Trouble Concentrating? Learn to Nap Like Bella the Boxer...

Yesterday, a lovely lady in brown pulled up in her delivery truck and brought me a brand new, fluffy dog bed. As you can see, it didn't take long for me to get comfortable:

Now that I'm wide awake and well-rested, I thought I'd share one of my tips for staying energized and focused throughout the day. Today's lesson is called, "How to Take the Perfect Power Nap."

You see, humans are busier—and more distracted—than ever. Many have trouble concentrating. One of the reasons is that they are "dog tired" (a misnomer because dogs know when we need to rest). Humans, on the other hand, are exhausted. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that as many as 70 million Americans suffer from sleep disorders or constant sleep loss.

Take it from a dog: Catching a few Zzzzzzz's during the day is a good way to rest and refresh the body and mind. There is evidence that naps improve mental alertness, boost productivity, reduce stress and lower the risk of heart attacks. Still, many people resist. They think it's a sign of weakness or laziness, but I think that famous nappers like Albert Einstein, Winston Churchill and Bill Clinton would disagree.

So, here's my challenge: Take a power nap today. I'll make it interesting, too: For every 20 minutes you sleep, I'll sleep for another 20!

Embrace the nap . Dogs don't make excuses for napping, and neither should you. Don't try to "steal a few winks" or "get caught napping." And for heaven's sake, don't "catnap." Be a proud napper!





Listen to your body . Biologically, most humans feel their energy dip about eight hours after they've gotten out of bed, which makes the afternoon a perfect time to snooze. Scientists say a 20-45 minute nap anywhere from 1 to 3 p.m. is what the body and brain need for energy and creativity.





Create a nap zone . Not everyone is as lucky as I am to have such a big, fluffy dog bed. But try to find someplace comfortable where you can lie down and stretch out (research says that it takes 50% longer to fall asleep upright than lying down).





Calm your body and your mind . Let go of the thoughts that scurry through your mind like squirrels. I like to think about running along a sandy beach where there are no squirrels. When it's time to wake up, open your eyes slowly and take a few more deep breaths while stretching your limbs.

Feels good, doesn't it? Now that you have the energy, go take you dog out for a play session before getting back to work.