Nap time, sacred time

Nap time, sacred time

Having attended office mostly in the afternoon, evening or night shifts, there was this one luxury that was reserved for days off, and during train journeys, albeit if there was some reason to not do any reading or needlework or not meet up with friends and that was- taking a nap in the afternoon.

This one ‘activity’ has always been among several other things I want to do in this life lest God should send me back on Earth to carry out my unfulfilled wishes.

People napping at 8.45 a.m. in the park in front of our building.

Although any time during the day can be a nap time (some like to nap after an exercise session), yet in the hot Indian summers when the days are long and afternoons languorous, one feels a heaviness in the head after the midday meal and looks for a short break to rest the mind and the limbs and what could be better for that than a catnap. (The cold, long nights in the winters, on the other hand persuade the mind into staying in bed for longer hours, so afternoon naps seem a waste of time.)   

Siestas are also respected in countries of the Middle East, Mediterranean, and southern Europe. In 2015, the mayor of Ador, a small town near Valencia in Spain, actually made it compulsory for every business to close between 2.00 p.m. and 5.00 p.m. and all noise to be kept to a minimum.

Even in Chandigarh, where I grew up, shops used to be  closed from 1.30 p.m. to 3.30 p.m. for lunch break or siesta time, whatever you want to call it. 

We all know how adults look forward to the nap time of a baby or child in the family for some peace and quiet. The baby sleeping for too long can also be cause for worry because the well-rested little human would stay awake the night!

Yet even for adults, a nap, lasting anything from 10 minutes to one and a half hour is good for the health. It reduces fatigue, relaxes and rejuvenates the body and mind, increases alertness and improves the mood. So much so, that it improves performance, including quicker reaction time and better memory, say sleep experts of Mayo Clinic.

Their suggestions of making the most of this shut-eye sessions:  

Keep naps short. Aim to nap for only 10 to 20 minutes. The longer you nap, the more likely you are to feel groggy afterward. However, young adults might be able to tolerate longer naps.

Take naps in the early afternoon. Napping after 3 p.m. can interfere with nighttime sleep. Individual factors, such as your need for sleep, your sleeping schedule, your age and your medication use, also can play a role in determining the best time of day to nap.

Create a restful environment. Nap in a quiet, dark place with a comfortable room temperature and few distractions.

After napping, give yourself time to wake up before resuming activities — particularly those that require a quick or sharp response. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/napping/

Yoga also advises a short nap - ‘Vamkukshi’ (translation: lying on one's left side) after lunch. It is said to benefit digestion and prevent food reflux.

We have noticed people who doze off as soon as a vehicle gets into motion. It might not be a pretty sight if the napper has his/her mouth wide open or is drooling/snoring, but they sure are having a restful time. There are also people who, when they can’t think of anything worthwhile to do, take a nap. Their motto-time is never wasted in taking a nap.

Dozens of pictures do the rounds during parliament sessions when the members are literally caught napping. That means napping is neither illegal nor shameful. Maybe then I can safely advise all those sitting through these  sultry afternoons to catch the proverbial forty winks at their desks or even during your lunch break.

It seems like a long time ago when I prided myself on being able to take short (now called power) naps on the local bus to office. Once a colleague who sometimes took the same bus noticed me snoozing with my head bent and supported by my hand and asked me the way to do it. I did not know, so I told him I had programmed my mind. After a couple of days he turned up hassled and harried at 4.30 pm for the shift starting at 3.00 pm. Everyone asked him what happened. He looked around the news desk sheepishly and said, “I followed her advice and dozed off. The conductor woke me up when the bus stopped at its final destination at Ram Darbar. Then I had to wait for 45 minutes for the bus to start its return journey.” ‘It needs months of practice, Mr K, I told him,’ with my head high.

Then there was the time when Mr JS, our news editor, a quiet man decades our senior, dozed off in the office. The shift was busy, so nobody noticed till someone saw a trickle of blood oozing from his toe and a rat hovering around. A scream in the newsroom from someone and he jolted up, scaring and scurrying the rat away. For those looking for happy endings, let me tell you he was fine and his medical expense was taken care of by the office because after all it was an ‘office’ rat.

So naturally, now when I am mostly at home, taking a nap has found an important spot in my list of to-do things during the day. Some days I get lucky and wake up ready to smile again at the world. But on some other days instead of boosting my energy levels, the nap time gives me a headache.

These are the days when as soon as I switch on the energy-saving mode, rings the bell and it is the Blue dart/Amazon/LPG deliveryman or some maid looking for work. The agony is doubled if the courier has read the address wrong on the package. 

Or there is construction going on somewhere in the vicinity. The sharp sound of the drill or of hammering do not let one follow the restorative sleep episode during the circadian rhythm. 

Then there are times when as soon the head touches the pillow, screams the phone which had been silent for the past 72 hours. It is somebody who does not know how to spell nap and is determined to ruin your efforts to cut short the conversation about anything and everything under the sun.

It could also be your relationship manager from the bank saying a ‘hi’ or the local grocery chain store reminding you they have missed you for a few weeks now.

It is tough to go back to sleep and the whole time you are lying down, you feel irritated and ready to spring up.

But wise men say if once you fail, try, try, again, so here I am, trying every day. I am happy to share that sometimes I succeed and feel good about it.  

Believe me, the 13^th of March every year is known as international napping day.

I hope my efforts to convince you in favour of these power tools for the human body and mind have been fruitful. Go ahead friends, hit the snooze button and make the most of the weekend.

Indian cricket coach Ravi Shastri seen napping during India’s third test with South Africa in Ranchi in 2019. By the way, India won by 202 runs. 

                                                                                               

                                                                                                  -Anupama S Mani