Do you ever nap?
Do you take a morning or afternoon snooze?
I can easily summon an image of Grandma Fannie Longenecker flopping down in a lounge chair with her feet elevated usually after her noon meal. When her feet, laced up in black heels had a chance to rest, she rose up with the observation, “Now that’ll get me through the rest of the afternoon.” Twenty minutes was usually all it took to get her batteries recharged. Then she’d step into her kitchen to begin stirring up home-made vegetable soup or pot-pie in the winter. In the summer, she may trot out to the garden to pick strawberries or beans. I don’t believe she ever thought her nap was a waste of time.
***
1. Bob Gass in The Word for You Today notes, “God has built specific triggers into our bodies to let us know when it’s time to escape consciousness.” And wise people listen to these clues.
2. Gass notes that “Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison, and Winston Churchill are among history’s most famous power nappers.”
3. He continues, “Eyelids tend to droop around 2:00 p.m. Why? The elevator muscle, which constantly contracts to keep your eyelids open, . . . begs for a break. And a chemical called adenosine, which collects in your brain when you’re awake, piles up and makes you feel drowsy.”
4. During a power nap, “adenosine disperses,” bringing relief.
5. People “who nap for at least thirty minutes daily, three times weekly, are one-third less likely to die from heart disease,” according to the Annals of Internal Medicine. (The researcher was referring to short rather than long naps, which may produce different results.)
6. “During a brief nap, our brains actually keep working to resolve problems and form new ideas,” according to neuroscientist Dr. William Fishbein. ”This helps explain why Mozart professes to have composed music in his dreams.”
7. And according to Gass, other studies “show a little extra sleep can assist with weight control—which means you can lose as you snooze!” When we sleep, our body stores less Ghrelin, a hormone produced in our intestines, [which] “tells us when we are hungry and triggers cravings for sweet, salt food, and starches”—food we should eat in moderation.
8. Scripture tells us, “When you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.” Proverbs 3:24, New International Version
9. I say, take a power nap to shake your mental Etch-a-Sketch. Then begin again with a fresh screen when you wake up.
March is a new month
Shake your Etch-A-Sketch screen now
It’s time to start fresh!
~ MLB March 2021
Feline photos, courtesy of Crista Joy Dalton
ALERT! My Checkered Life: A Marriage Memoir is available for pre-order from Amazon here.
Do you nap? Do you have a special nook for napping?
Can you recall solving a problem or feeling more creative after a nap?
Please share your secrets here.
Good morning, Marian! My husband loves his naps, often more than a power nap! 🙂 I sometimes take a nap, or a rest, but not every day.Your daughter’s cat photo is adorable.
Crista was pleased to share her kitty photos, cats the perfect image for repose. I believe our husbands are similar in napping habits. Mine uses a timer for napping, but often turns it off when it rings–ha!
When he was teaching in the afternoon last semester, mine set a timer, too. 🙂
😀
In 1st and 2nd Grades I recall lights dimmed and heads on desks for a short nap after lunch. Few slept; there was usually a bit of whispering and giggling going on. But I would have appreciated that respite as an adult working in an office cubicle. The early afternoon begs for a brief nap to clear the mind!
I remember the giggles too, Lynn!
Yes, same, Jill and Lynn!
Lynn, I agree with early afternoon naps after eating, which makes one drowsy. My teacher, Miss Longenecker, read from a chapter book after lunch. I listened because I was interested in the story, but I’ll bet some fell asleep. Thanks for checking in today. 😀
I haven’t napped since my early twenties. Sleeping during the night is difficult enough!
Creative types like you and me have a hard time turning off our brain, which is constantly delivering chatter. I can relate, Jill! ;-D
Marian, I don’t nap as much as I probably should during the day. Like Jill said, sleeping during the night is hard enough sometimes.
Thanks for joining in the conversation here. I think you found a “match” in sleeping habits with Jill and me. ;-D
I used to feel guilty when I would take a brief nap in the afternoon in the office, on the floor. The floor kept it brief and I was fortunate enough to have an office with a door I could close and lock. Now all the world knows! Often it would be only 10 minutes, and now that I’m retired, my naps are on our bed and usually are just 20-30 minutes at most. Very refreshing. I’m also glad I can tell “Siri” to wake me up in 20 minutes or whatever.
Maybe one source of your creativity is found in the power nap. It’s a good thing your office door could be locked. Otherwise, you may have given the intruder a start, thinking your heart had stopped. Great story, Melodie! 😀
This is great information on power napping, Marian. It prompted me to look up additional information on adenosine. And you are so right-we need to listen to our bodies and shed excess adenosine by sleeping. Thank you!
Welcome, Nancy! One reason I like to do a bit of research on a common topic is that I find out new stuff for myself. It is always my pleasure to share it here. Do visit again. And thanks so very much for following “Plain and Fancy.” 😀
Loved your cat pictures and ssent them to my daughter who is at home sick with a cold. Cats sure know how to nap, but they play around at night!
As you know, cats are nocturnal, and it sounds as though they may disturb your sleep at times. Thanks for commenting and sharing this post with your daughter. The photos will surely perk her up and maybe prompt a nap which will help her recover. Have a great Wednesday, Elfrieda! 😀
I agree with this. My mom was a great napper and lived to be 92. If I feel drowsy mid-afternoon, I’ll have a 20 minute nap, often outside. It gives me enough energy to complete a lot of tasks for the rest of the day. I once worked for an organization that gave us permission to have a quick nap at our desk if we felt we needed it. The idea being that staff would be more productive if they had a 15 to 20 minute nap. I didn’t take advantage of this often but every now and then, I put my head on my desk and have a 10 minute nap.
The company you worked for certainly was up on their research, allowing napping because they knew it would increase productivity in the long run. . . I’m guessing that naps also keep employees more content. Awesome, Darlene! 😀
I like your positive take on napping. Naps are good, can’t deny it. Now do I take them often enough? Nope, but whose fault is that. I should schedule them into my days. 🤔
Here’s a nudge to schedule naps into your days. I just had a tuna lunch and feel a nap coming on, adenosine piling up, predictably, under my eyelids. Thanks for adding to the chat, Ally! 😀
Hi Marian. I’ve napped very occasionally- maybe 4 x a year. And I’ve much enjoyed it and felt refreshed. My husband swears by his naps. With an instruction to wake him at tea-time. Mind you, this hasn’t happened in a long while.
Your book looks beautiful!
I hear the chuckle in your voice when describing your husband’s napping habits. And I’m glad you like my book cover. It is available for pre-order on Amazon.
Thanks, Susan!
I’ll nod off at my desk from time to time, but I try to avoid naps because I’ve had trouble sleeping at night. My dad was a regular napper. I think he liked to work or read late at night when the rest of the family was asleep.
Like you, I struggle with sleeping the whole night through. Just today I found a product that promises to help the problem. It contains Melatonin, GABA, and L-Thiamine. Should I trust it?
Your dad liked to work or read late at night for the same reason I like to rise early. . . I have the quiet house to myself. Always good to hear from you, Liz. Thanks! 😀
You’re welcome, Marian! Cutting out all caffine has helped the insomnia somewhat.
Good idea! My one cuppa coffee in the morning can’t be the reason I struggle with sleeping. Best wishes to us both for some ZZZZzz’s tonight, Liz! 😀
Thanks, Marian! I’m off to bed shortly. 🙂
Thanks for sharing this information about napping, Marian! You’ve given me permission to do what I often feel the need to do, and now that I know about adenosine, I’m eager to shed it more often. In fact, it’s now early afternoon, and I’m heading down for a 20 minute nap. I’m always amazed at how much those few minutes energize me. Blessings!
You are wise to take advantage of that drowsy feeling: lying down for a few minutes does perk us up. Thanks, Patty! 😀
I feel a nap coming on right now. Hubby is napping. Think I’ll join him. Thanks for this informative post.
I love it when readers take my posts to heart. Happy napping for you (and your husband), Linda Lee! 😀
Oh ya! I do believe in the “power naps” and find them refreshing as well. I usually nod off around 3 in the afternoon and 20 min. is perfect. I don’t always take one but when I do I do notice the difference. I don’t have problems sleeping at night; I sleep deeply and dream but always remember what they were but if they were from the Lord I can tell. Thanks for sharing your information on napping!
Dreaming and receiving messages from the Lord would make me want to go to bed early. Thanks for sharing your anecdote; I’m glad you enjoyed the post, Cactus Flower. 😀
Hi Marian – I often take a nap – right before bed! And I never have trouble falling asleep once I do go up. I’m a big believer in getting enough sleep and doing so consistently. And a power nap can certainly recharge your mental batteries. Love the Etch-A-Sketch reference!
Power naps work wonders for you, Barbara. You seem to be a ball of energy, delighting in writing, exploring new books and creating YouTubes for new music, even Bach!
Thanks for mentioning the Etch-A-Sketch haiku. You are the first to notice here. 😀
🙂
As a kidney dialysis patient, I find as fluids are dwelling a perfect space of time is created, since it is not conducive to doing much physical activity while holding 2000cc inside your body! My mind doesn’t stop, just my body. I have finally given myself permission to rest when it feels right, and not feel guilty!
I admire your attitude, Ginger, able to undergo the dialysis experience with grace. I need to learn what you have already mastered: “given myself permission to rest when it feels right, and not feel guilty!” 😀
Hi Marian. I don’t “schedule” a nap, but it’s easy to recognize the symptoms as I’m about to nod off (around 2:00). I just put my book down or pause the T.V. and I’m out for 20-30 minutes. My best project productivity happens for several hours in the morning, so this “pause” isn’t really a surprise, but sometimes, I’m so refreshed, I’ll start cleaning again later in the day with this second wind. I feel good when I can get something “extra” done. 🙂
Melanie, I can SO relate to your experience. It’s best to “go with the flow” and listen to our bodies when they want to nap. . . or when they insist on going on a cleaning spree.
A few weeks ago, when I uploaded final files for my memoir I scrubbed the bathroom floor, feeling exhilarated. The feeling was short-lived, though, because I discovered errors that I had to correct with corrected files, another delay. Now I’m too tired to clean–ha! (I guess it’s time to pick up a book and READ!)
Thanks for sharing! 😀
LOL! That is very funny about scrubbing the bathroom floor and feeling exhilarated! I know that feeling, haha. Thanks for a hearty laugh (although I’m sorry you had tech complications.) 🙂
Laughter is like medicine. I’m glad you got a spoonful here, Melanie! 😀
Marian — I take a 30-minute reset each afternoon where I lay down (I would love to fall asleep but can’t), close my eyes, and be still. It serves to recharge my batteries. After that, I hit the ground running with vim, vigor, and renewed traction.
You and I both know what happens with your 30-minute reset. Your re-set button delivers extraordinary vim, vigor and renewed traction, Laurie. Congratulations on your upcoming launch of Impervious! https://www.lauriebuchanan.com/
Hi Marian, a lovely post about your Grandma and her afternoon rests. My grandmother was also advised to rest for 30 minutes in the early afternoon every day. I sometimes take a power nap on weekend days after I finish cooking for the next week and before I do something else like fondant art or blogging.
Power naps really do work for you! To be as productive as you are, you have to take a few minutes to recharge your batteries.
I admire your many creative endeavors. More power to you, Robbie. 😀
Thank you, Marian 💗
I don’t often nap, but there are days when I do have to lie down after lunch and close my eyes for 20 minutes. Like your grandmother – that’s about all I need. My father was a napper. He lay down for about a half hour after lunch every day. (I’m sorry to say that he died of a heart attack, so there goes that theory!)
Although we will die (example of your father), napping probably improves our quality of life along the way.
I just ate lunch, so I can feel a nap coming on. Thanks, Arlene! 😀
I don’t nap. I sleep well at night, but not during the day unless I have a fever and that hasn’t happened for years. I would like to nap and Vic loved his naps, but it just doesn’t work for me. I get in a chaotic dreamy place between waking and sleep which isn’t one bit restful. So, I’ll continue with afternoon hikes and going to bed early (most of the time). I love your tips and wish they worked for me. I have your book, but haven’t started reading it. I need to finish another I’m reading at the moment. I hope all is well in book presentation land.
Elaine, whatever works. It sounds like naps make you fall into a deep sleep and then you feel groggy, which of course, doesn’t work for you.
All is well in book presentation land, and I’m glad you have my book. However, the first “run” had many errors which have since been corrected. I hope you have received a “clean” copy.
All best to you and your own book baby, Elaine. 😀
This is the first blog of yours I have read. I enjoyed your thoughts. I have a lot of cats (10) and love to watch them nap. They are so relaxed that it makes me relax, too
Welcome, Valerie. I’m glad this blogpost reminded you of your kitty cats, who help you relax! Do visit again. 😀