I and so many others I know can’t make it through the day without taking a nap, specifically around the late afternoon hours. If you ask me, it’s truly an epidemic. After I eat lunch, all I want to do is sleep. My eyes literally close despite sitting up and doing work.
What is it about the hours between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m.? Are these hours cursed so that my day can never reach its full productivity potential? Is the universe simply telling me that I’ve done enough for the day and need a little break from girlbossing so hard (obviously yes, but even girlbosses should be able to stay awake)?
Even though life can be exhausting and warrants some rest at times, that two-hour nap every day eats up about 14 hours of my week. As a preoccupied college student, I decided that I didn’t want to waste that time anymore or spend it limping through the afternoon and dreaming of a nap every second (at best). Here are two things I’ve adjusted in my day-to-day to avoid ever wanting to go back to the naps I took before.
Staying Active
This might sound counter-productive, but it’s been the key to my progress. In the past, I’d spend my time after lunch doing something that I knew was important, like starting assignments or tending to emails, and I’d do them sitting down. Or worse, lying in bed. I’d tell myself that it was okay to get a little comfy if I was simultaneously being productive. Except I wouldn’t be. I quickly found out that sitting down under a blanket and turning on moody lighting means falling asleep whether there’s a laptop on my lap or not.
I diagnosed that as the root of the problem (because it definitely was no matter how delusional I am) and simply stopped doing it. On top of that, I replaced it with something that would eliminate any and all temptation to do it again: running. I think cardio is probably one of the most torturous forms of exercise, so please don’t feel like you have to go out and run a marathon. A simple 10-minute yoga routine from YouTube or taking your dog on a walk will get your blood pumping just the same.
In my experience, doing a short workout like that actually wakes me up more. Not only have I found it gets me over that lethargic feeling, but it’s gotten my blood flowing, heart rate up, and body moving. I implemented this habit at the start of the semester, but in just that short amount of time, I couldn’t imagine taking a nap over a run and a shower again.
Being more aware of my eating habits
I know I’m going to sound like my mother or maybe your mother with this point, but perhaps they were right. I didn’t purposely change the way I eat with the thought of getting more energy out of it, but I could noticeably see the change in my energy when I did it.
I used to skip breakfast every day or hold off on it until I could eat at a time that would pass for breakfast AND lunch. Unsurprisingly, when I did this, I was tired and looking forward to the next meal because I gave my body no protein, carbs, or healthy sugars to keep me going. By having a cup of yogurt in the morning or eating natural peanut butter instead of artificial jelly on my toast, my mood and outlook in the morning are completely different.
Things have gotten better for me by not just stopping there. I try my hardest to have three structured meals a day around the times that I should be having them. Before, I was just a one-big-meal-a-day-girlie who would eat way more than I should at the dinner table, but then eat like a bird all day before it. I felt how unhealthy it was when I’d literally crash onto my bed halfway through the day. I haven’t been as sluggish since making an effort to eat my three meals a day and being conscious about what I’m putting into my body.
Don’t get me wrong, I’ll still be the first girl at the function to tell you that I’m sleepy. I’m a Taurus — what do you expect? However, the “sleepy” that I am these days is different. Now, I feel tired because I’ve lived and worked a full day (with no naps in the middle of it).
I think that not shutting down halfway through the day has also improved the sleep that I get at night, in turn giving me more energy again for the next day. I never thought that my relationship with naps would change, but I think I’ve finally seen the day. Unite with me as we beat the epidemic of needing a nap to get through the day!
Want to see more HCFSU? Be sure to like us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and Pinterest!