Afternoon nap.

I've just been watching last night's "Adele at the BBC" on the iPlayer
and fell asleep. Feel very Zombie-like now.... ugh....
I don't know of any cure for this. Off to make a strong coffee now....
(glad I'm not the only one, Falconbird).

Have a nap before you are so tired. A power nap after lunch like so many people do - and benefit from it. Put a timer on for 20 minutes but you will find that you automatically wake after half an hour after a few weeks. It takes practice and its lovely!!

Of course I live on the continent and we have a different feeling for timing. I notice in the Uk that in the U3A some courses start at 1.30 p.m. that would be impossible in Germany. We don't even ring people up betwee 1 and 2 o'clock and our Bridge club begins at 3 p.m. and my Yoga course begins at 4 p.m.

I find sometimes that if I have a nap during the day it interferes with my sleep at night. I try to remain awake during the day but it does not always happen.

If only I could! Unless it's dark and I'm in bed then there's no chance of catnapping.

I find the key thing to do is not make yourself too comfortable. I sometimes get overtaken with weariness early afternoon and I simply sit at the table and rest my head on my hands. It means I do not sleep too deeply and when I wake up, usually within 20 minutes, within 5 or 10 minutes have lost the waking up groginess and feel better for the nap.

When I retired I thought the great luxury was that when I felt drowsy during the day I could lie on the bed or settee. I learn my mistake. I would wake up half an hour or more later feeling even worse than when I fell asleep and would stay that way for an hour or two.

Whatever time I go to bed I wake around 5am. Always ready for a power nap after lunch. Find a cup of strong coffee and maybe a square of chocolate very reviving.

If at home, and tired, I close my eyes for a while, sometimes drop off for an hour sometimes not, and just have a rest in a comfy chair. I always feel better for it, and never zombie like.

I am the same now, in that if I sit and read, my eyes feel gritty, so I make myself comfy on the sofa, feet up. I nap for roughly 30 minutes or so, and feel so much better when I come to. Better still if DH looks across and says, " Tea" ? Great.

I feel the same if I sleep for more than 20 minutes. The secret, as someone else said, is to set a timer for 20-25 mins when you lie down. That way, when you wake up you feel wonderfully invigorated and refreshed. If I sleep longer than half an hour I feel terrible when I wake up because I've gone into too deep a sleep. Try it!

Good idea about the alarm.

I've got a handy one on my mobile phone. I think part of the problem is I miss my DH and when I wake up from a doze I feel quite disorientated and momentarily can't work out what's happened and why I'm alone.

He used to doze off quite frequently and we often dozed off together. It takes me a few mins to orientate myself to my new situation. This doesn't happen so much in the mornings.

My husband always used to stumble off to the fridge and eat cheese when he woke up from a nap. A happy memory is him heading for the fridge still a bit dopey from his sleep. maybe cheese or some other form of protein is the answer.

Drink coffee when you wake up, falcon. That's what I do. It's even more effective with a slab of cake alongside . Seriously, though, I just treat it like waking up in the morning: head for kettle.

I'm sure the nap thing will get easier and is worth persevering with. After all, if it was good enough for Margaret Thatcher...!
I'm very sorry to hear about your husband - I'm sure you're right about adapting to your new circumstances disorientating you. It takes time, but you'll get there. And in the meantime, yes ... keep eating the cheese!

PS Let us know if the 20 minute plan works Falconbird - or if we're talking out of the top of our heads!

I'm not old enough for afternoon naps !

Alima - really only one square?!

Nor young enough either, Lona? <ducks quickly>

cheeky bags

I fall asleep watching TV. Frustrating when you don't know "who done it." Solution is to set the recorder but I don't always remember to do it and have to go to I player. Old age!!

I will try the alarm, the coffee and cake and the cheese. The memory of my husband when he woke up from a nap is making me smile all day.

He would do a Zombie impression, shuffling along with his arms stretched out saying "cheese, cheese," in a zombie like way.

It used to make me laugh so much.

PS I don't think I'm old enough for an afternoon nap either, but my body is convinced that I am.

I just naturally fall asleep after lunch, - no trouble at all! If we have to go out in the afternoon, I do not seem to suffer at for not having had the nap, so it is just habit, I think. Have to wake the other half up - he would sleep for England given the chance, and still have a good night's sleep.

Falconbird your happy memory made me smile as well.

I don't think that anyone, young or old should worry about a nap if they need it, our bodies usually tell us what we need.

Actually, I would be worried if I suddenly started feeling I needed to sleep the afternoons! What are you all doing that wears you out so much...?

in the afternoons