Two Takes on Depression

Treating the very condition you live with––A clinician's dual perspective

by Deborah Serani, Psy.D.

The Benefits of Napping

By Deborah Serani, Psy.D. on February 18, 2011 in Two Takes on Depression

If there was a contest for napping, I'd take first place. I can nap anywhere, anytime. It's one of my many talents. Even my cat's in awe of my skills.Just about everyday around 2:00 pm, I can be found catnapping in a chair, at my desk or if I'm lucky, in a sunny spot somewhere. I fall into this semiconscious place where I'm not sound asleep but I'm not fully awake either. Read More

I love naps too much

Submitted by sarebear on February 20, 2011 - 10:02pm.

And so I probably should not engage in them, especially since I am bipolar. It's just, they feel really, really gooooooooddddd.

See, I don't have really good self-discipline, so when I'm in bed and it feels good, and I've napped for the apportioned half hour, because I know that's a "healthy" napping amount for this cat-napping benefit, you know, not sleeping so long you deeply sleep, I feel so good in bed I have a hard time making myself get out of it, especially if I'm partly asleep in that state that feels so good . . . I don't do well talking myself out of something that feels good.

So while I nap sometimes when I just can't resist the siren call, it probably isn't the best thing for me because I don't have great self-discipline. Which is something I am slowly developing in therapy but when I say slow it feels geological process slow lol.

Immeasurably slow.

Anyway. I envy you your ability and even more being able to get up out of it as needed! THAT is what I need!

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Timing

Submitted by Deborah Serani, Psy.D. on February 22, 2011 - 8:21am.

I've also been in the place where you don't want to wake up because the physical state of sleep feels so comfortable. If it's hard to monitor a nap on your own, I suggest using an alarm of some kind...one that requires you to get *up* to turn it off. You can set the alarm for 25 minutes and then place it across the room, or under your bed, so you must get UP to turn it off. Self-discipline is a good skill and can take time to develop. I definitely have it with napping, but not with anything chocolate!

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That's a good idea

Submitted by sarebear on February 22, 2011 - 12:56pm.

There's also an alarm clock called Clocky I've heard of with wheels on it; it rolls off your bedside table and wheels around the room; you have to get up to shut it off, lol. I think just moving my alarm clock is easier. I'll have to try this, thanks!

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Clocky

Submitted by Deborah Serani, Psy.D. on February 22, 2011 - 4:52pm.

Sarebear,
I have clocky. My kids use them. They roll on the floor and hide if you don't get up and turn it off. I keep a wind-up alarm clock across the room. It rings so loudly and is very irritating, so it does its job very well.