The Power of Naps

Today seemed like a perfect day to write about the little appreciated necessity when we were kids that we wish we could go back and truly enjoy now, SLEEP!

It’s funny how little we appreciate from a simple thing like powering down for a few hours when we were young. What’s even weirder is that science still isn’t 100% sure why we sleep but we know it is essential. The older I’ve gotten, the more chaotic my schedule has become. In undergrad, I don’t think I ever got to sleep before midnight until my final year, which turned out to be my best year ever.

I was definitely surprised by how much seven hours meant to me. I’ve decided to try medicine again to address my anxiety, and I’ve had a really hard time sleeping through the night. I’ve gone to sleep at midnight for the last few days and still stayed up tossing and turning from 4 A.M. on. Trying to face the day exhausted is a horrible fate that I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemies.

I went through my next day irritable, shaking, nervous, and unfocused. I don’t even know if my posts for the last two days were coherent because things just didn’t seem right. I went home and tried to sleep but it didn’t work. I laid down to effectively stare at the ceiling hoping to conveniently just pass out.

A lot of my posts here are to share my process of learning myself. I have grown to appreciate the moments of understanding what your body is telling you and using that to manage yourself. Self-care is important. Sleep, Diet, and Exercise are three of the most vital things to keep you going.

I’ve been trying really hard to create a consistent sleep schedule. Waking up and going to bed around the same time daily so I don’t build bad habits. I want my body to know when to shut down so I don’t always try to “catch-up” on the weekends.

I will admit that I don’t shut off my electronics far enough from bedtime. Ideally, one hour before you go to sleep is recommended because the light from your electronics trick your brain into thinking it’s still daytime. I do put my phone on Nighttime mode when I am reading my Bible, but I’m not sure if that works to deal with the issue here.

As shown in the video yesterday, your body rebuilds damaged muscles during your sleep. Conveniently, exercise also stimulates sleep. It’s a nice little feedback loop where one causes the other. The brain also processes memories and information when  you sleep, so it is good for the mind and body.

Today, I had an amazing two-hour nap. I woke up feeling energized and focused enough to face the world. Adult naps are amazing and I can’t believe I stayed away from them for so long. If I ever run a multimillion dollar corporation, I might give 45 minutes of nap-time on top of lunch just to give people time to recharge.

My personal goal is to maintain 7-9 hours of sleep daily. My dream is to get so consistent that I wake up without an alarm because my body tells me so. I feels so great to be at peace with yourself and at peace with your body. Mark my words. I will reach my goal.

Turn your Brightness Up (Down before bed)

#BeMagnificent🔆

What are your sleep goals? Do you get the mythical eight hours of sleep at night? How reasonable is the eight-hour goal? Any habits that help you drift peacefully? Let me know in the comments below.