A Mindful Nap

It is mid-afternoon when I lie down on the soft quilt. The cat curls up next to my stomach. Feeling my deep breaths, he adds his purring as if to help encourage my aching legs to relax. The ceiling fan gently cools my skin.

As I gaze out the window, the rose bush shows off its bright red blooms, and the velvety petals flutter in the warm summer breeze. I look beyond, to the towering trees, and imagine the changes they have experienced from farmland to city life.

It is quiet today, with no traffic. Wanting to engage all my senses, I think about what I smell. Just a hint of my morning perfume. Returning focus to my legs, I repeat my mantra: relax, relax. In gratitude, I thank God for the time I need to heal.

Closing my eyes, Mama Cass drifts through my mind, 🎶”Sweet dreams ’til sunbeams find you, Sweet dreams that leave all worries behind you, But in your dreams, whatever they be, dream a little dream of me.”🎶

I float off to sleep. No dreams (sorry, Mama) but restful, restorative Zs.

I call it “mindful napping” and it is a wonderful way to incorporate mindfulness, gratitude, body scan techniques, and deep breathing methods into one activity, reaping the many mental and physical health benefits. Twenty to thirty minutes is all it takes.

Are you an older adult? Then, naps are even more beneficial for maintaining cognitive function. And, as any good dad joke meme says, pretty much all of our childhood punishments have become our adult goals:

• eating vegetables
• staying home
• taking a nap
• going to bed early

Try mindful napping and let me know how it works for you!

“Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28