Regardless of whether you spent it studying or watching cat videos, the day after a late night is always a struggle. Most of the day is spent walking around in a daze, and paying attention in class is hardly a priority. If this sounds like you, it’s time for a power nap – stat!
Napping is Awesome
Naps aren’t just for pre-school kids; Albert Einstein and Bill Clinton are both known for their napping habits, and workers at Google often have a quick kip in special office nap spaces to help them refresh and focus on solving a problem.
Why You Need to Take a Nap
Sleeping is crucial to memory: a bit of shuteye is all that’s needed to transfer information from the short-term to the long-term memory, so sleep deprivation makes it harder to learn… and that’s if you don’t fall asleep in class first.
If you didn’t catch enough Zzzzzs last night, you’ll also find it difficult to focus, and critical analysis won’t come easily if you’re working on an assignment or practice exam.
Bed Time!
It’s common to feel tired after lunch so this is a prime time to schedule your power nap. Find somewhere quiet and dark to nod off – if you’re not at home, I recommend the back corner of the silent work area at the law library. Grab your phone, switch it to silent and set an alarm. The most effective power naps last about 20 minutes – you might go into a deep sleep if you take a longer nap and then wake up feeling even more exhausted (if that’s possible).
Even if the post-lunch yawns are nowhere to be seen, if you have a late night coming up a preemptive sleep can you to feel more alert for hours.
And remember that power napping is only a band-aid solution for tiredness. As soon as that exam or assignment is over, be sure to hit the hay for a good night’s sleep.
Sleep tight!
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