Evening nap makes me feel almost cured

[mariposa]

When I awake my energy levels are at the highest they ever are, pretty much at pre-CFS levels, albeit usually only for bout 20 minutes. After a long sleep I don't get any benefits, but after a nap I always do. What do you think is the reason behind this?

I'm glad to hear this works well for you! How long are your naps? One of my friends with fibro can nap whenever she feels the need... but another, no matter how much she's hurting, can't sleep in the daytime. She's said that she would have to lie there for about 45 minutes before there's any chance of dozing off and by that time, she'd have to be up again.

 

[Trellum]

I'm not sure whether I can. Do you find that you are more fatigued after waking up? That's what I find. After A long sleep I am very fatigued, late at night I am mildly fatigued, but for a brief period after a short nap I am not fatigued at all.

Uhm, actually when I sleep too long I tend to wake up feeling very fatigued, some people even wake up to an awful headache. I read it has something to do with the sleeping phases and so on. Actually it makes sense your short naps make you feel better I feel my best when I sleep for at least 8 hours, if I sleep less I might feel sluggish... sometimes a nap during the day is also very nice!

 

[painismylife]

Like a lot you who have replied, I have chronic fatigue, and insomnia. And like a lot of you, I also have to take a nap most every day if I want to get through the day. And short "power naps" do the trick. If it is any longer than 45 minutes, then I can forget a) doing anything productive for the rest of the day, and b) sleeping that night. I would keep taking those short evening naps, Hedon. If it works, then by all means, keep doing it! Right now, I am at the point of saying, "Whatever works, then do it!" Wish I could find something that works. Just keep on keeping on, my friend. That is really all we can do!

 

[wander_n_wonder]

I never get that benefit from naps, not even from a 8 hours long sleep. You can consider lucky! For some reason I wake up feeling so restless most of the time, I'm guessing something is wrong with my seep... for some reason I tend to wake up very easily and tend to hear whatever happens around me when I am sleeping. So no deep sleep stages for me, I'm guessing you are the kind of person who can reach the deep sleep stage easily, Hedonologist

I personally don't like taking naps, because it always would make me feel so sluggish. For example, if I sleep in the car for like 30 mins, when I wake up, I feel so thirsty, hot, and even more tired. It really feels like not resting at all. I get so moody as well after that.

I only sleep when I know it's gonna be a real sleep where I feel comfortable wherever I am lying down. This kinda conditions my body that it should really start to rest and overall, when I wake up, I feel refreshed.

 

[Allison]

I take a nap most day that I return home. I used to teach for over twenty-four years. I needed to take a nap daily from 4:00 until whenever because the job was that stressful. Then I began substitute teaching. Once more, I napped daily for at least 90 minutes.
I recently started a simple telephone sales job. I still nap daily; however, I feel refreshed upon waking.
Stress can kill you!

 

[ambrosia]

I have to say that sometimes I get so extremely tired that I need to sleep for at least 12 hours. I know it sounds like a very long time, but my body and mind need it to recuperate from pain and stress. Short naps will leave me feel restless and agitated. I fare much better if I read a book or meditate, without sinking into sleep, otherwise I will be awake most of the night. But I have certain times of the day when I will go into a 5 minute micro sleep, usually on a park bench, in the metro or even at home.

 

[btatro]

I find it so incredibly difficult to take short naps. If I lay down, I expect to be down for around an hour and a half. I would love to be able to find some solace in a 20-minute cat nap.

 

[Hedonologist]

It's only in recent years I've even been able to nap. I found it impossible up until the age of 19 apart from when extremely ill. I now nap at least once a week and often more. Especially in the summer months. I find that in summer I am very bad without my afternoon nap.

 

[quarterbreed]

I'm guessing something is wrong with my sleep... for some reason I tend to wake up very easily and tend to hear whatever happens around me when I am sleeping. So no deep sleep stages for me, I'm guessing you are the kind of person who can reach the deep sleep stage easily,

 

[Hedonologist]

I'm not sure. I don't think it is deep sleep. Just shallow sleep that seems to perk me up very quickly. Even just closing my eyes for 4-5 minutes without even consciously falling to sleep gives me a boost for a short while.

 

[wulfman]

I usually sleep in the afternoon for a few hours. Very difficult for me to get up and cook dinner and get moving though.

 

[atuckerit]

Are you sure that it isn't your mattress or something? Maybe you aren't sore when you are napping because you are napping somewhere different or for less time.
We have a couch in our house that KILLS my back and legs. I cannot fall asleep on it, because it will surely cause me excruciating pain.
I have had to get a memory foam mattress for the bed, as my back also hurts depending upon the mattress that I am sleeping on. Certain mattresses are fine for me, others cause me extreme body pain upon waking in the morning.
Hope that helps!

 

[wulfman]

Just be careful those naps don't turn into a regular night's sleep . It will throw you off schedule and ruin your whole day. You will feel worse than being jet lagged. If you are able to get up in 1-2 hours or whatever you set your clock to and wake up feeling great then good. I wish I could do that.

 

[Gelsemium]

That can happen indeed, we need to maintain our sleeping patterns, but at the same I believe that some extra rest is necessary and if that relieves the pain I see nothing against it.

 

[Hedonologist]

Just be careful those naps don't turn into a regular night's sleep . It will throw you off schedule and ruin your whole day. You will feel worse than being jet lagged. If you are able to get up in 1-2 hours or whatever you set your clock to and wake up feeling great then good. I wish I could do that.

I've had this happen to me a couple of times actually. I'm OK now but it is important that you are careful not to completely knock your sleep schedule out of whack with late in the day naps.