On Napping

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March 9, 2023

60 Minutes

Just call me Mike Wallace

In the daily deluge of feedback and questions from our legions of followers, the masses generally have two questions: When should I try napping, and how long should I aim for as I get going?

The movie poster trend continues! 60 minutes — a good napping entry point. 60 minutes to midnight: generally not the best time to nap.

Not to take Rabbi Schultz’s lane here, but Rabbi Hillel famously proclaimed “If not now, when?” Well, who am I to argue with that guy . . . he also came up with the Golden Rule. So, “now” seems like a pretty perfect answer.

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But if that’s a little sudden, may I recommend . . . National Napping Day! And that leads to a key question: why is there a National Napping Day? Is it just to throw a bone to those who lost an hour sleep? Yes, but for a good reason:

The yearly switch causes many Americans to become sleep deprived . . . which can be dangerous… the rate of fatal automobile accidents goes up dramatically [and] there is a remarkable increase in strokes in the days following the switch.

Napping is necessary and almost mandatory on Monday, for the safety of yourself and those around you.

As for timing, while an hour is a little long for my daily routine, it feels like a perfect gateway into napping for newbies. Less than that can feel daunting to try, with the mind racing for the first 15-20 minutes, eating into the needed rest and perhaps causing a crisis in nap confidence. Longer runs the risk of turning into a sleep and more grogginess. Happy napping, loyal followers!

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