It’s almost 1:30 in the afternoon, and you can feel your eyes getting heavy. Yawn. Yawn, again. You weigh your options. Options:
A. Persevere and force yourself to keep working… after all, you have 100 pages left to read plus a paper to write.
B. Run to Hillside and grab a late-afternoon latte for a caffeine fix.
C. Head to the Plex for a quick 30-minute workout to boost your energy.
But wait… there’s one more option that has become more and more popular among BC collegiettes™ who struggle to make it through their jam-packed days. It’s called the power nap.
As busy BC students trying to cram in workouts, extra-curriculars, meals, time with friends, classes, and study sessions, we often don’t get the recommended eight hours of shut-eye each night. A power nap helps make up for those lost z’s, making you feel more energized and well-rested after your nap. After all, your brain and your body need to rest every now and again to function at full capacity.
So what is the power nap? “One word. Amazing,” says Kate Froehlich, A&S ’12. Kate may be on to something here… Urban Dictionary defines the power nap as “the act of getting what is essentially a night’s sleep in the fraction of the time,” and “an afternoon nap to keep you up later that night.” The Power Nap should last for 10-30 minutes, but most people go with 20 minutes. Because the nap is so short, your body doesn’t have time to enter the REM cycle, which is considered deep sleep, so when you wake up you won’t feel groggy or worse, even more tired. Think of the power nap as a way to quickly recharge your batteries in the middle of the day.
So why should we collegiettes™ power nap? Marie McGrath, A&S ’13 and an expert power napper, has the answer. “Power naps are the sh*t, you wake up feeling better than you did before. I try to power nap every day for around 20-30 minutes, but never over 45.” Marie speaks the truth! After 20 minutes of rest, you wake up feeling more productive and ready to tackle whatever task lies ahead. Michelle Meyer, CSOM ’12, says that power naps help her feel less stressed. “It’s a way for me to take a break in the middle of the day, get away from all the campus craziness, and relax. It’s me time!”
In providing that much-needed burst of energy during the day, power naps help eliminate the need for a caffeine fix when you feel the yawns coming on. It’s better and healthier to opt for the 20 minutes of rest than those extra 4 shots of espresso.
After you re-charge you’ll also be more likely to hit the gym and have a more productive workout with that extra spurt of energy. Power naps have also been proven to be beneficial to your health. Napping boosts your memory, cognitive skills, and creativity in addition to benefiting heart functioning and cell repair.
The Power Nap is an art and one that all BC students should learn to master. Here’s how:
1. Accept the fact that you’re tired.
You’re not superwoman! Sometimes you need a quick 20 minute nape to rest your mind and body. Don’t think about your nap as a waste of time or that your 20 minutes would be better spent studying or getting work done. In the end, those 20 minutes will actually make you more productive when you wake up rather than if you had skipped the nap and forced yourself to study.
2. Find a quiet spot with a comfortable place where you can fall asleep.
The middle of O’Neill in one of the uncomfortable chairs probably isn’t your best bet… If your own bedroom isn’t an option, try to find somewhere where you feel just as comfortable and can get away from the campus craziness.
3. Make sure it’s dark.
When you choose the spot where you’re going to curl up and take your Power Nap, make sure you can escape the light. This makes it easier for you to fall asleep because it emulates nigh time. One easy way to block out the light is to wear an eye mask.
4. Try to avoid caffeine in the two hours before your nap.
That extra cup of coffee may prevent you from falling asleep when you actually try to nap and could make your 20 minutes of shut-eye less effective.
5. Remember to set your alarm!
It’s extremely important to adhere to the time limit of 10-30 minutes. If you fall asleep for more than 40 minutes your body will go into a deeper sleep, which will you cause you to feel groggy and even more tired. Lauren DeVito, A&S ’15, says “you’ve gotta make sure that someone calls you to make sure you wake up, cause if it’s up to you it’s not gonna happen.” Christine Miecuna, CSOM ’12, says she doesn’t trust herself so she sets two alarms.
6. Try to stick to a regular nap schedule.
This way, your body becomes accustomed to your new power nap habit. This will make it easier for you to fall asleep, and help you perfect the art of the power nap by getting you into a routine.
7. Let your mind rest!
Try to stop thinking and calm the noise inside your head. Remember, power nap time is YOU time!
There you have collegiettes™, the power nap in all its 20 minutes of glory. It’s totally effective, easy to master, and crucial to college students’ survival. As Urban Dictionary says, “people who are generally better than your average human don’t sleep… they power nap!”
But we understand if you’re like Sam Treinen, CSOM ’13, and can’t seem to stick to the 20-minute limit. “The power nap doesn’t exist in my life,” says Sam. “For me it’s more like see you in three hours, world! Oops.”
So whether you’re an experienced napper or a newbie, give the power nap a shot. A shot in the dark that is. Sleep tight collegiettes™!
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