Why do naps make me grumpy? And lose motivation to do any other "chores"? Does this happen to you? Maybe it was too short? Too long? What is the secret here?
I did google "nap" and came across wikiHOW. Who knew? In a few months I may be typing in...sleep. nursing. diaper. baby. husband.
Anyway, here are my findings...
How to NAP
Every once in a while, we need to take a breather and relax ourselves in order to deal with the outside world. Napping can help refresh and refocus the mind in order to be more productive.
Steps
- Make sure there are no distractions (you won't get a world-class nap at work or school).
- Make sure you have no other commitments -- an unfinished to-do list can linger on your mind and prevent you from getting to sleep.
- Wear comfortable clothing, something light and soft.
- When washing sheets, add a scent that you enjoy, such as lavender.
- Arrange pillows and covers suitably. Make sure there are no wrinkles in the sheets, as they can cause discomfort. If you don't have a pillow, use what you can in your environment -- rest your head on your hands, use a sweatshirt, etc.
- Turn off all lights, TV, music, and other distractions.
- Lie down in a comforatable position.
- Close your eyes and think of pleasant visions.
- Relax and breath softly.
- Keep the air temperature 1-2 degrees cooler than usual.
- Get yourself very tired or very bored before attempting to take a nap.
- Find some "white noise" -- a constant predictable sound that will soothe you to sleep. Make sure it has no spoken words to distract you.
- A short nap after learning can help you retain information.
- Sometimes light can give you headaches after a light nap, try to gradually introduce your eyes to bright lights to avoid headaches.
Warnings
- Don't nap to combat depression. See a therapist if you have unresolved issues, rather than hiding under your covers.
- Maybe your nap is a way of avoiding that to-do list. To make yourself feel better, do some short item on your list, or make a bit of progress on a longer progress. Your sense of accomplishment will help you relax.
- If you nap longer than half an hour, you may enter "deep sleep," where your body thinks it's bedtime, and you may wake up groggy and cranky. Set a timer for 30 minutes max.
- Don't take a nap shortly before you have to go to bed, as this can prevent you from falling asleep when you need to.
Posts
4 comments:
do some people really need a "how to..." list when it comes to napping? yikes. enjoy the sleep while you can, i swear all the sleep you get when you're preggers is how your body prepares itself for the baby. and i miss taking naps with a newborn next to me more than anything else. it's the BEST!
HELLO?? I am the napping expert. The trick is. . . keep it short. Nothing more than 30 minutes or you wake up grumpy and mean. That is the rule: no grumpiness after nap-time. Another thing- have a little treat after you wake up- it will help you get up and not sleep too long!
Ohhhh I see....sometimes I forget to close my eyes. Crap I knew I was doing something wrong...
I'm the same way... not grumpy, but still feel tired. But I'm just as tired if I don't nap, so I figure I might as well.
The jeans I"m wearing in the pic are my favorite maternity jeans. I got them at Mimi.. they were like $70. I don't wear designer jeans normally, so I probably wouldn't buy maternity ones... especially since you grow out of them so fast. Gap and Old Navy have some super cute comfy jeans. For sure go for the full panel instead of the demi panel. They stay up better and are more comfy in my opinion.
Post a Comment