Recharge with a Catnap
30 minutes a day can keep the bad mood away
Rather you call it a catnap, power nap, or siesta, it’s a form of rejuvenation and recharging of your battery. Your mental battery. It’s also a natural alternative that complements your mental healing process. I learned and understood the benefits of catnaps from the years I put in truck driving. I also knew about both the physical and mental side effects of having sleep debt.
What is sleep debt? It’s a sleep deficiency where you’re depriving yourself of the normal and healthy amount of sleep you need daily. We all need at least 7–8 hours of sleep within a 24 hour period. Yes, about a third of your day or night should be dedicated to sleeping…not just relaxing. Developing a habit of sleep debt can lead to negative consequences. This includes physical and mental fatigue, a bad mood, lack of energy, and the inability to think clearly. That would be doing your health and life a disservice.
I’m trying to figure out why so many people today put themselves through self abuse, self torment, and self torture. My motto is “Self-Care over Self-Torture and Self-Care is not Selfish.” Why would I do otherwise. To continually deprive yourself of sleep because of a heavy load of responsibilities is like saying to yourself that you don’t have time to be healthy. And how can you take care of others if you don’t have a habit of taking care of yourself first. A proper amount of daily sleep is essential and a great way to start taking better care of your overall health is by taking catnaps.
Every little bit of sleep you get helps and it pays down your sleep debt,especially with catnaps. There’s no certain amount of catnaps you should take within one particular day. Believe me, the more you take the better. Those catnaps works wonders if you need a quick energy booster. It’s so easy to reach for a cup of coffee, but remember that coffee,although natural, is just a stimulate. Caffeine does not rest your mind, even though it may keep you awoke a little longer and aid at keeping you physically going. But you need to shut your mind and body down periodically throughout the day. When you develop a habit of taking catnaps, the positive benefits would be realized instantly. Less fatigue, better reaction time, more efficiency, more patience, and less stress. Who don’t want less stress these days?
A 20 to 30 minute catnap is all it takes. Adequate sleep played a major part in my years of operating heavy equipment like a big rig. But I also put my personal health before my money first. Taking better care of yourself both physically and mentally will always be the best thing you should do. It will also prove that you care about your own personal well being. Prove it more to yourself by daily shutting your mind and body down with those catnaps!
