How to take Better Naps | Hacker News Reader

How to take Better Naps

boston.com

62 pointsdbreunig12 comments

I've made it clear at every job I've had since college that yes, I take naps. Almost every day. The post lunch, put your feet up, headphones on, 20 - 30 minute siesta does more good than coffee (and I LOVE coffee) ever could for clear, effective thinking later in the day.

I've found the folks that are most freaked out by it are those who (often for good reason) aren't confident in their work and place a very high value on looking busy as opposed to actually accomplishing things.

It's amazing how incredulous people get when I tell them my office has a sleeping room. Its really sad and unfortunate that something this natural has been demonized to such an extent.

I wish upon my own life that my office had a sleeping room. I'd gladly settle for sleeping on the floor in my cube from 1:30-2:00pm, but instead I stare ahead blankly from 1:30-4:00pm. Totally worth my company's time to make sure I'm awake.

I find if you go for a walk, it can help. Not as good as a nap but it can make you more alert for the rest of the day.

Plus it seems to be more acceptable in the workplace to actually disappear for a half hour than it is to nap.

Siestas are one of the best traditions ever.

As for corporate america though, I find that one can actually take a "decent" half-hour nap in the car, if you have to.

Unless you ride the train to work :(

Or you can pick up "smoking" and take a nap wherever you can outside.

Go to your car at lunch time, crack the windows, recline the seat, and put a mask on. This best one is here

http://mindfold.com/

30 minutes of heaven.

I hate it when they don't say the price right away.

If I heard somewhere had a sleeping room when interviewing, I'd be afraid that they were expecting me to stay so long that it was unsafe to drive home on a regular occasion.

Now, if it were just for midday naps, I'd love it.

The article explains it well. My great-grandmother told me 30 years ago: a 25 minute nap in the afternoon is essential; over 45 minutes is not good. This old wisdom from a hard working farmer took how much scientific scrutiny to finally be called the "NASA nap"? Don't listen to all your elders, but ones with true wisdom are pretty obvious.

Naps are the cure all for me in general. Need a little energy boost take a nap, have a headache take a nap, not feeling well cold coming take a nap. Most of my friends are amazed that I don't drink coffee.

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