Naps, alarm or nap roulette?

[irishgal]

It's one of my secret luxuries, taking a short nap a few times a week. I wonder if others do this as well, and most important, do you set an alarm, naturally wake after a short time, or play the dreaded "nap roulette" where you take a nap with the possibility of waking in 20 min or 3 hours?

 

[Moemg]

I only nap about once a month and I play nap roulette but it usually ends up to be an hour .

 

[irishgal]

I only nap about once a month and I play nap roulette but it usually ends up to be an hour .

That is pretty good-if I do roulette it's more like 2, which is way too long

 

[Retire52]

During the week whenever I get to bed late, let's say after midnight, or having trouble sleeping I will take a power nap the following day as I get up to drive my daughter to school. I rarely set an alarm and have slept any where from 10 min to 2 hours dependent on how tired I was. I chalk my ability to nap when I want as one of the greatest benefits to ER.

 

[irishgal]

During the week whenever I get to bed late, let's say after midnight, or having trouble sleeping I will take a power nap the following day as I get up to drive my daughter to school. I rarely set an alarm and have slept any where from 10 min to 2 hours dependent on how tired I was. I chalk my ability to nap when I want as one of the greatest benefits to ER.

It's a wonderful luxury, for sure!!

 

[big-papa]

Just got back from my post-lunch nap! Still working, so I usually go out to my car in the far reaches of the parking garage, almost daily. Usually lasts about 30 minutes, no alarm needed. But because I was up pretty late last night and got up early, today's nap lasted a little over an hour. There have been times when I had the 2 hour nap or so, but it's usually for similar cases like today where I was a little sleep deprived from the night before. When that happens, I usually feel groggy for the rest of the day - I try to avoid that.

 

[easysurfer]

Most of my naps aren't scheduled naps but of the dozing off variety.

Certain foods (onions, honey graham crackers) get me sleepy so I find after eating them the choice is to take a nap to refresh or fight falling asleep for forty winks.

I usually don't set an alarm unless I have an early appointment in the morning.

My favorite napping spot is a nice leather chair and ottoman for for my feet in the living room.

 

[irishgal]

Just got back from my post-lunch nap! Still working, so I usually go out to my car in the far reaches of the parking garage, almost daily. Usually lasts about 30 minutes, no alarm needed. But because I was up pretty late last night and got up early, today's nap lasted a little over an hour. There have been times when I had the 2 hour nap or so, but it's usually for similar cases like today where I was a little sleep deprived from the night before. When that happens, I usually feel groggy for the rest of the day - I try to avoid that.

I agree that the long ones can make a person groggy. When I nap too long I swear I get up and stumble around like Ozzy Osbourne for 10 min trying to determine where I am.

 

[irishgal]

Most of my naps aren't scheduled naps but of the dozing off variety.

Certain foods (onions, honey graham crackers) get me sleepy so I find after eating them the choice is to take a nap to refresh or fight falling asleep for forty winks.

I usually don't set an alarm unless I have an early appointment in the morning.

Honey graham crackers? I have never heard that! Interesting.

 

[RunningBum]

Love the naps! I never set an alarm unless I really need to be somewhere and I'd be in danger of oversleeping. Usually they are just quick 15 minute cat naps. If I got up early for a long run or race I might zonk out harder. It's almost always in my recliner. Once in awhile on the stool at the kitchen counter. I very rarely go lay down in bed.

One thing I've noticed in the last couple of years, when I read a book, I'm almost certain to fall asleep. I wear prescription reading glasses so it's not that my eyes are straining to read. I even wake up, read another 10-30 pages, and fall back asleep sometimes. Anybody else?

 

[easysurfer]

Honey graham crackers? I have never heard that! Interesting.

I think that is the sugar. I've noticed. One cracker I'm fine. Two, I get drowsy. Three or more and I'd struggle to stay awake unless time for sugar to leave my system or I snooze.

For onions, I get really sleepy but either rough it out or about a 30 minute nap, then I feel refreshed.

 

[irishgal]

Love the naps! I never set an alarm unless I really need to be somewhere and I'd be in danger of oversleeping. Usually they are just quick 15 minute cat naps. If I got up early for a long run or race I might zonk out harder. It's almost always in my recliner. Once in awhile on the stool at the kitchen counter. I very rarely go lay down in bed.

One thing I've noticed in the last couple of years, when I read a book, I'm almost certain to fall asleep. I wear prescription reading glasses so it's not that my eyes are straining to read. I even wake up, read another 10-30 pages, and fall back asleep sometimes. Anybody else?

I notice this only when I read in artificial light, meaning with interior lights on vs sun coming in the window. My eyes for sure get tired and I am not able to read as long.

 

[irishgal]

I think that is the sugar. I've noticed. One cracker I'm fine. Two, I get drowsy. Three or more and I'd struggle to stay awake unless time for sugar to leave my system or I snooze.

For onions, I get really sleepy but either rough it out or about a 30 minute nap, then I feel refreshed.

Good job identifying the culprits of your drowsiness!

 

[GrayHare]

No napping for me, it throws off my next night's sleep.

 

[easysurfer]

Good job identifying the culprits of your drowsiness!

Oh, I forgot to add, I plead guilty , surfing on the phone in bed. Must be the blue light.

Usually surfing an hour or two before getting up for good for the day and sometimes feel exhausted. I'm actually have to be on good behavior the next few days as have to get up early for an appointment then some long driving.

 

[frayne]

Serial napper here and say, Alexa set timer for 60 minutes.

 

[Car-Guy]

Nap roulette for sure. I often play it several times a day. Sometime a game last for 10 mins other times I can play for almost an hour. If I really want to fall asleep fast, I just turn on CNN or MSNBC for background noise. Out like a light.

 

[Moemg]

One thing I've noticed in the last couple of years, when I read a book, I'm almost certain to fall asleep. I wear prescription reading glasses so it's not that my eyes are straining to read. I even wake up, read another 10-30 pages, and fall back asleep sometimes. Anybody else?

This happens to me all the time and then I have to reread some of it.

 

[Walt34]

Isn't naps when one wants for how long one wants one of the bennies of retirement? I play nap roulette, anywhere from 15 minutes to a couple of hours.

 

[Dash man]

Nap roulette! Unless I have an appointment of some sort. Naps range from 30 minutes to three hours. Never affects my sleep that night.

 

[irishgal]

Serial napper here and say, Alexa set timer for 60 minutes.

"Serial napper" love it.

 

[aja8888]

No naps @75 1/2 years young. If one happens by accident (very rarely), I stay up until 2:00 AM.

I've been monitoring my pulse rate and sleep routine since last December. I have been averaging about 6.25 hours of good sleep per night. Guess that's just me.

 

[Red Badger]

Another nap aficionado here. Most every day. 20 minutes via alarm. Longer naps leave me groggy and make night sleep problematic. A very hedonistic retirement luxury.

 

[steelyman]

Fitbit sleep stage tracking helps me know if a nap might be in order on a given day. My sleep sweet spot is 7.5-8 hrs overnight and if a good portion of that is in deep sleep it’s a good predictor of a well-rested feeling. Otherwise, nappies!

 

[Teacher Terry]

I only nap if I stay up to late or am sick. If I do it usually lasts 2 hours.