July 11, 2008

All hail the Siesta King

I saw this article through Lifehacks . As most of you know RJ is in the 'Easy to Nap' camp and I am in the 'Angry that he can Nap' camp. I thought I'd analyze the points above and show you how a pro executes a perfect nap.

Find a safe, quiet, comfortable place, preferably one where you can lie down. (It takes about 50 percent longer to fall asleep sitting up-right) ~RJ's '50% longer to sleep sitting up' is currently clocked at 3.5 seconds.

Have a light blanket handy in case you get chilly, but nothing too heavy (excess warmth can make you oversleep) ~ RJ doesn't need the blanket but a quick sock check is in order. If he falls asleep with socks on the 'excess warmth' effect kicks in.

Set an alarm ~ For all the high-tech gadgets RJ has, his favorite and most commonly used alarm is "Karen, don't let me oversleep". When he wakes up either by himself or with my assistance his first question is always "How long did I sleep for?" Not only am I the designated alarm clock I'm also the official time keeper for this event.

Quiet your mind by repeating a mantra, taking a mental walk at a relaxing place like a beach or counting sheep or floating z's AND If noise is an issue, put in earplugs or turn on some white noise ~ RJ's partner in napping crime is the TV. Golf especially puts him to sleep but he'll use any sport that's on. Of course he might not wake up to his show if I'm in the room.

Calm your body by breathing slowly and deeply. Concentrate on relaxing your muscles one group at a time. ~ Not necessary, RJ is always calm and relaxed and ready to nap.

Darken the room or use eye shades. A pillow or baseball hat covering the eyes works well. Although the pillow can become a sound barrier as well and that doesn't work well for me when I am shouting at him from the kitchen to come and assist with dinner.

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