was holding my breath, waiting to see what would happen next.
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4 comments:
Angie,
During law school I used to fall asleep regularly with my books on my lap. I'd sleep for like 5-10 minutes and wake up totally refreshed and able to concentrate. People make fun of me when I say this, but I felt like when I woke up I better understood whatever concept it was I was trying to glean from the reading--like my brain needed to rest to absorb it all.
Anyway, I'm all about a short power-nap when I can squeeze one in! Anything longer than 20 minutes makes me feel more tired than before.
so, i tried this yesterday too. i laid down and it took me a while to relax and forget about what i needed to be doing. but i feel asleep and i guess i slept too long. it was about 20 min, but i felt terrible for the rest of the afternoon/night. i think i either need a real nap-which happens maybe once a week on sundays, or just to lay down and rest but not really fall asleep. it sure is hard to resist resting when 3:00 rolls around and i feel like i am going to fall over im so tired!
I think short power naps are so great, I'm just really bad at them. I have a hard time shutting my brain off in order to actually fall asleep, but if I'm able to do that and then wake up around 15 minutes later, I feel really good! Long naps affect my ability to sleep later that night and no nap (which is my typical, daily routine) lacks a certain refreshment/re-boost. I think a daily nap (whether short or long-- whatever helps give you more energy and fits with the needs of your children) is nothing to feel guilty over. I respect women who nap-- I feel like it shows great balance (as long as it's not while their children are playing in the street or something:)). Mommy-hood and home management is hard, exhausting work. Giving into the need for rest is confessing our humanity-- understanding we aren't God and we have limits. I struggle so much with performance-based Christianity--especially as a wife and mother. Taking a nap is a good thing, as are all the other good things we do to care for our husbands and children along with managing the routine tasks of home-making. There is no guilt in needing rest and using the opportunities we are given as they are available--especially if it helps us do those things better because we aren't over-tired. Just my opinion and now I'm done. :)
I was so exhausted after work the other day, I told my husband I needed to rest just 20 or 30 minutes. Seriously 2 full hours later I woke up when my son got home. So much for a short power nap!
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