I always thought that taking naps was something only little children needed. It usually occurred twice a day until they were about two years old, then once a day until they were four or five. It gave the parents a break, and the child often awakened less cranky than they were before taking the nap.
It was only after I retired from full-time work that I began appreciating the pleasures of a brief nap. “Power napping,” defined as a mid-day nap of about 20-30 minutes, has been associated with many benefits, including increased energy and better memory. While I worked full-time and especially when I was raising children, I never had the time to take naps. On days that I felt tired, I simply pushed through and did what was needed. But now, if I feel tired in the middle of the day, sometimes I take a brief nap. I love it, and I too am less cranky after waking, ready for engagement in whatever I planned for the rest of the day.
So I started wondering if there are other behaviors associated with early childhood that may be useful to my health now.
My mother and Bubba (grandmother), both of whom raised me, always extolled the benefits of getting me and my siblings out of the apartment to have fresh air, even if temperatures were below freezing. This is a good idea for me now. I find that when I am working at home all day, even at something I enjoy doing, if I haven’t been outdoors, I feel a little dejected by the end of the day. Checking on some research, it has shown that fresh air increases your intake of oxygen, improves circulation, lowers your heart rate, and has other benefits. And there’s another benefit I see – going out reminds me that there is a big world out there with many sources of stimulation and pleasure. So I plan to go out more often, perhaps after I wake from my naps.
Other behaviors associated with childhood that are good for me may require effort to do successfully. As a child, if I fell and hurt myself, I wanted an adult at home (usually my mother or Bubba), to take care of it. Getting concrete help, like the application of a little iodine or mercurochrome on the wound, and a bandage, was important. But even more important was knowing that there was someone who I could go to if I was hurt who wanted to help me get better. That’s still important now. I can usually figure out the concrete steps to take if there is a physical wound. But for emotional pain I have learned that going to a close friend or relative, someone who listens and cares when life’s challenges seem hard for me, is needed for healing.
I have concluded that many of my childhood behaviors have been forgotten or replaced by activities more appropriate for my age. But I will continue to look back to find those that can still serve me, as wisdom comes from many sources.
Reflections on Aging 