Living Longer Column,
February 4, 2010 (850 words)
Rejuvenate Yourself With 20 Minute Naps
by Art Kunkin
Last night when surfing the internet I came across a free electronic book titled “Staying Healthy.”
This eBook had many interesting chapters including one on the benefits of taking naps during the day. Since the publisher, Qualitybooks.com, permits reproduction of its free eBooks as long as the publisher is given credit (no author was named), I am taking the opportunity to present here the contents of this one chapter on napping.
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Thomas Edison hardly slept at all except in 20-minute naps. Mark Twain was noted for his insomnia but was always dozing off at public functions. So what is the relationship or the secret between 40-winks of nap-time and a person’s creativity?
Scientists have proven in recent years that the human body requires only as much sleep as the brain will allow. In other words, so long as the brain is functioning at full capacity, there’s no great requirement for sleep. The real fact is that the brain needs a rest every now and then, and apparently, the brain can then refresh itself and go on “like with a full tank of gas” with just a short, 20 minute nap.
To take advantage of the mental rejuvenation benefits inherent in a 20 minute nap, all you need is an uninterrupted 20 minutes. If you’re working in an office, take your phone off the hook or disconnect it from the wall plug.
Hang a sign on your door that you’re not to be disturbed for 20 minutes. A couch to lie down on would be fine. However, if you don’t have a couch handy, simply stretch out on the floor.
When you lie down to take a nap, you should loosen your shoes and clothing. Basically, it’s best if you lie on your back with your head on a pillow. Cross your arms across your chest.
You shouldn’t concentrate on or worry about falling asleep. Whether you sleep or not, you’ll be resting. That alone will give your body new energy. If your brain needs a rest as well, you will soon actually fall asleep.
It’s all right to think about specific business or personal problems while you’re still in the resting stage. However, you must not allow yourself to get up and deal with them if answers come to you before your 20 minute nap period is up. As much as you can, you should try to direct your thoughts to non-work ideas while you’re resting. In other words, you might think about the things you intend to do when you get home from work.
You might mentally practice some sport. Besides relaxing you, these reveries will provide the extra dividend of actually helping you to improve your own skills. Mental preparation accounts for a great deal of one’s skill in sports. Therefore, visualizations that you accomplish while relaxing can pay off in double dividends.
Learn to ignore whatever noises there are around. Just tell yourself that these are harmless and do not relate to you. Consider them as a peaceful part of your environment, not as irritants.
To be certain that you wake up at the end of 20 minutes, set an alarm or tell someone to wake you at the end of your rest period. Once you’ve practiced settling down and resting for 20 minutes at a time, you’ll be able to wake yourself just before the alarm goes off or your friend rouses you. However, sleeping for 30 minutes or an hour may leave you feeling groggy rather than refreshed. Be advised that there is nothing wrong with taking several 20-minute naps at different intervals throughout an especially long or tiring workday. The important thing to remember is that you will gain new energy and new creativity by napping when you feel low on energy or when you’re running out of ideas.
As you awaken from your nap, you should lie still for a minute or two. Then stretch and breathe deeply. Take your time in getting up. Adjust your clothing and take a drink of water to get your system going again.
Then return to work, starting with simple chores such as opening letters or organizing the work you have to do. Within just a few minutes, you should feel full of energy and able to handle any problem that comes up.
With practice, you’ll be able to refresh and rejuvenate your entire mental system with a short 20 minute nap. Give this a try and see if you aren’t amazed at the results!
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Art Kunkin is the journalist who founded the alternative weekly newspaper, The Los Angeles Free
Press, 1964 to 2010. Art’s book, “Immortality: The Secret Finally Revealed” is available through his web site www.alchemyrevealed.com. A free introductory report about his own research into stopping aging published in the English magazine, Fortean Times, can be obtained at www.immortality-is possible.com . If you are interested in attending a Wednesday, Feb. 17 evening class taught by Art in Joshua Tree on “How To Be, Do And Have Anything You Want”, please contact him at artkunkin@gmail.com or by phoning 760-369-8921.