Napping is a valuable break from the demands of modern life, providing deep relaxation and increasing creativity. Traditionally taken after lunch, napping is recognized in cultures worldwide. Some countries have adopted the siesta to allow workers to rest during extreme heat or long working hours. While napping is discouraged in Ayurvedic tradition, doctors recommend taking a short break after lunch to aid digestion and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Napping is a lovely luxury to take a break from our routine and have a quick nap or rest. With the fast pace of the modern world and the ever increasing demands of our time, napping is becoming something available only to the elders and children of the society. Many believe that taking time for a nap will outweigh the time lost from work, as you will be more dynamic and clear to continue.
A nap is not deep sleep, but rather a short period of time, usually 20-30 minutes. Many believe that this deep relaxation is more valuable than deep sleep. Often people enter the alpha state or a meditative state of deep rest while maintaining some level of wakefulness. People who experience this alpha state regularly will increase their creativity and expand their thought processes. Sir Winston Churchill coined the expression “power naps”.
Traditionally, naps are taken after the midday meal, between 12:00 and 3:00 (1200 and 1500 hours). Every culture around the world recognizes the nap. Nap is also known as bhat-ghum, catnaps, mittagsschlaf, wushui, xiuxi, with siesta being the most recognizable. Siesta is Latin for “the sixth hour,” referring to midday rest.
Many countries have adopted the siesta due to the extreme heat in their region and consider it more productive to allow workers to take a midday break from work and resume in the cooler afternoon. In agricultural countries, a midday break is customary due to their early and late working hours. Some countries like France and Japan offer special areas in the workplace set up as nap rooms, while people in countries like Spain prefer to take a siesta in the comfort of their homes.
There are a number of reasons why napping is thought to be essential for humans. Some believe that circadian rhythms dictate peaks and dips in wakefulness. Following a large midday meal is the perfect time to honor this tendency because digestion creates drowsiness. However, research has found that even without the large meal, there is a tendency to take a mid-afternoon nap.
In the Ayurvedic system, afternoon sleep is discouraged. It is believed that drowsiness is the result of overeating and that instead of sleeping, one should take a short, comfortable walk to digest food properly. They believe that noon is pitta time and that mental activity is at its peak efficiency. It is believed that the most dynamic productivity can be achieved at this time if the body is balanced and alert. If napping is allowed, Ayurvedic tradition dictates that it will cause dullness and digestive imbalances.
Conditions such as poor health or sleep apnea can lead to sudden drowsiness during the afternoon. When nighttime sleep cycles are frequently disrupted and deep sleep or rapid eye movement-dream (REM) sleep is disturbed, an afternoon nap will be needed to rejuvenate the system.
Most doctors and health professionals recommend a short break after your midday meal to digest. They also say the most important factor is maintaining a healthy lifestyle, coupled with regular sleep cycles. If you follow these guidelines and stay aware of your body’s needs, you can rely on and meet its natural demands for sleep.
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