Naps for Conscious Aging

Do you nap? Or do you feel a little guilty even thinking about it? 

Some people think napping is only for kindergarteners, but in truth, it’s one of the most profound practices for conscious aging. In this post, I want to share the magic and mystery of napping — why it matters, the science behind it, and how to nap in a way that leaves you feeling restored instead of groggy.

I’m an avid napper, and I’m an advocate for naps. If you’re curious about how to age consciously, care for your nervous system, and reclaim your energy, read on.

For many, mixed feelings around napping comes down to old programming. We’ve been conditioned to believe our worth is tied to productivity. If we’re not busy, we’re not valuable. We wear exhaustion like a badge of honor, and when we lie down in the middle of the day, the inner critic pipes up: lazy, unmotivated, indulgent.

But those voices are not truth. They are leftovers from a culture that equates output with identity. Reclaiming the nap is a way to rewrite that story—and to remember that rest is not a weakness, but a birthright.

There’s an art to napping. It is one of the most practical, mystical, and rebellious practices we can embrace as we age consciously. Napping is also one of the most profound ways we can care for our nervous systems, cultivate creativity, and age consciously.

The Science of Brainwaves

Our brain runs on different wave patterns throughout the day, and naps let us access the softer, more creative states that are often unavailable when we’re constantly “ON.” 

• Beta (Busy Brain): Everyday thinking, to-do lists, scrolling, and the grind. Useful, but draining when we live here all the time.
  
• Alpha (Awareness & Allowing): The daydream state. This is where the default mode network activates—intuition, creativity, and new insights spark here.
  
• Theta (Intuitive Flow): Deeply meditative, imaginative, and healing. A state of interconnection.
  
• Delta (Deep Sleep): Restorative and essential for healing, but if you hit it during a nap, you may wake up groggy.
  

The magic of napping is in giving yourself permission to drop down out of busy beta and into the open, intuitive alpha and theta states where creativity and insight live.

Nap Lengths & Benefits: Choose Your Potion

Not all naps are created equal. Depending on how long you rest, you’ll get different benefits:

• 10–20 minutes: Perfect for a quick refresh and alertness boost. You’ll wake up energized, not groggy.
  
• 60 minutes: Supports memory and integration—ideal if you’re learning something new or working on a creative project.
  
• 90 minutes: A full sleep cycle. This is where deep repair and growth hormone production happen. Choose this if you’re recovering from illness, stress, or injury. This is the sweet spot for emotional regulation too.

Think of nap lengths like choosing a potion: do you want focus, memory, or deep healing?

Biphasic Sleep History

Here’s something our culture forgets: sleeping in one long chunk is a modern invention. Before artificial light and factory schedules, humans naturally slept in two segments—first sleep and second sleep. The hours between were often spent in prayer, reflection, intimacy, or creativity.

This rhythm still lives in our bodies. Waking up at 3 a.m. has been pathologized and called “insomnia.” But it may be a reflection of  something ancient, mystical, and entirely natural. Instead of panicking, you can use those hours as sacred time—and simply catch a nap the next day. Many cultures, from Mediterranean siestas to Latin American afternoons, still honor this biphasic wisdom.

Practical Nap Rituals

You don’t have to be in bed to benefit from a nap. In fact, creating a special rest spot helps your brain distinguish between “night sleep” and “day rest.” A hammock, a couch, or even a yoga mat can become your napping sanctuary.

A few ways to make napping a ritual:

• Affirmation Alarms: Record yourself saying “I am awake, I am creative, I am healthy” or whatever seeds you want to plant into a receptive mind state. Let that be the voice that wakes you after 20 minutes.
  
• Yoga Nidra / NSDR: Guided relaxation tracks that bring you into deep brain states without needing to sleep.
  
• Coffee Nap: Drink a small coffee or tea, lie down for 20 minutes, and wake just as the caffeine kicks in. Surprisingly effective.
  
• Props: Eye mask, blanket, soft music, or silence—signal to your nervous system that it’s safe to release.
  

Remember: even lying down quietly for 20 minutes counts. You don’t have to fall asleep for your nervous system to reset.

Napping as Rebellion

Every time you nap, you’re pushing back against the dominant culture that tells you busy equals worthy. You’re reclaiming your sovereignty, your body, and your rhythm.

Napping is not indulgent. It is adversive. It is rebellion. It is the Divine Feminine stretched out on the couch with an eye pillow and blanket.

So nap daily if you can. Nap when your body aches for it. Nap as ritual, nap as medicine, nap as a quiet protest against a system that profits from your exhaustion.

And in this stage of life, reclaiming the nap is not only a gift to your body and mind—it’s a radical act of sovereignty.

✨ If this resonates, I’d love for you to join us inside The Crone’s Nest—an intentional online community for sensitive, neurodiverse women in the third stage of life. Together, we’re redefining aging with ritual, rest, and a little irreverence.

👉 Join The Crone’s Nest here ➝ Link