N is for Naps

Looking back on all the naps I fought and even refused as I child, I have to conclude I was insane! Who in their right mind tries to avoid the heavenly bliss of a nap? I know I am the first one to pounce on these rare commodities now that I am an adult. Once I reached high school, I vowed to myself that I would never, ever pass up a nap again!

If I could nap daily, I definitely would. A long time ago (well, not THAT long ago, but nap-less years seem incredibly longer), my kids used to take an afternoon nap every day, and I always tried to join them. At the time, I was usually up until 3 or 4 am working on my college work, while they slept. As a result, I was dragging by 1 pm and seriously needed more sleep! Unfortunately, those days are over. For the last 3 years, my kids have not taken a nap, except for during illnesses. Oh, how I miss those glory days!

Naps are magical. Even just a few short minutes of sleep can restart my mind after a long day. I’ve also noticed that I remember almost all of my dreams when I am napping. Since I get many of my writing ideas from dreams, this can prove extremely useful. Also, naps give me clarity of mind and a fresh outlook on problems and challenges. And I haven’t met a bout of writer’s block in quite a while that hasn’t at least lessened with a nap.

I suppose that is one of the many perks of being a freelance writer. I can sleep on the job and it is actually beneficial. In a way, you could even say that I get paid to sleep. Napping gets my thoughts flowing again AND my dreams can be perfect for novel or short story ideas. It doesn’t get any better than that!