How do you nap?

[HangingOver]

I work for myself from home. I exercise quite a lot and all my classes are normally first thing in the morning.

I really feel like my life would be transformed by being able to have a nap after lunch... But no matter how hard I try it takes me at least 45 mins to fall asleep and then I sleep for at least 90 minutes. DP god rot him can fall asleep the moment he lies down and wakes up bright and breezy.

Any tips for me other than just practice? As nice as it is I can't routinely take 2+ hours out of my day 😂

Why do you feel taking a nap is a good idea?

If you feel sleepy after lunch (while your digestive system is kicking in) or mid-afternoon (blood sugar dip) then I would say give in to the tired feeling and you will drift off quite quickly.
Sounds like you are trying to force a nap that your body doesn’t actually need?

I think the only thing you can do to try and train yourself is to take the pressure off yourself to actual sleep, so give yourself a time allowance for example 40minutes, set your alarm for 40minutes, get as cosy as possible and close your eyes but don't put pressure on yourself to sleep, tell yourself if you don't sleep in that time you will have still rested for 40minutes. I think when you take the pressure off yourself to actual sleep and look at it as a rest, you might find that you nod off

I think you're either one of those people like your DH or you're not! I can't nap and I can't sleep on trains or planes etc either.

Try a guided meditation through headphones. Sometimes you don't need an actual sleep, just for your body to rest

Sounds like you are trying to force a nap that your body doesn’t actually need?

It's more like I feel super sleepy....but when I lay down I just sort of melt into the bed in this gross goblin like half-awake half-asleep state and eventually get up feeling tireder than before.

In that case why not excerise when you normally want to sleep and stay in bed later instead of getting up to excerise?

Agree with @Beetlewings - try the meditation idea… surprisingly restful. There are lots of good ones of varying lengths on YouTube, but Insight Timer is also a good app

I find having a toddler and being 22 weeks pregnant helps massively. As soon ad toddler nods off after lunch, I'm straight on the sofa with a blanket. If I try counting to 15 I almost never get there. It's as good as having a general anaesthetic without the hangover in recovery!

Might be a bit extreme for you.

TV on low volume, sofa, blanket, eyes shut, happy days.

Dh falls asleep as soon as he sits down.

I stare at the ceiling at 2am.

I doubt that either of us can advise you.

@PickAChew
Same here - so jealous of my partner falling asleep after about one minute in bed, I'll literally be talking to him but he's fast asleep in seconds.

whilst I'm doing visual meditations and reading for about two hours. He tells me I need to sleep more, like it's easy. Maybe it's me being peri menopausal, but he, being male doesn't have the pleasure!

I can't nap in bed so I sit on a recliner chair, sat but with my feet up.
I need the room to be slightly cool and dark-ish.
I can't cope with meditation but it's always worth a try. I tend to put something on the tv that I've seen before or isn't interesting, turn the volume down low and relax. Normally takes me around 20 minutes to nod off and I don't let myself nap for more than an hour or I end up with a headache and unable to sleep at night.

I have to say I'm not always so great falling asleep at night - that's very hit and miss here

This type of meditation is great for sleep. You can use the drop down menu to select a sleep one but any will give you rest and you can emerge refresh. I too can't nap without feeling hungover afterwards. You just need to find a voice and style you like.

https://www.yoganidranetwork.org/downloads]