How to Power Nap

I honestly think one of the greatest skills to acquire in college is mastering the art of the "power nap." It takes practice, and if you go too long without one, you have to get back into the routine, but it's so worth it.
The power nap is useful because once you're really good, you can take ten to twenty minute long, refreshing naps at almost any time. Just think about it: you're exhausted after a day of classes, but you have a meeting in less than an hour. What to do? Take a nap! And still have time left to get some stuff done.

The art of power napping is often lost because of people's misconceptions about the length of time necessary for a refreshing nap. People think that a good three hour nap in the afternoon is what you need to recharge after a long day. Wrong! Based on experience and studies that I have read but don't remember exactly, those naps only make you lethargic and make you lose sleep the following night.

Now, sites like this one explain the benefits of naps in detail as well as outlines the specific different kinds of naps. I'm not going to read that whole thing because I'm lazy. Look what I'm doing. Blogging about naps! How much lazier can you get?!
But, if you feel like educating yourself, there are plenty of sites about power naps. This idea is hardly original. This other site looks promising, based on my first impression. And it's not as long as that other one, which is always a plus.

So, how do you get to be a pro napper, according to me? Follow these simple steps:

1. Always Set an Alarm.  I usually fit my naps in between classes or other things I have to do. This means an alarm is a must. Figure out how long you want to nap (twenty to thirty minutes is usual), and set your alarm to go off ten to fifteen minutes after that time. Ex: I want to sleep for twenty minutes, and it is 3:00. I will set my alarm to 3:35.
You will know best how long it takes you to fall asleep, so always keep that in mind when setting your alarm. You don't want to set it for twenty minutes and wake up only to find that you were able to sleep for five.

2. Self-Control.  When your alarm goes off, GET UP. The temptation to just lay in bed for another few hours will be overwhelming. Do not listen to it. If you sleep any longer, your whole sleep schedule will get messed up and then you will probably die. Interesting fact: Did you know that you can die if you don't sleep for 10 days? However, the world record for going without sleep is 11 days. Doesn't that just sound terrible? Think about that when you are feeling selfish and wanting to sleep an extra hour and ruin your nap schedule. Just think about it.

3. Create an Environment.
   a. Location: Your nap is not the same thing as a night's sleep. It should not feel like it. If you have another place to lay down where you can sleep other than the bed you sleep in at night, nap there. If you don't, use a different blanket or something. I use my bed for naps, so I usually only sleep under one blanket during a nap, but I use all my covers for bedtime.
   b. Lighting: Don't turn off all the lights. It is not night time yet! I always keep one light on in my room so I don't get tempted into thinking I can sleep forever. Too many times have I woken up from a nap and realized it is completely dark outside. Then I never want to get up. It's a problem.
   c. Clothing: It's also probably a good idea to sleep in the clothes you are wearing so you don't get too comfortable. If you are in really restricting clothes, you can change, but jeans and a tshirt are perfectly effective for napping.
   d. Position: Finally, I sleep in a different position when napping versus when I sleep at night. To get to sleep at night, I lay on my back, but during naps, I always lay on my side. If you are able to do this, I highly recommend it as well. Anything to help your body distinguish between naps and actual sleep.

And once you've done all this, you have to gradually get yourself used to sleeping like this. The first time you try, it will be pretty difficult. You'll want to keep sleeping or you won't have really slept at all by the time your alarm goes off. Do not fret. You will get better. And the biggest benefit of a power nap is that you don't get that horrendous groggy feeling like you get from a three-hour nap.

I hope these guidelines sort of helped, and best of luck with your napping endeavors!