I hope you’re having a great week.
Each week I provide you with a little tip for bringing a little more Mental Sunshine into your life.
This week I want to talk to you about naps.
No, I’m not saying you should take to your bed for a few hours every afternoon!
Tempting though that can seem some days…
What I’m talking is about small, mini-naps that you can take at your desk or in a quiet space.
The Spanish surrealist artist Salvador Dali swore by short naps to boost his creativity, and so did the inventor Thomas Edison.
Both would sit in a chair with a small object in their hand, so when they fell asleep they would drop the object and the sound of it hitting the floor would wake them up.
Apparently, allowing your brain to drop into the first phase of sleep – but no further – can help you to be more creative.
Of course, if you don’t feel the need to be more creative, a nap can also be beneficial.
In fact, taking a nap can help to improve memory.
Scientists have found that people who had a nap from 30-90 minutes were better able to remember things than those who had not napped.
As well as this, napping can improve your mood, make you more alert and ease stress.
Here are some top tips to help you get a good nap this afternoon:
- Try Salvador Dali’s trick and sleep with something in your hand so that you don’t end up sleeping for hours. Once you fall deeply enough asleep to drop what you’re holding, the sound of it hitting the deck should wake you.
- Avoid napping past 3pm, or this could affect your ability to sleep at night.
- Find a dark, quiet spot – or if you can’t do that, use a sleep mask to block out light
If you’re feeling a bit tired today, why not give it a go!
