Winston Churchill couldn’t do without it. Jawaharlal Nehru felt rejuvenated after it. For Napoleon Bonaparte, it was indispensable, come what may. It is the afternoon nap that I am referring to.
The post-lunch period is usually the hottest time of the day. It is also a time when the mind and body yearns for a brief respite. What better way than to curl up for a siesta.
Not many people can afford the luxury of an afternoon nap. Perhaps, those who are their own bosses or those with flexible hours of work find it convenient to enjoy a nap after lunch. For the large army of working people, an afternoon nap is a once or twice-a-week indulgence during the weekend.
Many may consider an afternoon nap an idle pastime. I beg to differ. For me, it is the fastest trip to paradise. The experience cannot be described in words. After I wake up, I feel not only rejuvenated a la Nehru but also exuding a lot of cheer which reflects in my work which I do after an undisturbed nap.
Napping isn’t just for babies or old, retired people. Scientists who have researched sleep patterns have time and again proved that a siesta after lunch does wonders to one’s mental and physical well-being. They contend that it enhances one’s power of concentration, boosts memory and reduces anxiety. Also, since it relaxes the mind and body, the entire system gets toned up for the next couple of hours.
Not surprisingly, the promised benefits of a nap even persuaded some companies to allow their employees to have a short snooze at work. One such was the US software firm HubSpot that designed a napping room in its Massachusetts office that features a hammock and dim lighting!
Interestingly, I came across a report recently that said a proper afternoon power nap has more or less the same effect as a strong cup of coffee but perks you for longer and without the side-effects of caffeine.
No wonder Churchill, a great believer in power naps, once famously said that one “must sleep sometime between lunch and dinner, and no half measures. Take off your clothes and get into bed.” While most people may not be able to follow Churchill’s advice of taking off one’s clothes and enjoying a nap, it certainly will be beneficial to curl up for a siesta in a way that best suits each one.
Folks at home don’t share my ‘nappy’ predilection. They think I am plain lazy and often sermonize on the negative effects of afternoon naps. I respond by extolling the positive effects of a nap.
I am also referred to “as the cat who naps many times a day,” although I only indulge in an afternoon siesta. The other moniker I have earned is ‘Sleeping Beast’.
All said and done, Covid-19 which brought in its wake lockdowns and Work-From-Home (WFH) policies, has turned out to be a blessing in disguise for nap lovers. At least two of my good friends candidly admitted that the best thing about WFH is the chance to have a nap, something they’d been yearning for. Another friend who wasn’t habituated to naps, unwittingly got into the habit of catching forty winks.
While I am happy for these friends, I hope they don’t get caught napping at their desks once they resume work in their offices!
