I find that especially as I get older, there’s nothing I enjoy more than an uninterrupted, middle of the day nap on a lazy afternoon. It doesn’t happen all the time, but when it does it’s AMAZING! When it’s been a heck of a week and last night’s slumber just didn’t cut it. But lately I’ve been feeling even more exhausted than when I laid down. How can that be? What gives? How can I actually be feeling worse after taking a nap?
I decided to do some investigating. And as it turns out, not all naps are created equal. There actually is a wrong way and right way to take a nap! And apparently, I’ve been doing it all wrong for quite some time and had no idea.
Of all of the things I could be doing wrong, I honestly didn’t think a nap could be one of them.
If you are in the same boat and feel like your naps just aren’t what they use to be, keep reading. You may find a few ways to improve your midday snooze.
Do’s and Don’ts for the Perfect Nap
First off, let’s start with the positives of taking a nap in the first place.
A nap a few times a week can help:
- Reduce stress
- Reduce that overall tiredness feeling
- Help improve your memory
- Help make you more productive
- Combat drowsiness from lack of sleep the night before
What about the downsides of taking a nap? Are there actual negative side effects to a quick cat nap in the middle of the afternoon?
A quick midday nap is totally fine. But I’m putting a big ole emphasis on quick. It can even be considered a healthy part of your daily routine to take a little nap every day.
But do keep in mind that consistently napping for too long (like 90 minutes at a time, or more) can be tied to some seriously unhealthy disadvantages like increased risk for strokes and heart attacks.
So make sure you are keeping them on the shorter side to gain all the benefits that napping has to offer.
Now let’s jump into the Do’s and Don’ts of Taking a Nap.
Don’t Nap for too Long.
20-30 minutes is ideal. Any longer and you run the risk of falling into a much deeper sleep. Which might sound amazing, but waking up in the middle of this sleep stage will only leave you feeling more exhausted than before you laid down. So keep naps short and sweet if you want to wake up feeling refreshed.
Do find a Quiet, Dark, Comfortable Place to take a Nap.
Bright lights or noisy rooms aren’t going to help you much if you need to a little r&r. Close the curtains drown out any loud noises and comfy if you want to have yourself the most perfect snooze.
Don’t Nap too Late in the Day.
This can really throw you off when it’s time to actually go to bed for the night. Ruining your night sleep isn’t going to do you any favors the next morning. Try to fit your nap in before 3pm to be safe. Any later and you might zero sleep for the night.
Do Take into Consideration Your Own Personal Habits and Schedule.
No one’s daily routines are the same. We get up at different times, go to work, come home and get to bed all at different times. Some start their day in the middle of the night. Some start in the afternoon. We’re all different and so are our schedules. Heck they can vary depending on the day of the week.
That’s why it’s super important to find a napping routine that works best for you and your schedule and keeps you feeling great and performing your best.
Hopefully some of these tips will help you stay on point with your own napping game so you can wake up feeling more relaxed, more refreshed and of course, above all else, less sleepy.
Happy napping!
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