Has anyone who is bad at #naps managed to get good at naps?
I am a chronic #insomniac and late riser, I am trying to wake up earlier on a regular basis, and I might benefit from being able to take a short midday nap.
But howwww?
(Yes, I'm familiar with #delayedsleepphasedisorder and the concept of biphasic or #polyphasic sleep. I've been terminally online for 28 years, so please only reply from personal experience, thanks.)
@seawall
I''m very much not a morning person too.
* Forget about napping from 7am / 8am - 1pm: It rarely works well (except for short extensions of an earlier-than-desired wake time). You'll just get barely rested, and feel worse afterwards.
* After lunch (2-3 ish, or 3:30 - 4:30 ish) are best times for afternoon naps - if tired, it will happen. Or move to Mexico :P
* Have found a once-a-week 8am start (e.g. work meeting) can help ensure earlier starts for few days, but can be painful
@seawall
As for taming insomnia, things that I usually do:
* Turn on one of a fixed set of non-upbeat CD's (Finding Nemo / Thomas Newman mixes, Mozart, Shostakovich 11, have been esp. effective personally)
* Draw circles / spirals / curves on a big piece of paper using a wooden pencil
* Adjust room temperature (get a thermometer and find the right numbers for you)
* Variations on 2-4-8, 4-4, and similar
* Check for + fix loose AC plugs in the room, ticking clocks, etc.
* Get out of bed
Angela
Joshua Leung