And experts recommend naps for people who work the nightshift, suffer from jet lag, or have a sleep disorder that causes a person to fall asleep suddenly and unexpectedly narcolepsy. If you want to take a daytime nap, here are some tips that will help you better catch that extra shut-eye:. Limit your nap to 20 to 30 minutes. Longer naps can leave you groggy—a condition called sleep inertia.
In such a state, you are more apt to make mistakes and have accidents shortly after waking up. Naps later in the day may mess with your ability to fall asleep at night.
Nap in a sleep-friendly environment. Choose a cool, quiet, comfortable place. Remove any bright lights, if possible. Just like at bedtime, limit distractions by turning off your cell phone, computer, and TV.
Search Encyclopedia. The nitty-gritty about napping Sleep is essential for your mind and body. It also improved their attention and physical performance. The National Sleep Foundation warn that taking longer naps may leave a person feeling groggy, as they will need to wake up from a deeper sleep.
It is important to time naps well due to the sleep cycle. As a person sleeps, their brain naturally moves through different stages of sleep. These stages cause different brain wavelengths and release specific hormones into the bloodstream. In the most beneficial naps, a person will only go into the first and second stages of sleep. These stages are more superficial and can help a person feel refreshed without them needing to go into a deeper sleep.
For most people, the whole sleep cycle is somewhere around 90— minutes long. Allowing the brain and body to reach the deep stages of sleep makes a person much less responsive to outside stimuli. It also causes the brain to release compounds that can make a person more tired, which helps them stay asleep for the whole night. A person who wakes up from a nap feeling heavy and groggy likely went further into their sleep cycle. If this happens regularly after naps, they may want to check how long they are sleeping for and set an alarm.
For instance, newborns sleep most of the day, as their development takes a lot of energy. Young babies are also likely to take a few long naps throughout the day, which is good for their health. Toddlers and young children will start to develop a regular sleep pattern, but they could still benefit from taking a nap in the afternoon.
For example, they may respond well to longer naps of around an hour in the middle of their day. Teenagers face many challenges that can make them feel tired, such as hormonal changes, studying, and early school start times. One study found that the best nap duration for teenagers is around 30—60 minutes.
The authors of a study note the long history of research that has found strong evidence of the health effects of napping, including:. Tips for enjoying holiday meals. A conversation about reducing the harms of social media.
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