Judging by the number of people who fall asleep on my massage table and by the number who check the “sleep problems” box on my health history intake form, there are a lot of sleep-deprived office workers.
Among the many tactics you can use to combat your sleep deprivation is a quick afternoon nap.
I know. I know. How the heck are you supposed to nap when you’re trapped in your office?
I’ll write about more substantial napping tactics in future “Tip of the Day” pieces. For now, try this ultra-quick cat-nap (this is based on a radio story I heard a couple of years ago). The idea is to get yourself only to the point of falling asleep, not actually dozing off for a prolonged nap. You can do this sitting at your desk. All you need is a few minutes alone when that mid-afternoon fatigue arrives.
Rest your elbow on your desk, using a mouse pad or something similar for padding if necessary. Rest your chin in hand and close your eyes. Take a few nice, deep, slow, sleepy breaths and let your head and shoulders succumb to the tug of gravity. Imagine that you’re in a hammock on a warm tropical beach, count sheep, or do whatever it is you do to get to slumber-land.
As soon as you doze off your chin will slip out of your hand and you’ll wake up. The guy who I heard describe this style of nap argues that the main benefit of napping comes from getting to this point of dropping off. You can (and I will in future posts) also make the case for a more substantial nap, of 15 to 30 minutes or more, but this is an intriguing approach. I’ve done this myself a few times and have felt surprisingly refreshed afterward.
About Today’s Tipster
Seattle massage therapist and dedicated napper Larry Swanson. Larry’s massage practice is based in the heart of downtown Seattle, where he spends much of his time watching exhausted office workers doze off during their massage treatments.