Naps

At what age do we switch from screaming "I'm not tired! I don't need a nap!" to being willing to pay cash for a chance to lie down for 20 minutes and close our eyes?

I love naps. Always have. But I don't often let myself indulge.  Part of the reason is that I become addicted quicker than if you stuck a cigarette between my lips. Two days of lying down at noon and my body decides that's the new pattern for life and goes into a slump and pouts if I don't allow it to hit the bed.

But lately I've been dragging. Really dragging. Like, sitting at the computer and finding myself doing the almost-asleep head bop.  I let myself lay down a couple of times and crashed hard, for 2 hours. But then I was foggy and fussy when I woke up, so that didn't really help.

I'm getting 6-7 hours of sleep a night. Not my ideal eight, but enough that I shouldn't be falling asleep in front of my desk.  I was ready to go to the doctor when my yoga instructor asked how long I'd been feeling this way. "About a month or so," I said. She pointed out the time frame coincides with when I started running.

"But I've always exercised," I said. "Besides, isn't exercise supposed to energize you for the day?"

She agreed, but noted that since I've been running longer and harder than usual, my body may just be going through an adjustment period. She also suggested I make sure to eat healthy and take vitamins.

Man! Isn't one of the benefits of exercise supposed to be you can indulge in ice-cream for dinner on a more regular basis because you know you'll work it off?  They always find a way to screw you in the end. But I think she's right. I need to pay better attention to my diet. I'd eat cereal, ice-cream and South Beach Diet Chocolate Snack Bars 24/7 if left to my own devices. A vegetable now and again might not be a bad idea.

I'm also encouraged because one of my good friends who works from home and who I admire told me she tries to take a nap every day after lunch. I was surprised because she's very disciplined and I didn't see her allowing herself that luxury. But she's made it part of her day and if she has to stay a little later at her desk at night to make up the time, so be it.

I admit I've already napped today and it's only 10 am. I was up at 5, went to yoga at 6, home by 7, and crashed from 8-9. (My mom is going to kill me as just last night I was yelling at her for going back to bed in the mornings!) But I feel great! Awake, alert and looking forward to work. One of those three projects I mentioned came through this morning so I'm going to get a jump on that.

My wish for all of you on this sweltering Friday is that you find time today for a nap. =)