Why I Stopped Feeling Guilty About Rest
The Inherited Belief
Someone once told me that afternoon naps would make me gain weight.
That idea stuck.
And like many unexamined beliefs we carry, it quietly shaped how I moved through my days.
I’d feel the midday crash coming on—my mind foggy, my focus slipping. But I’d push through anyway.
Because resting felt wrong. Lazy. Unproductive.
I thought I was being disciplined…
But I was actually ignoring my body’s signals.
What Science Says
It turns out the science has a very different take on this myth.
A 2022 meta-analysis of 54 studies, featured in The Washington Post, found that even a 10-minute nap can significantly improve:
- Memory
- Mood
- Alertness
- Cognitive performance
And the best part?
These short naps deliver benefits without grogginess—unlike longer stretches of daytime sleep.
So instead of fighting fatigue, a brief nap actually helps your brain reboot, especially during natural energy dips in the early afternoon.
The Reframe I Needed
The brain with 50 tabs open, except none of them were loading.
That was me!
Now I see a nap not as a sign of weakness, but as a way to clear the clutter and reset my focus.
It’s not time lost—it’s clarity gained.
Rest isn’t a reward for burnout.
It’s a requirement for sustainable thinking, creativity, and presence.
From Guilt to Fuel
created a short video to unpack this shift—my own journey from nap guilt to nap wisdom.
It’s not just about sleep.
It’s about unlearning what productivity should look like… and reclaiming what your body has known all along.
Your Turn: What’s Your Nap Story?
Did you grow up believing naps were lazy too?
Or have you always embraced rest as fuel?
👇 Drop a comment, or just a 😴 if this resonated.
Let’s normalize rest. Let’s make clarity louder than hustle.
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