Re-Embracing the Nap

I’m about to say something blasphemous (for me). Over the past 6 months, I stopped napping! I know, right?!?! Ms. Embrace the Nap, Take the Nap, PRIORITIZE the nap stopped napping???... Absolutely mad!

I haven’t written about this, mostly because I don’t really know what to say, but during the lockdown, I lost three of my pack: Marmalade in April, Sunsilk in November, and Mocha the following April. Affie is still alive but she decided, one day, she didn’t want to sleep with me anymore. Affie is not a particularly affectionate dog so I appreciate it whenever she chooses to actually sleep on the bed.

I have tons of photos of me cuddled up with the pets. Actually, most photos are of me napping with Marmalade, Sunsilk, Saachi, Affie, or Mocha. It’s hard not to sleep when pets are snoozing so soundly next to you.

I stopped snoozing during the day

After they died, though, I stopped snoozing during the day. I wasn’t better, disease-wise, nor did my fatigue magically disappear. I just stopped sleeping during the day.

I realized that my main draw to napping was due to the pets. I don’t doubt that I needed the rest and I cannot deny I needed to recharge to get through my day, but I just didn’t have the inclination to nap without the pets there. I certainly tried, but I couldn’t fall asleep nor could I stay asleep. My naps really became the definition of a catnap. I’d close my eyes for a few minutes and get by on that rest alone.

There is something very cozy about snuggling up with my pets. They’re warm and happy and they don’t judge when I need some shut-eye. In fact, they invite sleep! If Monica wasn’t napping, how did she keep up her energy levels? Honestly, I don’t think I needed that much energy, to begin with; certainly not as much as I needed pre-lockdown. I think I managed to muddle through with whatever energy I had from the morning.

I couldn’t ignore the need for naps

But, over the last couple of months, I’ve started napping again and it's in part, to the newest addition to my household: Kizmat, a female orange tabby. She’s a serious kitten right now so she doesn’t always nap but when she’s totally spent, she sleeps like an angel (P.S. Affie still doesn’t sleep with me). It’s nice having the pressure on my leg or my chest. It’s comfortable and cozy. I can now nap for upwards of 4 hours at a time.

There could be more factors at play. I just moved and, soon after, went through withdrawal because I couldn’t get my medications in time. My body went through it and the sudden change really rocked my disease management.

Maybe I couldn’t ignore the need for naps anymore. Maybe I needed more energy than I had without the nap. But, I think there was a large psychological impact because of my pets.

I feel better now that I’m napping again

I do have to admit, I do feel so much better now that I’m napping again. I feel more energetic and more productive.

It was a weird time for me, not napping. In a weird way, I felt like I lost part of my identity, which is quite possible since my pets were my identity and through them, I napped. I’m glad I am napping again. It is a great way to ensure I have the energy to get through my day.

Do you nap? LMK in the comments.