Nap Attack.

[swestrup]

Had a sudden 'Nap Attack' around 9:00 am this morning and crawled back into bed. Six hours later I awoke feeling more human. I think I needed it. I probably need more too, but I'm just happy that it was a successful nap; one where I wake up feeling less tired than when I went to sleep.

Comments

[pythonian.livejournal.com]

6 hours is more than a nap. In fact, that is what most people would consider "going back to bed" for the day/night. ;-)

Still, glad to hear you're feeling more like yourself.

[swestrup]

I have a mental chart of amounts of sleep at night and their effects on me:

• 1-4 hours: Don't bother. - I wake up feeling worse than staying up.
• 5 hours - Non functional. I can show up at work, but I will get nothing done.
• 6 hours - Barely functional - I can do zombie work that is either rote or already planned out in detail. A surprising amount of IT work often falls in this category.
• 7 hours - I can function, but don't expect me to be at my most innovative, creative or to do any heavy thinking.
• 8 hours - My usual goal. I can sustain heavy thinking for a while if I get only 8 hours a night, provided I don't have a sleep deficit from previous nights of less sleep.
• 9-10 hours - catch up. I need this much sleep if I've managed a four-hour or so sleep deficit in the last four days.
• 11+ - Not recommended. I used to be able to get by with 6 hours of sleep all week and crash on the weekend for 14 hours to catch up. It would work too. Nowadays it not only doesn't work, it gives me a migraine attack.