Week 4 - El Programa

So here's the breakdown for my program!

Benefits from taking a long nap aka my unwanted behavior (nap longer than 30 minutes):
-It is a good way to get rid of an abundance of time if I have any
-I used to think it long naps were necessary for me to function optimally throughout the day.

To get rid of this habit, I will use all four types of reinforcement and punishments for my program. I want to embark on this challenging program because I am determined to change my behavior. I know ultimately I will benefit monumentally both in my physical health and hectic schedule by taking shorter naps. My grandmother is home basically 24/7 so she will help me keep log of how long my naps are everyday.

Long-Term Positive Reinforcement : For each week that I don't take more than 30 minute naps per day, I will be allowed to spend $50 (that I earn myself) by end of each week for shopping. This will be a good reinforcement because I love shopping once in a while so I will stay motivated to keep my naps short and sweet. My sister will help regulate how much I save and spend throughout the week and we will go shopping together at the end of the week if I succeed.

Immediate Negative reinforcement: Every time I don't take a long nap for more than 30 minutes, I will naturally be progressive in returning to whatever activity I was doing before, rather than being fatigued and unproductive.

Immediate Positive Punishment: For days that I do take naps longer than 30 minutes, my mom will take $5 out of my paycheck and give it to my sister (I work for my mom at her restaurant). This type of conditioning will be really effective because I hate giving anything to my sister therefore I will be receiving something very unpleasant, and I'll be losing the full paycheck that I work hard for. If I achieve taking naps within 30 minutes, then I will be content knowing that I'll get paid every cent I deserve.

Long-Term Negative Punishment: Generally, my parents are pretty lenient on my curfew. I get to come home whenever I want to with a reasonable excuse. However, I will allow my parents to take away the privilege to stay out with my friends without curfew if I take a long nap. For every two times I fail to take a short nap, I will be ordered to come home by 11pm for an event planned with my friends.

As you can tell, I have a lot to risk if I were to take a nap longer than 30 minutes per day. Nevertheless this is the program I plan to follow. With the overall rewards from this program paired with my ambition, I hope to overcome long naps soon!

So, Rewards from short naps include:

-$50 shopping each week

-Natural removal of prolonged fatigue

-Full paycheck

-Unregulated curfew

Week 3

This is my log of naps from September 22nd to September 29th.

9/22 - Tuesday: 1pm-4pm in the house
9/23 - Wednesday: 4pm-5pm in the house
9/24 - Thursday: 12pm-3pm in the house
9/25 - Friday: 11am-2pm in the house
9/26 - Saturday: No naps!
9/27 - Sunday:5pm-7:30pm in the house
9/28 - Monday: No naps!
9/29 - Tuesday: 2pm-3:30pm in the house



As you can observe, I took naps basically everyday except Saturday and Monday, and both days I did not take a nap not by choice but because I had to either work the whole day or study for a test. Mostly I took the nap because I had the time to spare. I know the naps are preventable because usually I am not exhausted from school or work, and I just take them because it has become a routine and it is hard to break out of habits.

I believe operant conditioning is perpetuating my unwanted behavior by my family encouraging me to take a brief recess from work and studies, and during summer it was a good way to get rid of an abundance of time. Now I think that the unnecessary long naps cause me to take a step back instead of refueling my energy and body to its original state. Also is it not beneficial for my time now that I have midterms coming up. Before this observation I used to think that my body needs this relaxation time in order to function, but on days that I don't take naps I am totally fine and sometimes even more energized than days I do take naps.
Also taking long naps throughout the day allowed me to sleep later at night, around 1am to 2am, which I thought was giving me more time to study as opposed to days where I did not take naps. However, since my naps usually take more than 2 to 3 hours, and on days I don't take naps I sleep around 12am, I would have more time to study on days I don't take naps.

This article that I found called, 'To Nap or Not to Nap: Is That the Question?" ( http://www.talkaboutsleep.com/sleep-disorders/archives/Snoring_apnea_nap.htm ), raises a good question that leads to a suggestion:

"The answer depends on at least two distinct and crucial questions: for people with normal nighttime sleep habits, how long a nap? And, for those with excessive daytime sleepiness, is this due to self-imposed sleep deprivation, narcolepsy, or sleep apnea, or something else?"

The article also informed me, saying that:
"Excessive sleepiness during the day most often results from people just not allowing themselves enough time in bed to get the normal 8 hours of sleep. In this commonplace situation, short naps seem to serve a useful purpose.

If I were an employer trying to get the most accurate and productive work out of my employees, I might even consider allowing them an extra 15-30 minutes off after lunch-provided they spent that time in a specially designed "nap room," conducive to sleep and not to running errands, making phone calls, reading the newspaper, etc.

Of course, long naps (an hour or more), and naps taken late in the day, run counter to the rules of good sleep hygiene. They may make it more difficult to sleep at night; this may be important for people who suffer from nighttime insomnia."

I have already distinguished that my naps are unusually long. Moreover, I believe I don't have any sleeping disorders or am sincerely deprived. Thus my long naps are definitely not absoultely necessary, and I should induce it to 30 minutes.

Thanks for reading and I will appreciate any comments and suggestions.

Week 2

My target behavior that I desperately want to change is taking long naps.
The reason I want to change this behavior is:

1. It takes too much time out of my day.
I am getting more busy by the week with tests to study for and attaining an extra job. My naps throughout the day range between 1 to 4 hours even during school days and usually after the naps it takes me more time to get back to being productive.

2. I need self-control.
I feel like a baby that has limited energy and a set time to take naps. As soon as I conquer this feat I will feel accomplished in being a young adult who is more responsible in dealing with time and controlling my schedule.

Although I am aware that a nap is needed once in a while to regain energy from a tired day, my naps have become a routine, or dare I say, bad habits that force me to sleep even when it is not absolutely essential to my survival. I want to re-set my biological clock and decrease my nap times to 30 minutes a day and gradually take it only when necessary.

Thanks for reading!

Hello

Gimin is a part time student (not part-time by choice!) and a full time lazy bum based in Diamond Bar, California. She divides her time by absent-mindedly doodling, eye shopping, being a social butterfly and sleeping every now and then. Her guilty pleasures are devouring pumpkin ice cream and staring at unconventional art. As of now she works at her mom's Korean restaurant and will soon become employed as a violin teacher at Diamond Bar High School.
The plethora of time allows her to be fickle in choosing her major between Psychology, Architecture, and possibly anything amidst.

Evidently, Gimin thoroughly enjoys speaking in third person. She plans to utilize this blog in hopes of changing her behavior of taking one too many naps within a day.