In the past seven years, since my oldest was born, naps have been rare and treasured. Even when the kids were little and everyone was telling me "nap when the baby naps", I didn't nap (and I'm sure you didn't either). After all, when were the dishes going to get cleaned, the laundry washed and the dinner cooked? Simply put, there was no time for naps. And there really hasn't been ever since.
But since starting the Crazy Sexy Diet cleanse a little over a month ago, I've made napping almost a daily habit. How, you ask?
Well, first I redefined my idea of a nap. I love to sleep, so in the past, if I couldn't nap for a few hours without distraction, it just wasn't worth it. I woke up groggy and completely useless - much worse than if I'd skipped the nap completely. As suggested in the book, I now aim for a 20-30 minute nap. Yes, I need to set an alarm but often times, I find myself naturally waking after this much time. And at least half the time I don't fall asleep at all, but it really is refreshing to lie down quietly for a little while. Instead of fighting my way through that mid-afternoon slump, a 20-30 minute rest really does recharge me and make me much more effective for the rest of our day.
As for the kids, I give them the option of napping with me or playing quietly in their rooms. Can you guess which one they choose? Both gave up naps at age two and aren't eager to return to them! They're surprisingly good about not disturbing me because they know what the option is.
The biggest step in making napping a habit is just that - to make it a habit. There are plenty of elements to my day that I wouldn't skip no matter how busy I am - and now, napping is one of them!
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