There are many life lessons to be learned while attending a fine educational institution such as this University. I have learned when not to cross the railroad tracks, I have learned to keep spare umbrellas for when the wind annihilates two or three of my other ones, and I have also learned the beauty of the catnap.
The catnap is a short, rejuvenating nap that can happen anywhere at anytime and usually lasts for less than an hour. Common habitats where one can locate the serial “cap-napper” are large lectures, dull study sessions, quiet corners of the Union or in front of a television.
Contrary to what some individuals may lead you to believe, the catnap is a valuable tool for surviving the college day. I speak not only from experience but also from information gathered from a small survey of my friends and a spot of research I personally conducted concerning the topic of these mid-day siestas. It’s a shame really, that many individuals today continue to discredit the healing powers of the catnap, for after a long night of studying or procrastinating, I look forward to the hour when I can recharge my battery with the simple delight of a cozy afternoon respite.
Thumbing through dusty research manuscripts, the “Sleep Disorders Sourcebook” offered viable support for my defense of the catnap; praising the catnap with benefits of higher efficiency, better performance, sharper concentration and an overall feeling of heightened alertness – all the benefits of a double shot from Starbucks, minus the caffeine headache!
Not wanting to seem over-zealous or feel I could begin proving theories based strictly upon my own personal feelings, I took a small survey of my friends to inquire about their napping habits and to shed some light on how many college students indulge in nature’s energy shot. The responses were all consistent: Cat-napping is a trend and I am openly encouraging you to jump on the bandwagon – what great reviews are being sung about the cap-napping sensation.
My dear friend Erin Barrett went so far as to say she felt more “charming and lovable,” after waking from a catnap. The general consensus reported feelings of happiness, refreshment and amazing relaxation. All friends surveyed reported nap times of one hour or less as well, holding true to the current research findings correlating quick, one hour or less, “powernaps” with overall genteel feelings of good nature and inner-warmth.
Standing as a personal testament to the beauty of the catnap, I can vouch for these findings by offering in my two cents, attesting to the revitalizing majesty of the catnap. Although, this may simply be a personal tolerance, I found myself dictating nap times based upon a much shorter amount of sleep the previous night as compared to my friends. For me, I am not only learning the beauty of the catnap but also how to run on three and four hours of sleep a night.
Losing sleep and suffering from sleep deprivation can wreck harrowing consequences upon the human mind, affecting performance, concentration and overall demeanor. These sour moods stemming from little to no sleep every night can, in turn, adversely affect the social roles and relationships individuals carry out in their daily life.
Yet again I can bear witness to this tragic affair, for after about a week where I got maybe 10 hours of sleep between a period of six days, my friends were frightened at who I had become over the past week (turns out I had not taken my catnap that day). I also know that have erred in skipping my nap when my evening class rolls around and I am nodding off to the beat of the lecture.
So whether you claim allegiance with the cats or the dogs, our feline friends must be given some form of credit for inspiring the catnap, for without such mental leisures to ease the weight of stress upon my mind, my sanity would be halfway to Mexico by now. So join the movement, follow the trend, believe the hype: Catnaps are beneficial, so give into peer-pressure, and if you haven’t tried one already, I guarantee a good time.
