This is all well-and-go. However, is the afternoon nap a good or bad thing for those of us living in more temperate climates (at least until climate change takes full effect)? As I have mentioned, the responses to this question are not consistent. At the very least, the answer is “It depends.” For instances, as we grow older, the nap can be of increasing value. Naps can also be of value for some people as a way of managing stress—much as in the case with meditation practices and mindfulness. Stress-reduction, however, requires that we truly “get some rest” rather than lie there ruminating on the problems we have encountered. Naps are also to be avoided if the stress is associated with depression. We know that frequent naps can not only be a sign of depression but also a contributor to the depressive inability to get up and do something.
Offering some “surprising” reasons why we can’t fall asleep, Jessica Migala (2019) provides an article in the widely read AARP Bulletin in which one reason is dramatically titled “Nap Insomnia”. She has this to say about napping:
“The most common time of the day when people get sleepy is between 2 and 3 in the afternoon, when we experience a natural dip in energy. . . This may prevent you from feeling tired at bedtime; then, spending too much time lying awake can contribute to insomnia. If your afternoon energy tends to be low, try scheduling something active for that time. It will help you feel refreshed, and research shows that exercisers have better sleep quality, too – so it’s a double bang for your buck.”
Does this make our colleagues living near the equator somehow wrong about taking a siesta? Does Jessica Migala hold the answer? Do we try out the hammock or the treadmill during the mid-afternoon? As has been the case with previously identified pathways, I suggest that you become a sleep scientist. Try out a nap at one time and/or one place in the afternoon and then at another time or place. How does it impact on you sleep in the evening? Try out several different ways of falling asleep when taking the nap (such as some of the other pathways mentioned in this essay). What works for you regarding setting aside waking concerns when taking the nap? If you are not used to taking naps, then you might have to do something “special” to get ready for this daytime sleep.
At the very least, you will probably want to darken the room in which you are taking the nap and will want to be sure you are not interrupted by the many sounds and intrusions to be found in daytime life. I would also suggest that you reflect back on your childhood—when you probably did take a nap. Is there anything to learn from this childhood experience. One of my colleagues always sleep under a comforting quilt as a child. He has found a quilt now to nap with. Another colleague curled up with several stuffed animals as a child; she now places big soft pillows all around her when taking a nap.
Relaxing Activities
What is relaxing for you? Perhaps reading in bed or saying a prayer. What about watching a late-night talk show or viewing one or two episodes of a multi-part series on Netflix or Prime. Perhaps an end-of-the day news program. As in the case of naps, the immediate and conventional response is: NO TV and no computer time or social media time! However, this is where a bit of self-research can be helpful. Try out one or two options and see how it works for you. The one recipe for sleep “disasters” is to force yourself to go to sleep with full resentment about being deprived the joy of watching an episode of that wonderful mystery series or that relaxing and laugh-filled talk show. We might “have to” connect with our network before heading off to bed. After all, this “forbidden” delight is a just “reward” after a full day of labor. Deprivation never works—so enjoy yourself. Paradoxically, you might find that you are falling asleep while trying to stay awake watching this forbidden delight (see our analysis of paradoxical pathways in a later essay in this series).
In general, our Pathways to Sleep study shows that reading before going to bed is often a “winner.” And for some reason, it is not forbidden in our society. However, there is one absolute winner that received the highest marks of any pathway we studied. This is the matter of going to the bathroom prior to settling in for a good night of sleep. We don’t need to be sleep scientists to recognize how important this pathway is for a good, uninterrupted night of sleep. While bathroom duties are of greatest importance for those of us who are entering the final decades of our life, the urge to use the bathroom can disrupt one’s sleep at any age.
