Nap Queen

It is said that it takes 10,000 hours to "master" something... I can confidently say that I qualify as a Master of Naps.

"That feeling."

Homemade pin, courtesy of my sister. 

We all know how it feels when a nap attack is about to occur. It often begins with a subtle headache behind heavy eyes, mind fogginess, and yawning. If you're REALLY overtired, you may experience some mild nausea and muscle weakness. All of the sudden you feel a wave of desire to lie down wash over you and, depending on your will power, you may try to sneak a power nap in public. For some like me, once that feeling hits, taking a nap is our only solace.

Top 3 causes of a Nap Attack

1. You're actually tired. Whether you've had a few nights of inconsistent sleep, or you didn't get your usual 8 hours of recommended shut-eye the night before, your body tries to make up for the restorative sleep you lost pretty much right away. In some cases, you may feel fine the day after a poor night of sleep, only to find yourself experiencing nap attacks the next day. The moral of the story is this: 

Figure out how much sleep YOU need to feel rested (for most people, this number is between 6 and 9 hours), and try to head to bed and wake up at the same times each day. Regulating your sleep pattern is an excellent defense against nap attacks. 

2. You just ate a big meal. Food comas are so real, people. Unless you are uncomfortably full to the point of nausea or discomfort, most people have experienced a nap attack after a big meal. If the meal you just ate was high in fat, carbs, and/or sugar, you've got the recipe for a food coma. These foods trigger a response in our sympathetic nervous system that basically tells our bodies to slow down and focus on digestion. 

3. Anxiety and/or depression. Excessive daytime sleepiness often accompanies a crummy emotional state, and can sometimes begin a vicious cycle of unproductive days followed by guilt, followed by more napping. In my experience, a nap is a great escape from anything that might be stressful in my daily life. In college, I spent many days and nights napping between classes and assignment that I was anxious to complete, which lead to a whole lot of procrastination. Waking up from an anxiety nap is a RUDE awakening that sort of defeats the purpose of taking the nap in the first place. 

Napping and depression unfortunately go hand in hand as well. Besides using a nap as avoidance, depression is absolutely exhausting and causes a lot of daytime sleepiness. I'm sure there are biological and psychological reasons for this, many of which are still being examined by researchers all over the damn place.

#blessed

The venue

Hoooooookay, on a more positive note, the VENUE in which you choose to nap can make or break your napping experience. Attempting to nap somewhere that is noisy or uncomfortable usually results in a bunch of wasted time, and may leave you feeling more sleepy. If possible, find somewhere quiet, dim, and cool for your nap. Foam earplugs are a great investment. The quicker you fall asleep, the quicker you can wake up and return to your day feeling refreshed. 

If you feel the need to nap in public or at work, try to find a relatively private space where you won't be bothered. Be sure your valuables are secure so that you won't have anything to worry about while falling asleep. If you can't find anywhere suitable and you're in desperate need of a power nap, I suggest closing yourself in a bathroom stall, sitting down, and resting your head in your hands for 10 minutes. It sounds a little nutty but trust me, it'll stave off a nap attack for quite some time.

Naps are an incredible way to reset your body and mind throughout the day. As with most great things, moderation is key. A 30 minute nap will do you a lot more good than a 3 hour one, in most cases. 

Happy napping!

Claudio, my new nap buddy.

Bathing, A Love Story

I take a bath almost every evening, and you're about to find out why.

*WARNING: This post contains pictures of legs.*

From humble beginnings...

Although I have always enjoyed a nice bath, I fell in love with them during my senior year of high school. I was an ill 17 year-old, and the pain was constant. My waking hours were plagued with thumping intestinal discomfort and nausea, and my bathroom floor became my bedroom. I was losing weight and eating less because everything hurt. After every diagnostic test in the book (including, but not limited to, eating radioactive eggs and watching my stomach digest them), my poor GP was out of ideas. After issuing treatment for my anxiety and depression, undoubtedly sparked by being sick, my doc put her hand on my knee and asked, "Have you tried taking baths?"

The set up was simple at first- a clean bathtub, hot water, and me. I was frustrated when the water was too hot and I had to add more cold, and struggled with the 30 minutes of silent alone time that taking a bath gave me. It seemed TOO quiet, and gave me a lot of time to reflect... a thing with which I was not comfortable, as a 17 going on 18 year-old sick girl. I remember looking down at my body and picking it apart, criticizing every freckle and "fat roll." What I failed to realize was how much I was learning about myself, and, that my stomach didn't hurt at all.

...to ritual.

L'Occitane Lavender Foaming Bath

Eventually, bathing became my nightly ritual. I came home from school after a day of the usual stomach upset, ate my dinner like a bird, got undressed and hopped in the bath. The warm water relaxed every muscle, and I felt weightless, surrounded, and safe. After a few minutes of soaking, my stomach discomfort melted away and I could think clearly. The tub became my studio for acapella songwriting (my singing voice always sounds best in the bathroom), and an incubator for my growing body love. To me, baths were a magical cure-all.

Strangely enough, after moving away for college, I probably missed baths the most. Whenever I came home for holiday break, there were times when I took 2 baths in one day.

The LUSH life

LUSH Intergalactic Bath Bomb

Once I discovered LUSH, my bath game became SO STRONG. Each bath is now accompanied by a medley of aromatherapy, big Hollywood bubbles, and a fabulous color. I found a way to "treat myself" that doesn't harm me (...besides my wallet). In fact, I would argue that baths have contributed a good amount to why mental and physical well-being. Each bath bomb and bubble bar is unique, and every trip to LUSH is like Christmas morning. I have tried literally every bath product they make. 

My favorites bath bombs are Sex Bomb and Big Blue, and my favorite bubble bars are A French Kiss and Rose Jam Bubbleroon. More detailed reviews to come in "Bathing, a Love Story: Part Two." 

Additionally, I have recently acquired some L'Occitane Lavender Foaming Bath, which is down right heavenly. If you want big fluffy bubbles that smell incredible, this stuff is great.

LUSH Sex Bomb Bath Bomb

LUSH The Experimenter Bath Bomb

LUSH Twilight Bath Bomb

Pro tips

Finally, here are some pro tips to make your bathing experience a huge success. 

1. CLEAN YOUR TUB. There is nothing soothing about bathing with "floaties." I recommend Scrubbing Bubbles. 
2. DIM THE LIGHTS. Try for as little light as possible- candles are a huge plus. Give your eyes and your brain a rest, you deserve it.
3. PEE FIRST. As soon as you hit that warm water, you're gonna have to pee. There is nothing worse than having to leave the warm bath water to sprint to the toilet. Goosebumps city.
4. ADD SOMETHING. If you don't have any fancy bath stuff, squirt some plain ol' body soap under the running water. Chances are, you'll get some decent bubbles and a little more pazzaz in your bath.
5. PUT YOUR PHONE AWAY. This one is tough for me, as my new iPhone is waterproof... but it's essential. Take this time to reflect, relax, and make bubble mohawks. Sing, think, cry, whatever you feel like doing... just keep your phone out of your bathroom.

HAPPY BATHING. 

LUSH Big Blue Bath Bomb

Booze

As many of you know, indulging in alcoholic beverages is not something I do very often. I can't deny, however, the lovely feeling of warmth that accompanies a good drink. 

Neurotransmitters

Alcohol's effect on the brain, although it can be damaging over time, is undeniably magical. Certain neurotransmitters, the little messengers that carry signals throughout your body, are triggered by consuming alcohol. In this case, these guys are called GABA, which cause slurred speech, numbness, and slowed motor function that all accompany drinking.

Dopamine, perhaps more commonly known to accompany drinking, flows into the brain's reward center when introduced to alcohol. Therefore, the feelings of pleasure we experience while drinking are very real and physical, there's no doubt about it. In some cases, as many of us know, we get addicted to these moments of euphoria... which leads to a more complex subject I won't get into here.

Social

First date? Ladies night? Birthday party? Holiday party? Pretty much any celebration in existence? "Let's get drinks."

Social drinking exists in so many cultures for a reason. Drinking is something we can all relate to in some way, and it makes us feel physically lovely and mentally relaxed... which increases confidence. Feeling physically great and confident? Sounds like a perfect time to relax with friends or meet some new ones.

Flavor

Although alcohol itself is an arguably "acquired" taste, the sheer variety of beers, spirits, and cocktails makes drinking all the more exciting. My friends who love to drink love to share their discoveries of new beers or new cocktail recipes. 

No matter what type of flavor you desire, there is a drink for everyone. Smoky, sweet, bitter, salty, hoppy, floral- you name it- there are always so many options. Conversely, the most indulgent drinks seem to be those that do not have any trace of alcohol flavor or "bite" at all.

Genetics

I admit, I have not done very much research on this facet of drinking. In my circles, it does seem that drinking is a family affair. Children learn from their parents and often pick up their habits, especially they habits that seem to make them feel so good. 

There are definitely exceptions to this assumption, myself being an example. My parents have always enjoyed drinking, while I prefer other forms of entertainment and indulgence. One of my best friends, whose parents do not drink at all, is a cocktail connoisseur. Now you understand the tagline of my blog being "not-so-scientific."

Taboo

Finally, before the age of 21, many of us found drinking exciting and "off-limits," something to be done in secret. I don't have a theory about why, but humans seem to thoroughly enjoy being naughty once in awhile. Many being drinking before 21 not because they enjoy the taste, but because of it's taboo. 

When we finally reach drinking age, some of us may already have experience with it's positive effects on the body and mind. When we are able to order yummy cocktails and drink things other than Natty Light and Jager, drinking only gets better from there. 

Tiki bars are fun. This drink, a delightfully creamy, tropical, slushie was called "Josie's Family Vacation." I got to keep the plastic shark.