I don’t know about you, but I enjoy a good siesta. I used to feel guilty about this noontime indulgent but I’m passed that. I get up around 5 a.m. everyday and by noon, I’m dragging. But have you noticed the science behind a good siesta. If you don’t sleep long enough, why bother and too long, leaves you feeling groggy.
WE battle over whether this is a good practice. We feel guilty for taking a nap but hate the afternoon drag, does anyone else get their second wind around 9 p.m.? Stop the madness with these five little steps that will make you ready to fiesta by the afternoon.
- Early to Rise: Set a good morning routine before siesta time. Set your alarm away from your bed so you are sure to get up. You could lay out clothes or workout clothes the night before. Your goal could be to get a certain amount done so that by lunch you feel a sense of accomplishment.
- When Preparing for Siesta: Turn off all electronic devices except for an alarm. Turn ringers off, t.v.s, Facebook, twitter, anything that might cause interruptions. If you have a job in town and live near your home, believe me it’s still possible to sneak in a nap. I use to do this when I had a town job, If I didn’t want to fall asleep on a stack of papers, I needed a little refresher!
- Decide the Length and What Time of Day: For myself, I usually sleep 20-30 mins. It seems to work perfect for me. If I sleep longer than 45 mins. , then it takes me too long to feel awake! Most people know what works for them. Napping too late in the day doesn’t seem to work for me either. If I haven’t had the chance to nap by 2:00 p.m., then I can’t or I don’t sleep well that night. A nap in the ranch truck under a shade tree, that works too, when you are windmillin’ or away from the house!
- GET GOIN’ once you hear that alarm. Some people even hold their keys in their hand and once the keys fall they wake up. I would be too sidetracked with the keys in my hand to even fall asleep but apparently it works. Brush your teeth, stretch, splash your face with water, whatever it takes, get moving immediately.
- Have an Afternoon Goal in Mind. If you haven’t done your workout by this point, it might work here. If you have more ranch chores, like we do, it can really give you the energy to complete them before supper time. There’s no doubt I get twice as much accomplished when I use those 20-30 minutes for a nap.
Here’s some of the scriptures I found in a keyword search on rest at biblestudytools.com
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
“Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls
“Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”
“For when we came into Macedonia, this body of ours had no rest, but we were harassed at every turn–conflicts on the outside, fears within”
The National Sleep Foundation , Check out their article on napping, http://sleepfoundation.org/sleep-topics/napping
and another from:
About.com, Great article on power napping, http://stress.about.com/od/lowstresslifestyle/a/powernap.htm
Just think about it. You know you’re thinking about a nap all afternoon unless you are really busy. How much time do we spend doing mind numbing task that don’t leave us feeling refreshed? I have certainly stared at the computer or television longer than I intended and don’t feel the type of rest that only a siesta can give.
Life can be tiring! We can certainly use a little break from a demanding schedule, during stressful times of caring for a loved one, during a physically or emotionally draining job. It can lift the tired foggy feeling and get you ready to fiesta! Enjoy your life a little more and hope this lightens your load.
Where’s a place during your workday that you are able to catch a few moments of shut eye? I know some of you probably have some comical responses. And please sign up for my newsletter, it let’s me know that you are enjoying my blog. Thanks so much
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