Benefits of Napping
“No day is so bad it can’t be fixed with a nap” - Carrie Snow
Fun Fact: Albert Einstein was a huge fan of naps. He would allow ample time for his body and mind to recover throughout the day, and allowed himself 7-10 hrs of sleep a night.
With the hectic pace of day-to-day life, may of us don’t get the recommended amount of sleep each night. According to the National Sleep Foundation, adults typically need between 7-9 hours of sleep per night to function at their best. Getting a few less hours for even a few nights in a row can have the same effect of staying awake for 24 hours. Over time, chronic sleep debt can contribute to fatigue, increased stress levels, reduced attention span, and reduced cognitive performance.
One way to combat the effects of sleep deprivation- and repay sleep debts- is to incorporate daytime napping into your schedule. The length of the nap and type of sleep you get during your nap help determine its potential health benefits. Check out the guide below:
10-20 minutes
Reduces sleepiness: improves cognitive performance; increases alertness, attention, and energy levels; improves mood; imroves motor performance; reduces stress levels
20-30 Minutes
Enhances creativity; sharpens memory
30-60 Minutes
Sharpens decision-making skills, including memorization and recall; improves memory preservation
60-90 Minutes
Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, which is critical for problem solving; helps make new connections in the brain; enhances creativity; reduces negative reactivity; promotes happiness
© 2016 The Institute for Functional Medicine
The following is a list of tips and tricks to help make the most of naptime:
Choose a dark, quiet, comfortable place where you can relax
Try to limit the amount of noise and light in the room, and make sure the temperature is comfortable.
Choose a time that works for you, and aim to nap at that time each day to establish a routine. You may find that restricting your naps to early afternoon (between 1pm and 3pm, or an 1-2 hours after lunch) is less likely to interfere with your nighttime sleeping patterns.
Set an alarm on your cellphone, watch, or computer so you don’t sleep for too long.
If you’re napping at the office, close your door and hang a sign that says “will return in __ min”
Wherever you nap, bring along something that your associate with sleep. Some ideas include a sleep mask, neck pillow, relaxing playist and headphones, a cozy blanket, warm socks, and lavender essential oil to dab on pulse points.
Keep in mind that longer naps may be accompanied by sleep inertia, or period of grogginess that sometimes follows sleep. Give yourself time to wake fully before returning to any activity that requires a quick or sharp response.