Inemuri- Recharging on the go

 



Years ago, in the middle of a tough day at the clinic — the kind of day where your brain starts to lag and your focus drifts — I asked my nurse for a 10-minute break. I had just finished with a patient and knew I couldn’t pour from an empty cup anymore.

"Prepare the room, but give me 10 minutes," I told her.

I leaned back in my consultation chair, placed a towel over my eyes, and let everything go. Just deep, intentional stillness. No alarms. No interruptions.

Exactly ten minutes later, I sat back up, feeling completely refreshed. I called the nurse in, ready to continue with the next patient. She stood there, stunned.

"Doctor… you slept? For real? And you’re so fresh!"

I laughed and said,
"That’s Inemuri — the Japanese art of power napping!"

She blinked. “Inemuri?”
“Yes,” I grinned. "It means ‘sleeping while present’ — a sacred secret of staying sane!"

In Japan, Inemuri is a respected practice — even in work environments — where professionals may close their eyes briefly in public or at work, not out of laziness, but as a reflection of their commitment. You’ve worked so hard that you’ve earned that moment of rest.

This wasn’t a trick I picked up yesterday — I’d been using power naps since school, especially before sports competitions. It was how I dealt with nerves, anxiety, and mental fatigue. Today, it’s my daily dose of restoration in the chaos of clinical life. And maybe the reason this comes so naturally to me is because I grew up watching someone who had mastered the art of mental discipline long before I did — my father.

He served in the Armed Forces Medical Corps in India and was posted on the frontlines during both the 1965 and 1971 Indo-Pak wars. He used to tell us stories of nights where gunfire never ceased, and soldiers couldn't leave their posts. Sleep, for them, came in brief, stolen moments — often sitting, sometimes standing — but always alert, always present.

This wasn’t rest, it was rest with purpose. It was survival. It was strength.
Those brief pauses were their only fuel to stay human in inhuman conditions.

He didn’t call it a power nap. But I watched and learned. His ability to recharge on command, in the middle of chaos, shaped the way I learned to manage pressure and stay focused — whether in exams, sports, or later, in my own clinic.

So, when I take a 10-minute nap at work today, it’s not just a wellness habit.
It’s a tribute to him — to that calm in the storm he always carried with him.


Why Quick Naps Work: The Science Behind the Silence

Even a 10–20-minute nap improves memory, reduces stress, sharpens focus, and enhances emotional regulation.
Unlike longer naps that might leave you feeling fuzzy, short naps tap into light sleep cycles, offering restoration without inertia.

For professionals who deal with people, pain, and pressure—like us—this is gold.

How to Master the Art of the Power Nap

Here’s how you can integrate quick naps into your daily rhythm without disrupting your workflow:

1. Create a Nap-Positive Mindset

Stop associating naps with laziness. See them as fuel stops, not brakes. Think of them as sharpening your saw.

2. Find or Create a Quiet Space

Even a small, closed room in your clinic, car, or a lounge space with a do-not-disturb sign can work.
A reclining chair, a small pillow, or just a folded towel behind your neck makes it more inviting. Over a period of doing this even without all these comforts.

3. Set a Timer (10–20 minutes max)

Use your phone, smartwatch, or even a kitchen timer. Don’t go beyond 20 minutes to avoid sleep inertia. Once you get used to it, it becomes a habit, and it works like a magic in your daily routine.

4. Use Eye Masks or Noise-Canceling Earbuds

Block the world out. A gentle background sound or white noise app can ease you into that power-down state.

5. Practice Letting Go

You don’t have to actually fall asleep. Just shutting your eyes and disengaging mentally is enough to trigger a restorative response.
It’s about the intention, not perfection.

This step is where the true art lies. You don’t need to fall into deep sleep during a power nap. In fact, the goal is to give your mind permission to rest, even for just 5–10 minutes.

For many professionals, especially doctors and dentists, it’s difficult to “switch off” because our minds are constantly processing — diagnosis, decision-making, people’s emotions, business concerns, and the pressure to perform without fail.

Letting go is a conscious choice. It’s telling your brain:
   “You’ve done enough for now. Take a pause. I’ll carry on after this brief reset.”

Here’s how to make that happen:

  • Shift into observer mode: Instead of trying to stop thoughts, just notice them drifting in and out like clouds. No judgment, no control.

  • Use deep breathing: Inhale slowly for 4 counts, hold for 4, exhale for 4. Repeat. This anchors your nervous system.

  • Use an affirmation: Silently repeat something like “I deserve this rest,” or “I release the tension.” These words work like switches.

  • Relax your body piece by piece: Start from the toes and move up — mentally relaxing each area. This body scan technique invites your mind to follow the body into stillness.

  • Practice regularly: Like any muscle, your mind will get better at switching off with practice. The more often you try it, the faster you’ll slip into that calm state.

        Letting go is not weakness—it is your strongest tool in avoiding burnout and maintaining precision, compassion, and clarity.
        You’re not disconnecting from responsibility. You’re reconnecting with your inner balance — even if only for a few minutes.

6. Rehydrate and Reorient

After waking, take a few slow breaths, drink a glass of water, and stretch lightly before you dive back into action.

From Exhaustion to Clarity

In today’s world, where even healthcare workers are expected to run like machines, honoring your human limits is an act of strength. These short naps have saved me on days I felt I couldn’t go on. They’ve helped me stay kinder to myself and to my patients.

So the next time you feel overwhelmed, remember—you don’t need an hour to recharge. You just need 10 minutes of stillness.

Dr. SSP

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