Les 1
The Science Of Power Naps
A warm welcome on this first day of your new, well-rested life.
Thank you for joining me today for a little theory. I can be a bit of a science nerd sometimes. I like to know how things work. I find that, if I know how my brain and body will respond to a certain thing, it works better on me.
In this session, we will talk about the science of naps. What makes a perfect nap? What timing should we choose? An hour or 15 minutes? Where should we nap? What happens to our brain and our bodies when we nap? How can it benefit us in the long and in the short run?
I will also discuss caffeine naps and systematic napping as a lifestyle.
Let me know if you have any questions regarding the science of naps and I will answer them to the best of my abilities.
Les 2
Using Your Body To Prepare For A Nap
In this second session we will use our bodies to help us relax and move into a state of sleep. We will practice a technique that is sometimes known as progressive muscle relaxation. We will tense and relax different parts of the body in conjunction with our breaths. This will not only relax our bodies, but also enable our breathing to slow down.
We know that a slower breath can help us move into a more relaxed state, and ultimately help us to get some sleep. The session will last around 15 minutes. Let me know how you enjoyed your nap in the comments.
Les 3
Using Your Imagination To Prepare For A Nap
Today, we will progress in our nap relaxation. We will still hold on to our physical selves as a way to move into a state of sleep, but we will try not to move so much as we did yesterday. In this session, the technique we will employ is a passive muscle relaxation.
Although it has ‘passive’ in the name, we will still need to do a little bit of work to relax.In the technique, we will relax different muscles in our bodies, but we will do it without movement. This is to show you that it is possible to will your body to relax. Your mind has the power to relax your body.
I hope you can keep the immense and humbling power of your brain in mind, while you do this relaxation, but also for the rest of the day.
Enjoy your nap and let me know how you get along in our little course community.
Les 4
Using Our Breath To Prepare For A Nap
As we progress in this course and journey of ours, so does our ability to relax in a short space of time progress. We have already learned how to relax our body by using our muscles and how to relax our body by using the great big muscle that is our mind. In this new session, we will use another important system to slide into a short slumber: our breath.
Maybe you have been practicing relaxation or meditation for a while, in which case you will know the power of breathwork. If you are new to these practices, I welcome you and I applaud you. Today, we will learn (or re-learn) how we can focus on our breathing to relax and take a nap together.
The technique today is adapted from the beautiful tradition that is Japanese Zen meditation. I hope you enjoy the wisdom of this practice, and that your nap is restful.
Les 5
A Nap Can Be A Journey Of Transformation
After all our hard work in the past couple of days, all the science and the techniques, it is time for something a little bit different.
In today’s session, we will take a journey with our nap. Today is the day we can use our imagination and find ourselves in a visualization of sorts. After a guided breathing exercise, I will guide you and invite you on a journey. We will visualize a walk through the forest. The natural imagery will help us relax and find some rest. Perhaps it can also inspire you to take a forest walk later.
Along with all the other sessions in this course, this visual journey is one you can repeat for many naps to come. If you like, you can leave me a review or a comment. This helps the course grow and helps others find the course. And, of course, I am always curious to hear what you think.
Thank you for your trust, your time, your energy, and hope to hear from you soon.