The Chemistry of Calm

Drug-free strategies for quieting fears and overcoming anxiety.

by Henry Emmons, M.D.

Fear Not the Winter Blues

By Henry Emmons , M.D. on December 3, 2010 in The Chemistry of Calm

Winter's cold, short days remind us that we are mammals---and, like other mammals, we have a drive to hide out during the dark months. Read More

Am I a freak? Or just weird?

Submitted by Anonymous on February 15, 2011 - 12:25am.

After I exercise for an hour, I get tired and want to take a nap.

Also, I don't like waking up with an alarm clock. I'd rather sleep until I wake up naturally, even if it's more than 45 minutes. I feel much more relaxed after a nap, and I like the feeling. I'm less irritable after a nap, unless I get startled by an alarm clock.

I sleep well at night, unless my neighbor has his music on infinite replay.

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I AM WITH YOU ON THIS!

Submitted by Mary on February 15, 2011 - 3:30pm.

I do hard workouts (well, hard to me) for at least one hour every other day (wearing a weighted vest, carrying weights, light lifting, etc) and I need to nap afterwards. They wear me out.

And no alarm clocks. I feel more rested if I wake naturally - and I nap as long as I need to - oftentimes an hour a day yet sometimes more. And I sleep at least 9 hours a night, in winterime, more.

I think there are a lot of individual variations to this story. I know I have always needed more sleep then the averages advertised, and I just do it.

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I think it's great to wake up

Submitted by Henry Emmons on February 17, 2011 - 5:35pm.

I think it's great to wake up without an alarm if one can do so reliably. It is often a sign that you are getting enough sleep.
Not sure why you'd feel so tired after exercising, unless you're being really vigorous, or perhaps your blood sugar gets low. Many people feel more energized immediately after exercise. I think naps are healthy, though, unless they leave one feeling more sluggish.