For way too long, I’ve labored entirely too much on Labor Day. Instead of hanging out by the pool or sleeping in, I’m always up and about trimming up the yard, tidying the house and cooking like crazy for the holiday picnic I seem to always wind up hosting. But this year, I’m turning over a new leaf and replacing much of this hectic hullabaloo with a good old-fashioned nap on a lazy Labor Day.
My forever sensible Midwest parents have always been nappers. Mom’s all about the 10-minute power version while Dad snoozes the afternoon away. And it seems they’re onto something, according to doctors at the Mayo Clinic who say that napping offers benefits galore.
Among them–relaxation, reduced fatique (duh!), improved mood, increased alertness and better performance both on the job and off because napping is linked to better memory, less confusion and quicker reaction time. Those benefits are good enough reasons to avoid work on a lazy Labor Day, don’t you think?
So what’s the recommended way to lazy up? Mayo Clinic doctors advise napping in mid-afternoon–around 2 or 3pm; limiting snoozes to 10-30 minutes (otherwise you may feel more groggy than rejuvenated) and creating a restful environment in a quiet place with comfy temps and no distractions.
If you’ve got a cool breeze and shade trees in the yard, string a hammock between them. Hammocks with stands also work well on porches and patios. However, if yours is a high temp/full sun climate (like mine in Texas), beeline it indoors where it’s also easy to set up napping central.
It doesn’t take much coaxing to lounge on a chaise like the Cosette from Sam Moore.
For brief naps (the kind most recommended), the Cosette chaise is ideal. It offers the right balance of back support and extension for legs.
The Morgan 3-way lounger from Bradington-Young is not your grandpa’s recliner.
For guys who love to nap in recliners (and you know who you are!), the Morgan 3-way lounger may be the most perfect of its species. Not only does Morgan have a stylish silhouette dressed in chic red leather (which we women will give a thumbs-up to), it also has a “power recline” option with a remote control-operated, rechargable battery pack. Can’t get more lazy than that.
Couch potatoes will appreciate a roomy sectional like this luscious leather one from Bradington-Young.
The Wiki two-piece sectional is totally nap-worthy with a gorgeous green leather cover made for technicolor dreams. Wiki’s also sized right for multiple napers and, if one of those happens to a pet (like in my house), paw prints are easier to remove than from fabric cushions.
The Lana bed from Hooker’s Melange Collection puts the va-va-voom into naptime.
For seriously stylish snoozers, there’s the Lana shelter bed. Its sexy silhouette (look at those curves!) delivers a big dose of Hollywood glam tempered by a menswear-inspired faux mohair covering.
If your mom’s like mine, she’s always said, “Do what the doctor says!” So I ask you. How can you, me, we not nap this Labor Day ? So get your spot to sleep ready to go and let’s get lazy this Labor Day.
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