Power Nap 101

Week 4 is behind us and one survival skill that I have yet to master is the art of the powernap. Ah those oh-so-necessary, 15-20 minute cat naps that serve the dual function of providing relaxation and powering us through the next arduous task ahead of us. One can imagine that the ability to powernap is as necessary as a good yoga mat around here these days and it's true. However, while my roommate seems to be able to doze off in increments as small as 10 minutes and then pop out of bed refreshed and rejuvenated, I, on the other hand, fall into deep REM sleep in seconds complete with animated dreams and drool and when awoke look like I have luggage for a trip to Europe under my eyes and enough sleeping lines on my face and body that one might think a train plowed through my bed. I usually awake from a powernap with confusion regarding what day it is and have even run around my room frantically trying to determine whether the time is a.m. or p.m. and what the date is from fear that I missed class, lecture or posture clinic. Meanwhile, when my roommate wakes up from her dabbles in sleep she calmly continues on to the next task ahead of her with grace and dignity. The bottom line is if I'm down, I'm good for an easy 2 hour period and no less. Unfortunately, our schedule at BYTT simply doesn't afford me the luxury of sneaking in a 2-hour doze here and there which is why I had better learn quickly how my roommate's head hits and leaves the pillow all within 12 minutes flat. Sure she requires an alarm to jar her out of her zzzz's but I require a crowbar to pry my eyes open and a double espresso to return my brain back to normal operation. But, today is Sunday and even though I am as much a weekend warrior as the rest of em' (in other words, my weekends are packed with maximum anatomy and dialogue review), I am known to doze off from time to time, taking advantage of the fact that, for once, there is nowhere I must be. In the middle of studying my cardiovascular system flashcards, I felt my eyelids turn into 50-ton weights and my eyesight start to sway . . it was clearly time for a quick shut eye. Well wouldn't you know it I woke up 2 hours later to my roommate commenting "well good morning" . . powernap 101: don't sleep longer than 20 minutes at a time. Oops . . Well, Bikram is back and Week 5 is sure to be full of late nights and sleep deprivation so I had better brush up on my powernap 101 . .