Re: napping

[Guest guest]

Chris. . .noticed I spelled it correctly this time. . .

I have done the same thing. As a matter of fact I did it yesterday. My nap was

earlier in the day that yours. I am not usually a napper. . but was really

tired.

I too found I was more productive up to bedtime. I drew most of the evening.

Most of the time I am too whipped at night to do anything. . .Hate to admit it

but I usually watch TV.

I also fell asleep fine and at the usual time. . .well maybe a half an hour

later. . .none the less I had a good sound sleep.

I have to say I have a snoring husband (love the man dearly) who keeps me up

many nights. I am just wonder if I was banking the sleep from other missed

nights.

I wondered about that too.

Sheryl

ChrisMasterjohn@... wrote:

Does anyone have any ideas on the value of napping?

Does dividing up sleeping increase or decrease one's need for sleep?

For example, would 2 hours in the late afternoon and 6 hours at night be

superior, inferior, or the same, as 8 hours at once?

After I got home from the gym last night I tried studying but felt tired and

unmotivated. I decided to take a nap from 3:30 to 5:30. When I woke up, I

felt motivated and clear-headed, and studied very efficiently, maintained a

great attention span, and was much more productive than I usually am in the

evening.

It seems to me like if I slept 1-2 hours every afternoon and slept 12-6 at

night that I would greatly increase my productivity even over that of having the

extra time and sleeping only 6 hours, or over that of sleeping 10-6.

Also, I was wondering if, in relation to weight lifting, there might be any

significant benefit to eating protein and then sleeping immediately after a

workout-- I wonder if that significantly enhances muscle growth and speeds

recovery?

Chris

[Guest guest]

>Does anyone have any ideas on the value of napping?

>

>Does dividing up sleeping increase or decrease one's need for sleep?

>

>For example, would 2 hours in the late afternoon and 6 hours at night be

>superior, inferior, or the same, as 8 hours at once?

>

>After I got home from the gym last night I tried studying but felt tired and

>unmotivated. I decided to take a nap from 3:30 to 5:30. When I woke up, I

>felt motivated and clear-headed, and studied very efficiently, maintained a

>great attention span, and was much more productive than I usually am in the

>evening.

>

>It seems to me like if I slept 1-2 hours every afternoon and slept 12-6 at

>night that I would greatly increase my productivity even over that of

>having the

>extra time and sleeping only 6 hours, or over that of sleeping 10-6.

>

>Also, I was wondering if, in relation to weight lifting, there might be any

>significant benefit to eating protein and then sleeping immediately after a

>workout-- I wonder if that significantly enhances muscle growth and speeds

>recovery?

>

>Chris

In my vast experience and wisdom, I've found that if one needs 8 hours of

sleep a day, It doesn't really matter if it's all at once or in blocks. I

don't know about the workout/protein/sleep thing. I'm not wise in all

things after all. If you posted this question on the dragondoor forum, you

would probably get some good answers.

>

[Guest guest]

One of the sports nutritionists - Colgan, I think -

recommends a sleep after a workout, especially if you're training

again later. Sounds like a good plan to me.

> Does anyone have any ideas on the value of napping?

>

> Does dividing up sleeping increase or decrease one's need for

sleep?

>

> For example, would 2 hours in the late afternoon and 6 hours at

night be

> superior, inferior, or the same, as 8 hours at once?

>

> After I got home from the gym last night I tried studying but felt

tired and

> unmotivated. I decided to take a nap from 3:30 to 5:30. When I

woke up, I

> felt motivated and clear-headed, and studied very efficiently,

maintained a

> great attention span, and was much more productive than I usually

am in the

> evening.

>

> It seems to me like if I slept 1-2 hours every afternoon and slept

12-6 at

> night that I would greatly increase my productivity even over that

of having the

> extra time and sleeping only 6 hours, or over that of sleeping 10-

6.

>

> Also, I was wondering if, in relation to weight lifting, there

might be any

> significant benefit to eating protein and then sleeping

immediately after a

> workout-- I wonder if that significantly enhances muscle growth

and speeds

> recovery?

>

> Chris

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 2/28/04 10:26:39 AM Eastern Standard Time,

readnwrite@... writes:

> Years ago I heard/read (have no idea any more what the source was) that one

> hour of sleep before midnight is worth two after. It was given in support

> of napping during the day. I don't know if you can find more info based on

> that or not.

That's interesting, but where does it begin? In other words, when during the

day does " after midnight " stop, and " before midnight " begin?

>

> You may want to be careful about getting to bed after midnight on a regular

> basis. Just recently read this on mercola.com:

>

I'd really like to know if there is any basis for this or if it is a bunch of

hooey. I don't understand why Mercola can't cite where the information came

from so the rest of us can look it up. Some genes turn on and off during

sleep regardless of time of day, and others turn on and off during the night

time,

without sleep. I suppose it's possible that some of them need others to

function when one is turned on at night and the other by sleep-- possible, but

to

my knowledge not shown scientifically.

> I also encourage you to get ENOUGH sleep. When I was your age and going to

> school and working full time, I consistently didn't get enough sleep and

> now I'm paying for it with weak adrenals and low thyroid. I just thot at

> the time I didn't need a lot of sleep. I did function well with only 5-6

> hours sleep/night, but I was living on borrowed time.

I agree. I think people my age tend to need 9 or 10 hours of sleep. I tend

to get what I have time for during the week, and to sleep in without setting

my alarm on Saturdays, and do the same during vacations, summer, winter, etc.

So I often get sub-optimal sleep (I shoot for 7 hours, but naturally would get

9) during the school week, but at least it isn't chronic.

Thanks for your concern.

Chris

[Guest guest]

Chris-

>Does anyone have any ideas on the value of napping?

I've read in some places that we're biologically predisposed to take naps,

but whether that's true I don't know. Maybe it's only true for people in

hot climates, or people with hot-climate ancestry. And it doesn't quite

seem to fit with the notion that we're supposed to sleep in absolute

darkness, unless we always went into caves for our naps, which seems unlikely.

If on any given day you really feel you need a nap, though, it's probably

not unwise to take one as long as you don't find they interfere with your

sleep at night.

-

[Guest guest]

Hi

Years ago I heard/read (have no idea any more what the source was) that one

hour of sleep before midnight is worth two after. It was given in support

of napping during the day. I don't know if you can find more info based on

that or not.

You may want to be careful about getting to bed after midnight on a regular

basis. Just recently read this on mercola.com:

" Get to bed as early as possible. Our systems, particularly the adrenals,

do a majority of their recharging or recovering during the hours of 11 p.m.

and 1 a.m. In addition, your gallbladder dumps toxins during this same

period. If you are awake, the toxins back up into the liver, which then

secondarily backs up into your entire system and causes further disruption

of your health. Prior to the widespread use of electricity, people would go

to bed shortly after sundown, as most animals do, and which nature intended

for humans as well. "

<http://mercola.com/2004/feb/7/insomnia_health.htm>

I also encourage you to get ENOUGH sleep. When I was your age and going to

school and working full time, I consistently didn't get enough sleep and

now I'm paying for it with weak adrenals and low thyroid. I just thot at

the time I didn't need a lot of sleep. I did function well with only 5-6

hours sleep/night, but I was living on borrowed time.

~ Fern

From: <ChrisMasterjohn@...>:

> Does anyone have any ideas on the value of napping?

>

> Does dividing up sleeping increase or decrease one's need for sleep?

>

> For example, would 2 hours in the late afternoon and 6 hours at night be

> superior, inferior, or the same, as 8 hours at once?

[Guest guest]

At 10:39 AM 2/28/04 EST, you wrote:

> In a message dated 2/28/04 10:26:39 AM Eastern Standard Time,

> readnwrite@... writes:

>> Years ago I heard/read (have no idea any more what the source was) that one

>> hour of sleep before midnight is worth two after. It was given in support

>> of napping during the day. I don't know if you can find more info based on

>> that or not.

>

>That's interesting, but where does it begin? In other words, when during

the

>day does " after midnight " stop, and " before midnight " begin?

>

>

If I had to guess, I would imagine that the demarkation would be based on

sun cycle - " midday " by that, depending on seasonal day length.

MFJ

Any moment in which you feel like dancing is a perfect moment.

[Guest guest]

>I've read in some places that we're biologically predisposed to take naps,

>but whether that's true I don't know. Maybe it's only true for people in

>hot climates, or people with hot-climate ancestry. And it doesn't quite

>seem to fit with the notion that we're supposed to sleep in absolute

>darkness, unless we always went into caves for our naps, which seems unlikely.

In many hot countries though, an afternoon nap is the norm. Awhile back

there was the notion of the " power nap " for businessmen ... if you take

a quickie in the afternoon the rest of the day goes much better! It works!

Google on " power nap " if you want to prove to your housemates

that really, you aren't just lazy ...

http://www.worldofalternatives.com/power-nap.htm

Cornell psychologist Dr. Maas, writes that a 20 minute nap in the

afternoon actually provides more rest than sleeping an extra 20 minutes in the

morning. He also writes that napping should be considered a part of one's " daily

exercise routine. "

-- Heidi Jean

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 2/28/04 11:24:03 PM Eastern Standard Time,

readnwrite@... writes:

> I checked that page again also to see if he had a reference. Sometimes he

> does. My question is: how does one's body know when it's 11:00 pm and 1:00

> am? I could understand if it were so many hours after sundown, but it's

> not.

It could have something to do with the gravitational pull of the moon or

something. Men and women both have hormonal cycles (women's are more evident)

that I believe are based on lunar cycles.

But it's a good question. Does the body follow Daylight Savings Time?

Chris

[Guest guest]

From: <ChrisMasterjohn@...>

> > Years ago I heard/read (have no idea any more what the source was) that

one

> > hour of sleep before midnight is worth two after. It was given in

support

>

> That's interesting, but where does it begin? In other words, when during

the

> day does " after midnight " stop, and " before midnight " begin?

Good question. I guess I was thinking sometime between noon and midnight

being before midnight. But you're right, it's not clear. Regardless, tho,

evidently others have supported your theory that a nap during the daytime

is as good as if not more beneficial than a longer night of sleep.

> > You may want to be careful about getting to bed after midnight on a

regular

> > basis. Just recently read this on mercola.com:

>

> I'd really like to know if there is any basis for this or if it is a

bunch of

> hooey. I don't understand why Mercola can't cite where the information

came

> from so the rest of us can look it up.

I checked that page again also to see if he had a reference. Sometimes he

does. My question is: how does one's body know when it's 11:00 pm and 1:00

am? I could understand if it were so many hours after sundown, but it's

not.

> I agree. I think people my age tend to need 9 or 10 hours of sleep. I

tend

> to get what I have time for during the week, and to sleep in without

setting

> my alarm on Saturdays, and do the same during vacations, summer, winter,

etc.

> So I often get sub-optimal sleep (I shoot for 7 hours, but naturally

would get

> 9) during the school week, but at least it isn't chronic.

>

> Thanks for your concern.

Of course. Glad to know you're more conscious of it than I was. On term

breaks I'd crash for the whole week, so I guess I did do some catching up

also.

~ Fern

[Guest guest]

>I agree. I think people my age tend to need 9 or 10 hours of sleep. I tend

>to get what I have time for during the week, and to sleep in without setting

>my alarm on Saturdays, and do the same during vacations, summer, winter, etc.

>So I often get sub-optimal sleep (I shoot for 7 hours, but naturally would get

>9) during the school week, but at least it isn't chronic.

>

>Thanks for your concern.

hmm, there was a thing on News a while back that said that a

study have proven that if you don't get enough sleep, your IQ is

lowered to the point that you aren't smart enough to realize that you

are not getting enough sleep!

This is fun, isn't it! ;-) =Allan

[Guest guest]

>>>In my vast experience and wisdom, I've found that if one needs 8

hours of sleep a day, It doesn't really matter if it's all at once or

in blocks...<<<

Depends on the size of the blocks. I think you need at least one block

that is long enough to get into a deep REM sleep. As a mother of

three, I found out early on that 4 x 2hr sleeps (let alone 8 x 1hr

sleeps) do not add up the same as 1 x 8hr sleep.

Zzzzzzzzzz,

Tas'.