Two days ago I informed you about what I call, the before the day. I can understand if you, after you had your BTD, you feel a bit tired during the day, because you are up early. Therefore is a solution: the powernap!
There are several ways to powernap, but I have created my own, and it works for me.
What is a powernap?
A powernap is as it says, a power nap. A quick nap, which gives you a boost to go own the rest of the day. You feel better after the quick nap. With quick, I really mean quick, don’t sleep longer than 30 minutes. Your sleep intensity is at the start really high, so at the beginning of your sleep, you gain a lot of mental energy.
How to powernap
- First, drink coffee, of course, this sounds like cheating, but it works! Drink coffee before you go to sleep, and the caffeine will start to work after 20 minutes. Which wakes you up!
- Set your alarm at 30 minutes. You won’t sleep right away, so set your alarm at 30 minutes, if you are tired enough you will fall asleep within 10 minutes and you still have a 20 minutes nap. Which is the right amount.
- Go to sleep. Obviously, close all the curtains and get into bed, with you clothes on. Seriously, getting up will be hard, but if you have your clothes on already, it’s much easier. It sounds rediculous, but it is true.
- When the alarm goes, get out of bed. Open the curtains, shut off the alarm, be awake.
- Alright, I’ll give you a break, get back in for 5 more minutes. But don’t fall asleep! Just enjoy the warmth of your bed!
- Get up, and feel refreshed.
I use the powernap as a way to recover after a training, so I can go on with school again. For me, it is working really well. I’m curious about how it works for you, post it in the comment section, I want to make another post with reactions, and I want to use yours! (You can also contact me on Twitter!)
Put the powernap in practise and share your thoughts!
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{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
I’ve tried your BTD for the last few days, using it to get up half an hour earlier. In that time, I tidy my bedroom. It’s a very useful idea, and I haven’t been feeling significantly more tired than normal, despite going to bed at the same time.
Hey Wilhelm, great to hear someone is trying my system.
A nice thing you’re doing, tidying your bedroom, a really active thing and indeed usefull!
Keep on going!
I never thought about the coffee tip. I would always recommend somebody to take a nap if the person is tired. I prefer taking nabs for 30 mins that sleeping for 8 hours in the night.
Ahh the coffee trick. I call it a “supercharged” nap. I’m not sure the getting back in bed for 5 minutes is safe, though. I’d be back asleep in 2.
I’ve been taking 15 min. power naps for years now when I need them. A little different than what you suggest, but it works for me. The coffee trick really does help. I read somewhere that a person can survive for a couple weeks on just power naps, during extreme emergencies.
Sounds cool!
Should be real emergencies then, something like living in a state where there is a constant thread and you need to replace yourself every 30 minutes.
Thanks for the comment Bernie!
Twitter: NielsGouman
December 20, 2009 at 8:26 pm
It doesn’t sound healthy that you use this to recover from training
I know that during and in the instant after training you could be tired, I am too, but like a couple of minutes later I’ve got LOTS of energy it would be a shame to waste that on a power nap
I never drink coffee so I’m not dependent on that caffeine but I think this extra energy 30 minutes after training is common..
Hey Niels, I am a swimmer, so before I can go to bed it is already 40 minutes after the training I had (shower, change clothes, drive back home) so I don’t think I have that boost from the training I got anymore..
I am in doubt myself now also, is powernapping after a training a good thing or a bad thing? I am going to think about that!
Thanks for your always contributing comment!
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