Over the years, I have realized that I have a special talent for sleeping. I am one of those people who can fall asleep anywhere and at any time of day. Throughout high school, I watched friends of mine struggle with getting a full nights rest. Friends who desperately shoveled melatonin pills into their overtired mouths only to come to school the next day with evidence of a sleepless night below their eyes. And then there was me, coming into school with a full ten hours. What can I say? It’s a gift.
However, as great as sleeping at night may be, there is nothing more gratifying than sleeping during the day. Yes, you heard me. I am an 18-year-old who loves to nap. Many people my age see napping as a waste of time; and ironically enough, many people my age do not get the key amount of sleep needed for good mental health and maximum productivity. Various studies have shown that napping improves memory and focus among other things. Even Ovid who was born in 43 BCE said “there is more refreshment and stimulation in a nap, even of the briefest, than in all the alcohol ever distilled.”
Why do I nap, you ask? Well, I nap when I am tired of course, but you may be surprised by the other reasons I hit the hay during the day. When I am sad, I take a nap and when I awake, I always feel much better. I also nap when I am angry or frustrated because, after all, what better way is there to cool off than take a nice, relaxing nap. In addition, sometimes the best study breaks consist of 15 to 30 minute power snoozes. Besides being the refresher you need to survive the information overload that is the day before finals, you might even dream up new ideas. Though this may be hard to believe, I once thought of an idea for an analytical English paper during a power nap. Overall, naps provide me with a new start to the day and often that is precisely what I need.
Though napping may be spectacular, it does have its cons. For one, though napping can increase productivity, it can also do just the opposite. I am a huge procrastinator, and there is no better excuse to put something off than “I am tired.” Also, frequent napping can be problematic as it messes with your sleep schedule and can have you waking up multiple times throughout the night, wondering if it is the morning. Another sleep schedule issue napping lends itself to is over-sleeping. It is the worst feeling when you take a decide to take a 20 minute nap and end up sleeping for two hours which causes you to miss a prior commitment. To avoid this, I always set multiple alarms. In addition, once in a blue moon, you may wake up from a nap feeling more tired than before, which is never fun.
Irregardless, in my personal opinion, the positives of napping far outweigh the negatives. Of course I can only speak for myself, but I believe that I am more sociable, more focused and generally happier when I nap during the day. So the point is, if you have never napped before, try it and at the very least, you will feel a little less tired.
