How to take a perfect Nap: Benefits and Tips
If you’re sleep deprived or simply searching for a method to relax, you could consider taking a nap. However, napping at the wrong time of day or for too long might backfire. Learn how to make the most of a nap.
What is a Nap?
A nap is a brief period of sleep that usually occurs during the day. Naps can assist many people maintain their alertness or overcome daytime fatigue.
Individual sleeping needs and benefits may vary. Knowing the facts about napping may help you decide whether or not to sleep, and nap tips can help you build good napping habits.
What are the benefits of napping?
Napping can help healthy persons in a number of ways, including:
- Fatigue from relaxation has been minimised.
- increased attention
- Improved mood Improved performance, including improved response time and memory
What are the drawbacks to napping?
Not everyone enjoys napping. Some people just cannot sleep during the day or have difficulty sleeping in locations other than their own beds, as napping occasionally necessitates.
Napping can potentially have negative consequences, including:
- Sleep inertia. After waking up from a nap, you may feel sluggish and disoriented.
- Sleep issues at night Most people’s evening sleep quality is unaffected by short naps. However, if you suffer from insomnia or poor sleep quality at night, napping may exacerbate your condition. Long or frequent naps may disrupt nocturnal sleep.
Here are some of the better sleeping tips I’ve discovered along the road.
When Should You Take a Nap?
Adults should take naps eight hours or more before going to bed, according to experts. Most folks will take a nap before 3 p.m. 16 Napping too late in the day may contribute to sleep issues at night17.
Naps after lunch may feel normal or even necessary for some individuals. This is frequently referred to as the post-lunch dip18. While eating lunch may contribute to afternoon tiredness, the post-lunch slump is associated with circadian rhythm.
Where to Take a Nap?
A cool, calm, and dark sleeping environment is ideal. A comfortable sleeping environment may help to prevent unwanted interruptions or awakenings.
A bedroom is likely a good place for a quick nap for individuals who work from home because it is already set up to encourage sleep. Distracts can be reduced by using blackout curtains or a rain sound for relaxation at night and during daytime naps.
Items such as earplugs or an eye mask may assist prevent disruptions during nap time at work. When possible, napping should be done in a setting with little interruptions. Some offices may even provide nap pods or other quiet areas for relaxation or a quick snooze.
When to Take a Nap?
Experts recommend that adults snooze for eight hours or more before going to bed. Most people will sleep before 3 p.m. Napping too late in the day may contribute to nighttime sleep problems.
Napping after lunch may feel natural or even necessary for some people. This is commonly known as the post-lunch dip18. While eating lunch may contribute to afternoon fatigue, the post-lunch slump is linked to circadian rhythm. Circadian rhythm refers to the internal clock of the body, which runs on a 24-hour cycle. Within this cycle, there are two sleepy peak periods. The highest peak happens at night, while the second happens in the early afternoon.
Understand your sleep phases
Because different stages of sleep bring varied benefits to the brain and body, you may truly hack your nap by varying when and how long you sleep. The first 20 minutes of your nap will be spent in Stage 2 sleep, which will provide you with energy and alertness. If you sleep for a longer amount of time, you will enter slow-wave sleep (SWS), which is when the brain begins to process memories and information, followed by rapid eye movement (REM), which is the creative dream phase. If you fall asleep inside your prime napping zone and stay asleep for 90 minutes — “the ideal nap,” you’ll get one full sleep cycle with an optimally balanced dose of all three stages.