LC Naps

You deserve to rest. Your worth is not based on what you produce.

The Center for Spiritual Life values a meaningful life that resists Grind culture. Come resist with us and rest. The Agnes Flanagan Chapel is a peaceful, dark, quiet, and central place on campus for a pause. You are welcome in the space anytime there is not a scheduled class or event there. A calendar is posted by the door for your convenience. Nap accessories (pillows, blankets, guided meditation links, etc.) are located at the base of the stairs on the lower level of Flanagan, found to the left of the piano.

Rest and care for body, mind, & spirit are practices we care about and believe are essential to community work, personal growth, and finding meaning in life. Nap, rest, close your eyes, pray, meditate, breathe deeply, pause- engage in whatever you need to feel a moment of rejuvenation!

The Agnes Flanagan Chapel (and Spiritual Life Lounge downstairs) are almost always open and quiet spaces for you to rest or work quietly — please feel free to use them for rest as needed.

Here you’ll find napping resources such as a Nap Map of great spaces for a few minutes of mid-day shut-eye, some info about why rest is so vital, and details about the LC Nap Time!

College students are among the most sleep-deprived population.  Most of us need 7-9 hours a sleep each night, but this isn’t always possible with college life.  Napping be a great mid-day boost, whether it be an hour or two deep break, or a 20 minute snooze!

It’s a practice though — many people find naps to be disruptive to their afternoon productivity or their sleep, it’s too easy to get cozy and lose motivation, abandoning the rest of today’s tasks until tomorrow.  For napping to be most effective, we all have to figure out what works best for us.  Keep reading to learn some great napping tips and explore our favorite rest-resources!

 

Some Potential Benefits of Napping

  • Higher levels of energy throughout the day
  • Better mood
  • Greater readiness for movement, exercise, and other self-care activities
  • Improved memory and cognitive functioning
  • Increased alertness, focus, and motor performance; fewer mistakes/accidents
  • Greater respect for your limits

 

Best Rest Tips

From the Longhorn Wellness Center:

  • campus naps ideally last between 20 and 30 minutes
  • use your phone alarm to wake you up on time
  • nap between 1 and 4pm to avoid disrupting your night’s sleep
  • schedule it! a quick nap can be perfect for between classes or in the middle of a planned study marathon
  • stretch a little before and after your nap, it will help you feel better all day

 

Campus Nap Map

Inspired by some peer campuses around the country, we’ve started compiling this map of community-recommended rest spots on campus.  These spots are great for mid-day moments of rest, but are not reserved for napping so be aware of nearby campus activities and use your backpack or jacket as a pillow to play it safe.  Have a favorite spot that is not on this map?  Share it with us and we’ll add it to the map.

Rest is Resistance! and The Nap Ministry

The Spiritual Life staff have been reading Trisha Hersey’s book and are inspired!  Check in out!

“Rest Is Resistance is a battle cry, a guidebook, a map for a movement, and a field guide for the weary and hopeful. This book is rooted in spiritual energy and centered in Black liberation, womanism, somatics, and Afrofuturism. With captivating storytelling and practical advice, all delivered in Hersey’s lyrical voice and informed by her deep experience in theology, activism, and performance art, Rest Is Resistance is a call to action and manifesto for those who are sleep deprived, searching for justice, and longing to be liberated from the oppressive grip of Grind Culture.”

Some Favorite Resources and Guided Rest Recordings