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Napping

Is Napping A Thing?

Is napping a thing? I know I’m not a Spring chicken, but I have never thought of myself as a ‘slouch on the couch’ either. However, since I’ve had a few bouts of non-positive Covid chest infections, all I want to do is nap. When I was a lad, I used to laugh at my Grandparents who would visit, sit down, have a cup of tea and promptly fall fast asleep complete with full on snoring.

Hereditary?

Here am I nearly 50 years later emulating my long since departed Grandparents, minus the snoring sounds I hasten to add. Perhaps it’s an hereditary thing? Some people nap, some don’t. I don’t even know if it’s wrong to fight it, but I have to say that it’s usually futile if I try. The eyelids come down, the head feels like the weight of a tenpin bowling ball and I am gone! Next thing I know is there’s a mug of cold tea waiting for me.



Involuntary

What seems just as daft is that when I do awake from my involuntary nap I don’t feel any less tired! Usually though, my body does let me consciously get up and do something I want to do as opposed to ‘pulling the plug’ on me and making me take more nap time. The other week, I was in the company of my Grandson and trying to take part in one of his games on the Xbox. Every few minutes I would hear, ‘…wake up Grandad’ to which I would come to and not have a clue what was going on. In all honesty, I wouldn’t have had much of a clue what was going on if I had stayed awake!

The Batteries Don’t Last

So, I come back to my original question, is napping a thing? Do you reach retirement age and the batteries don’t last as long as they did? Does anyone else nap during the day and if you do, do you just go with it or try and fight it? Meanwhile, I’m off to make myself a cup of tea, no need to boil a kettle as the tea will go cold waiting for me to drink it.

Apparently, napping can be good for you. Website.



54 thoughts on “Is Napping A Thing?”

  1. You are funny, I can see your head nodding off and brain and rest of you taking a rest. I have seen more writing on this subject by medics in England. They consider it healing. ❤️‍🩹 😊.
    So go on, have a siesta.
    Miriam

  2. There are times I feel so much like a nap that I go lie down on my comfy bed — and never go to sleep. I have, on a few occasions, nodded off while watching tv. But that’s pretty rare. My younger sister, however, says she naps almost every afternoon. Go figure.

  3. My parents go into the habit of taking a siesta when they lived in Asia and they kept it for the rest of their lives. I am one of the dozy people who could nod off at any given (inconvenient) moment but then I’d try to sleep at night and the eyes were wide open. These days I mostly only nod off over a book. Annoying as I only read good ones!

  4. I used to drop off at the most inconvenient times. In class, at my computer at work, when my father was telling me a story…. But try to sleep at night…nothing doing!

  5. LOL! ‘wake up, granddad.’ Ayyy-yooo. Our 46 year old son lives with us. While watching TV I often – and I do mean OFTEN – my son intones, “Wake up, Dad.” He is trying to be kind; doesn’t want me to miss the action, dialog, whatever… I try to receive it in good grace, but mostly I’m like, “let me doze!”

    “Wake up, Dad.”

    Recently I told him he should record himself saying that so he would not have to exert himself actually saying it, he could just push a ‘button’ on his phone.

    “Wake up, Dad.”

    Love is beautiful thing!

    ~Ed.

  6. I have been napping since my 20s. I set my timer for 20-25 minutes and sit back in my easy chair. I wake up feeling refreshed and new. It should be a part of everybody’s daily schedule.

  7. At 66 (sigh and sob), I was never much of napper, even as a kid, nor through all my years. Sure, the random nap, here and there. I spent October with COVID, although two at-home tests showed negative, someone who came in contact with me ended up positive — confirmed by a blood test (luckily, they were barely ill at all!). So, I’m convinced I had COVID, and oh boy, does it make me want to nap! I’m still kind of sluggish and taking more naps than I normally would. I’m gradually coming out of that, and I don’t think I have long COVID, just a lousy immune system. I hope to be back to near-never-napping soon. 🙂 My partner, 5 years younger, IS a napper. I keep teasing him that I’m going to get him a brown plaid blanket to sling over his knees as he falls asleep in front of his computer.

  8. I was never a napper before cancer. Now, it is a daily part of my life. Being retired, I just go with the flow. Sometimes an hour and sometimes three hours. I just listen to my body.

  9. A number of years ago I decided a nap was a waste of time. Not sure if it was coincidence, but at the same time I had lost 60 lbs. Recently when I had a short night I did have several naps during the day, but these days they are rare. I think it goes with old age. I have seen it in many people.

    1. I too have entered the “golden age’ of napping. I once fell asleep at the supper table and had my face land on a mound of mashed potatoes. That was the final straw.

      I contacted my physician. He ordered blood tests and discovered my thyroid level count was low. He prescribed a medication that would remedy the situation. Problem almost solved. I now need to take the medication for the rest of mu life.

      I am happy to report that my involuntary napping bouts have stopped. I do fall asleep now when reading a boring book or watching commercial television.

      1. I’m pleased to hear your physician sorted out your problem. Some days I’m ok, but then other days like yesterday and bang, involuntary napping. Thank you, Gerry. 😊

  10. Hi Trev, very interesting subject which has prompted a lot of fine replies. In my opinion, napping is a time to heal the body, especially after any kind of trauma. As the body ages, it requires more rest, similarly if there is illness inside.
    I regularly nap, after eating or driving, and whenever I have to. In my 60’s now and I have noticed a sharp increase in napping since my 50’s.

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