60 Minutes +
The liminal zone
As we approach the end of our runup to National Napping Day, we’re going to step out of our comfort zone to cover naps that go beyond an hour — “sleeps,” as we call them.
I must admit: it’s not uncommon for me to daysleep longer than an hour, whether in segments (e.g., 3x20+10) or a block (less frequent but it does happen, usually when I don’t set an alarm). I have specific views re sleeps that go beyond 30 minutes (let alone 45) — is it in bounds for me to quote myself here?
I believe that if you nap for longer than 30 minutes or set a 30-minute timer, wake up, and immediately hit snooze (or want to but can’t), you need the sleep and should take it if you can.
I often feel tired, whether because I didn’t sleep enough or didn’t get enough quality sleep. We’ve been clear that there are many reasons to nap, none necessarily synonymous with mere laziness — for me, the reason quite often is simply that I’m tired. And to paraphrase something I’ve said before:
Tiredness:Nap::Fever:More Cowbell
Today, I strung together a 30 and a 20 – it was what I needed, and it was fantastic. On another day recently, I strung together several 30s – also what I needed, also fantastic. Find your why, and nap/sleep as long as you need, want, and can, provided you stay mindful of the guardrails.
With that, be sure you gear up for NND and steel yourself for our coverage!