Napping, or shut eye as other people refer to it, is not part of your usual nocturnal sleep but rather an adjunct to it. It is a short period of sleep taken typically during daytime hours. You will voluntarily or involuntarily nap to tackle feelings of drowsiness or tiredness.
Napping is especially important as a replacement for the loss of quality sleep.
This may be due to busy schedules involving work, travel, taking care of kids or parents or even wild nights.
Thus, taking a nap helps to tackle the tiredness.
In addition, taking a nap when you need to helps to improve your mood, memory, and alertness.
By the way, I made a video explaining a simple technique you can use to fall asleep in 5 seconds or so. It works, and the military use this! You can watch it on my YouTube channel or below:
Typically, a nap should last between 10 to 30 minutes and no more than that.
In fact, according to scientists, the perfect nap lasts exactly 22 minutes.
Remember, the goal is to tackle the tiredness and drowsiness so you can wake up and continue with your daily routine or tasks.
It’s like you are boosting a rechargeable battery.
You don’t want to nap too long that it becomes a struggle to wake up.
You also don’t want to nap too long that it interferes with your regular nighttime sleep cycle.
Why do I Need An Ideal Place To Nap
As mentioned above, a nap is a power boost to get you back to your tasks. A good nap allows you to rest without transitioning into the stage of deep slow wave sleep typically, experienced in nocturnal sleep.
If you get into a deep slow wave sleep and interrupt it, you risk dire effects such as sleep inertia.
So, you also need the proper conditions to effectively rest your body for those 20 or so minutes.
Yes, you don’t need a sleep number mattress to nap, yet, you need the ideal place for a proper nap.
the good news is that you can almost nap anywhere.
Because of its positive effects and improved productivity, some organizations and workplaces in recent years have even introduced nap spaces. These are known as nap pods.
Yet, this is not the same for all.
In fact, other workplace settings are even gone against the notion of workplace napping, viewing it as slacking.
Yet, sometimes it is still important to sneak that power nap, especially if you are exhausted.
The key is to find the ideal place to allow for a comfortable power nap without impacting your routine or tasks negatively.
The Best Places to Nap Compared
1: Your Home
Your home is both the ideal place to nap but watch out, it can be very misleading!
Think of it, you have a pristine space, comfortable bed, clean air circulation, quiet environment, perhaps drapes that smell of fresh ocean mist fabric refresher – the ideal ingredients to a sound sleep!
However, this may not be the case at all times.
Maybe you have roommates, kids or a dog.
Maybe you live in a noisy neighborhood or apartment complex.
Either way, when you want to nap at home, you must ascertain the purpose and live up to your plans.
- Additionally, to ensure your nap is actually effective, you have to nap without any interruptions.
- So if you decide that you want to nap at home, you should create the necessary environment.
- Get drapes to block out natural light, a white noise machine to block noises and set an alarm if you need to.
- If you are too worried you may oversleep, then don’t limit your options to your bedroom.
- Take a nap on your living room couch.
If you think of it, it works in so many different circumstances.
Here are a few examples;
- Your office is a walking distance from home, so you can run down for a quick nap during your lunch break.
- You are going out with friends for a night of drinks, so you take a power nap to prepare for the long night.
- Its deep house cleaning day, mid work you are exhausted, so you sneak in a power nap.
You can even choose other locations such as your balcony (if you have one) or backyard for fresh air and more tranquility.
2: At Work
If you really have to nap at work, then do it. Just make sure you don’t get into trouble for it.
The ideal places to nap at work are endless;
- Set up your pillow and blanket that you hide in the drawer for a quick nap during your lunch break.
- Rest your head on your desk or support your neck with a travel pillow for a quick 10-minute nap.
- If your office policy allows it, take a quick 10-minute nap in a secluded conference room.
- Arrive 10 minutes before the business hours resume and nap in your car.
- You can even nap in your car during the lunch break.
- If you have a private office, shut the door, turn off your pc and take that power nap.
And if the above tactics don’t work, you can go for more drastic approaches.
If you have a private office or a workspace cubicle in a secluded or semi-secluded location, then, you can always take an under desk nap.
Yes, you heard right.
You can take a nap under your desk.
And you can customize the under desk area however you want.
Whether you are fine with the freshly vacuumed carpet, lay a small blanket on the floor or simply support your neck with a travel pillow, a 10 to 20-minute nap is more than enough to get back your energy and focus.
3: At School or college
Do you work in a college setting?
Are you a college student?
Many colleges and universities understand the demanding and sometimes overwhelming schedules that both students, instructors, administrators and other patrons of the institution experience.
Thus, many of these establishments are furnished with nap rooms to tackle and ease the pressure.
Plus, these havens for nappers are normally quiet and tranquil.
All you need to do is to power nap!
And if you can’t do that, set up an alarm on your phone (at a low volume).
If your institution doesn’t have a nap room, sneak into the library where you can find a cubicle for private studying and nap.
Simply try to be considerate and avoid doing so when the area is on demand by students seeking to study.
And if you are an on-campus student, examine your schedule to find periods between classes to sneak in a nap. You can always run back to your dorm room for a quick nap between your 1 pm biology 101 and 3 pm English 211 class.
4: Outdoors
The outdoors is also a great place to take a nap.
But it depends on the settings.
Whilst the noisy outdoors, packed with chaotic traffic may work some people, the focus should be a calm setting.
Think about birds chirping, trees and leaves swishing, a soothing breeze.
A cool spring or summer afternoon, you can always take a nap at the nearby garden at your college, office or home.
Plus, you will wake up feeling better thanks to the fresh air.
It’s always good to have someone nearby when you take a nap in the outdoors to ensure you are safe.
You don’t want unknown bugs crawling on your body.
5: At the Gym
Yes, you can take a nap at the gym. And no, it doesn’t make you a lazy person. A lot of gyms are designed with lounging areas as well as multiple rooms or spaces for group classes.
If you feel too tired before a workout, it’s not a bad idea to take a quick nap.
You can nap on one of the chairs or loungers in the lounging area or poolside.
Or when one of those group classrooms are empty, pick up a yoga mat, put on your eye mask and take a nap.
When you are awake from your nap, you will be more focused, alert and energized for a better and productive workout.
6: Utility rooms
Whether you are at home trying to escape your annoying cousins or at work, utility rooms come in handy.
A storage closet, for example, is an excellent place to nap.
The room where you store office supplies such as toilet papers and stapler pins can be very appealing when you are tired.
Just make sure there are enough supplies that people don’t walk in on your napping.
If you are too concerned, then use the room during your lunch break when everyone is out.
And for some reason, you can’t find any other room option in the office.
If you are an adventurer and kin on taking a nap, the basement is also an option.
If your office has one.
Or if that’s the calmest place in your home.
If you are not scared of the weird and oversized hanging lights, stained and old walls, mice, bugs and cobwebs, then try it out.
7: During Your Commute
Your commute is also a great way to sneak in a nap.
You have to make sure you are not susceptible to thieves and pickpockets, however.
Plus, you don’t want to pass your drop off location as well.
If your bus route is long enough (at least 40 minutes) to sneak in a nap, then you are all set.
Grab a window or wall adjacent seat, ensure your belongings are safe and enjoy your wall supported nap.
And before you think of it, the answer is no!
Don’t ever take a nap in a subway.
Unless you want to donate your personal effects that day.
Drink coffee, chew gum, if you have to stay up until you get home or hop into a bus.
If you are depending on a ride or carpool, then that’s just perfect.
If your commute is more than 10 minutes, then you have enough room to take a power nap.
8: The Unusual Locations
These include locations such as the movie theater, coffee shop or even the department store.
The movie theater can be very welcoming.
Imagine its dim lights, comfortable seating, just the right setting on the central cooling or heating system.
Plus, the excessive consumption of carbs in popcorn and pop are all great ingredients to a good nap.
However, the best time to nap is before the munching.
The 10 to 20 minutes of Ads before the movie starts is always the best time to nap.
This is only effective if you have a pal to nudge you awake when the movie starts.
But this power nap location will only work if sounds and noises from the big screen don’t bother you.
And if you ever find yourself opting for those foreign films with subtitles don’t watch them when you are tired.
Unless you are looking for a place to nap.
You can even take a nap in those cozy coffee shops or “co-working space”.
The key is doing it right.
Let’s be practical, no service establishment is comfortable with letting you nap.
So whether you fix a travel people on your next or hunch down a little bit for a quick fix before your resume your work on the laptop, this is the only way.
Many stores come with comfortable seating areas where you can sneak a nap.
Be it the seating area at Barnes and noble where you can read a novel or the seating space at a large department store for companions.
Bottom Line
The bottom line is that you should take a nap when you need to. Yet, if you enjoy up to 8 hours of sleep and still require day time nap, then that’s indicative of a problem. The solution is to not look for a place to nap but rather consult a physician.
Sure, you’ve enjoyed reading through all the fun and somewhat practical places to nap.
Sometimes, you may be so tired that you don’t notice the environment around you.
However, this shouldn’t be the case.
Yes, you are tired but you always want to be aware of your surroundings.
Make sure your nap location is safe and doesn’t negatively impact your life.
If you nap at the office, don’t put yourself in a compromising situation.
And at home, ensure everything is in place.
