I asked my husband what I should write about this week. He replied "write about Mateo." Mateo is our male cat. John's reasoning was that the cats don't get as much air time as the dogs do between my recently published book about Ella, Pawsitive Perspectives, and my "just-for-fun" Instagram account (wildwesternwanderers) that primarily features our two current dogs, Mala and Tessie.
I asked him "what does Mateo have to offer my readers?" and he shrugged. I got to thinking about it and realized after the stress of the election (that will likely not be decided tonight), we could all probably use a good nap.
I don't nap often, but there have been plenty of times over the past year that I have benefited from extra rest, especially after my knee surgery.
Our cats (Mateo is the tiger and his sister Kali is the torti) are great at napping.
Throughout the day, you can find one or both of them curled up in a sunny spot, under the wood stove in the winter, on the couch, or in one of the dog beds that are scattered throughout the house. They are usually in the same room as one of us just in case we decide to sit down in a place where our lap becomes available. If either of us sits on the couch, we can count on a cat being in our lap within about 30 seconds. They have a sixth sense.
Anyway, back to how this relates to you and your wellbeing. While cats naturally require a lot of sleep–an average of 15 hours per day–humans do best with seven to nine hours per day. For some people, adding a 20 minute nap in the early afternoon (before 3 p.m.) can be beneficial. The circadian rhythm, the body’s internal clock, follows a 24-hour cycle. Within this cycle are two peak periods for sleepiness. The greatest peak is during the night, and the second one falls in the early afternoon and is sometimes referred to as the post-lunch dip.
Naps over 30 minutes could result in grogginess. Long or frequent naps, like the ones cats take, can interfere with your nighttime sleep, but a short nap during the day might provide much needed relaxation in times of stress, or result in other benefits such as:
Reduced fatigue
Enhanced memory
Increased alertness
Improved mood
Improved performance, including quicker reaction time and better endurance
Napping isn't for everyone though. If you're able to function well each day without a nap, then napping may not be something you need to incorporate into your daily schedule. Napping might make insomnia or poor sleep quality at night worse. If it feels appropriate for you based on your current sleep habits, experiment with a 20-minute nap sometime this week after lunch and see how you feel.
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