Should I take a nap or stay active after work?

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I have worked at my retail store for two years and have managed to become a integral and well liked(at least i think so) member. of course it has taken a lot of time and energy to achieve the version of me i show at work. Everyday when i come home im exhausted especially during the holidays when my social interactions with customers and fellow employees increase ten fold. Lately i would take a nap in a desperate attempt to regenerate but i just end up waking up the next morning after a 15-17 hour long sleep. So i tried staying up and tasking myself and making a routine but it often disolves and I'm left with anxiety when faced with doing the most simple home tasks. I dont know if im wearing myself too thin or i just havent figured out what my best regenerating method is(though music helps) but im so sluggish when im not at work and i hate it

Depends on whet home, if it is reasonably early, take a nap. They say it's healthy to do that (to bad modern fast paced life doesn't allow us to do natural things). But, nap should be a nap, about an hour.

I'll admit I am not the best person to give advice on this question as I have irregular sleeping patterns but I know that once I tried to establish normal biorhythm and it was very difficult but it is possible and most of all, it keeps you going on a better scale.

Btw, I worked with customers (CS) and I know it can be exhausting, especially for, well, people like us. Constant communication and other charming activities. But, you did it and thus provide great example

Basically, it means that I have problems with fine coordination of my fingers which is why I make mistakes. Well, it's still better than my handwriting.

Anyway, what I meant to write was: depends on when you come home.

Thank you, its hard to keep my naps at an hour but i can try. Any feedback helps or anyones personal experiences for this

I'm just going to take a wild guess that a lot of your exhaustion is more mental, from having to deal with a constant stream of social interactions all day, than purely physical.

If that's the case, you might benefit from trying something that may seem counter-intuitive and use a workout routine as soon as you get home, to burn off the stress. By getting your body psychically active and working up a sweat for an hour or so, you can distract your brain from all the anxiety that's been building up over the workday. By the time you're done and freshly showered, chances are, you'll feel a lot more able to genuinely relax and when you do sleep, it will be more refreshing that a 15 hour power nap.

Just a thought. I know when I worked with customers, it was 10 to 12 hour days and by the time I left, I was wound up like a watch. Even if I got home late in the evening, I would get on the treadmill and power-walk for a half hour, just to release all that nervous tension.

That's because you are exhausted, and it takes time to regenerate. I remember once, I've been sleeping for about 5 hours a day for a month or so. I almost became a zombie, and then, I tried to regulate my sleep patterns - first, I couldn't fall to sleep, then I couldn't wake up. I slept for 9 or so hours and still, I was tired. It took about two weeks before I got hang of it. And yet, here I am again, writing and playing games at 1 a.m.
But, I am on holidays so, there goes my excuse.

I've found that going for a run after work is a great way to both re-energize as well as reduce stress/anxiety and make sure I'm going to get a good night's sleep later on.

As long as the weather is decent, I'll come home from work, get changed and go out for a run almost immediately before I set down and get too tired to do it. Sometimes I'll sit down and start falling asleep on the couch and I'll force myself to get up and head out the door for a run. Sometimes I only run 4-5k, usually a 7km circuit, other times 9 or 10km+ and once in a while I'll run over 10miles depending on how I'm feeling, how much time I have, the weather, other obligations etc. Afterwards I'm tired, but re-energized at the same time and can then get a couple things done in the evening (laundry, cooking, cleaning etc.) and make dinner, lunch for the next day, have a good stretch and a hot shower and then get a good night's sleep. It's also very head clearing and relaxing.

If you can't muster up the energy to go for a run, at least get out there and go for a brisk walk. Even that has it's physical and mental benefits, and eventually maybe you'll work your way up to going for a run if you'd like to.

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No for supporting trump. Because doing so is deplorable.

I vote stay active. It seems to help the most in the long run.

I've done that... The first time I had a full-time job, I would spend all of my time either working or recovering from work. There was no time to do anything but that. I eventually ended up skipping meals, skipping showers.

At the point where weekends were no longer enough time to recover to the point that I could go to work on Monday, I knew I couldn't keep the job. I'm on disability now.

But you seem to be doing relatively well with just the evenings spent recovering...

It's really your choice. If you stay active, will you still be able to work the next day? Will you get anything useful done during the time you're active, or would it be just as productive or enjoyable to be asleep?

If you can get a less people-oriented position, go for it. That job sounds like it is utterly exhausting for you. I don't know if you can sustain it--I couldn't, but many people have, for years at a time. If you can't, better that you should transfer to a different position before you burn out. Keep your eyes open for a position that someone's recently vacated--when they start hiring for it, talk to your boss and see if they can transfer you. In retail, you probably want to focus on stocking, custodial, warehouse, or night-shift work.

You seem to be sleeping your life away.

I find it important to have a consistent sleep schedule. So, I'd advise against "napping" unless you are really exhausted. Find something that would energize you instead. Once you start doing that, it might counteract your day's fatigue enough to let you go until your regular bedtime.

I find it important to have a consistent sleep schedule. So, I'd advise against "napping" unless you are really exhausted. Find something that would energize you instead. Once you start doing that, it might counteract your day's fatigue enough to let you go until your regular bedtime.

Thank you everyone. Exercising is something im going to experiment with now. Yes, my 9 hour 5 days a week job is completely exhausting more mentally than physically. Still the physical exhaustion is present but maybe ill start out with simple work outs first. I dont really want to leave my job, even for a less people oriented one. I love my job and everyone that works there, they are like a family. Im very dedicated to this job and being the best i can be there so I want to stick with it

I'm not talking about leaving your job; I'm talking about switching positions to something less people-oriented, still working at the same place but stepping back from the customers.