November 22, 2009
UTNE READER

Sleep When You're Dead

(Page 2 of 2)

January / February 2004
Adam Overland Utne magazine 
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While there are certainly those who will be helped by drugs like Provigil, there are dangers as well. As with antidepressants and other drugs, we'll have to guard against the tendency to equate health and normality with a narrow set of cultural ideals -- like productivity, optimism, and staying awake. If it turns out that what we're trying to 'cure' is what makes us uniquely human -- and also uniquely ourselves -- it may be time for a second opinion. Or at the very least, time to sleep on it.

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Adam Overland is an Utne intern.

Where to Get Some Rest

Chris Dodge

Calm, Oregon

Idledale, Colorado

Lazy Lake, Florida

Peace, Alabama

Quiet Bay, Ontario

Rest Haven, Georgia

Siesta Key, Florida

Silent Island, Ontario

Slackwater, Pennsylvania

Sleepy Eye, Minnesota

Still, Oregon

Stop, Georgia

The 30-Second Nap

Peter Axt and Michaela Axt-Gadermann

From The Joy Of Laziness (Hunter House, 2003)

As you sleep, your body gains strength and your thoughts find rest. Over the long term, most people are productive only when they sleep an average of eight hours or more a night.

But if you need more rest than you are now getting, a 30-second nap can give you a quick refill of energy. Though it may sound unbelievable at first, this short break is often more useful than a long afternoon nap. Although most people who have mastered the art of the nap wake up feeling refreshed, many people actually feel more tired after a midday snooze.

Here's how to take a really short nap: Sit in a chair with your feet firmly on the floor and rest your elbows/lower arms on your knees while holding on to your key chain. Let your head hang down. Try to shut yourself off. With a little practice, if you're tired you'll fall into a brief sleep. The key chain is your alarm clock; as soon as you fall asleep, your muscles will relax, and the keys will fall to the floor, waking you back up. This brief sleep provides a burst of energy until you can get the long rest you need.

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