5 replies to this topic

[songbird]

My odd sleep habits didn't make themselves a nuisance until I entered the workforce and had to stay up for 9 hours at a time. In addition to Provigil in the morning and small doses of Ritalin throughout the day, I also take a nap half-way through my work day. My coworkers think it's unfair that I get an extra half-hour for lunch, but balls to them! It's hard to wake up from my 25-minute siesta in the car, but once I'm up and take the Ritalin, it clears in about 5 minutes. It really helps put me on track for the rest of the work day.

Of course, by the time I get home, I'm tuckered out again. It's better than it was, falling asleep on the 5-minute drive home, walking into curbs, etc, but I still feel the need for another nap. Unfortunately, I haven't figured out how to do it. In the past, whenever I "napped", I would be out for 3-5 hours. Even now, if I lay down at home, I'll sleep at least 2 hours. I just want another 25 minute nap to get me through the evening, not a multi-hour sleep that ruins my evenings.

How do you control the length of your naps? What do you all do to wake up from those short naps?

[LauraL]

I set an alarm every time I nap, and don't let myself sleep longer than 40 minutes. I also don't nap in my bed. It's just too comfortable, and I will zonk out for 3-5 hours. At work I nap on the floor, on a yoga mat. At home I'll either nap on the couch, or on a yoga mat on the floor. I think you have to experiment to see what works for you. I've discovered that when I keep the nap to 30-40 minutes, it's refreshing. If I go longer, it's not, and I just want to keep sleeping.

[Asleeper]

I use a timer usually set for 20-30 minutes. That's usually long enough to be effective. Any more and it is hard to wake up. Very often I will wake up on my own 5 or so minutes before the timer goes off. I used to sleep on the floor. It tended to freak other people out if they walked in on me. Now I usually nap on top of the bed but with my head at the foot of the bed. This reminds me that I'm not down for the night.

[sleepywriter]

My odd sleep habits didn't make themselves a nuisance until I entered the workforce and had to stay up for 9 hours at a time. In addition to Provigil in the morning and small doses of Ritalin throughout the day, I also take a nap half-way through my work day. My coworkers think it's unfair that I get an extra half-hour for lunch, but balls to them! It's hard to wake up from my 25-minute siesta in the car, but once I'm up and take the Ritalin, it clears in about 5 minutes. It really helps put me on track for the rest of the work day.

Of course, by the time I get home, I'm tuckered out again. It's better than it was, falling asleep on the 5-minute drive home, walking into curbs, etc, but I still feel the need for another nap. Unfortunately, I haven't figured out how to do it. In the past, whenever I "napped", I would be out for 3-5 hours. Even now, if I lay down at home, I'll sleep at least 2 hours. I just want another 25 minute nap to get me through the evening, not a multi-hour sleep that ruins my evenings.

How do you control the length of your naps? What do you all do to wake up from those short naps?

Balls to them is right! The way I see it, you're supposed to get an hour for lunch and two 15 minute breaks anyway, right? Plus, what about smokers? I work in a fairly relaxed environment, so no one says anything when there's a gaggle of smokers standing outside at least five times a day. A 20 minute nap is nothing, especially with all the recent research about how awesome powernaps are for EVERYONE, not just people with sleep disorders!

I set an alarm on my phone. I usually wake up before it goes off, but it's there if I need it.

[Heidi L]

I don't eat gluten or sugar.

And I haven't had a nap attack in almost five years.

After Forty Years of Narcolepsy.

[blahblahkathy]

I have to agree with some other posts, not getting too comfortable is key. I don't have a quiet place to sleep at work, so I just nap in my car. Trust me, after 30 minutes you are ready to get out of that same position.