Research has proven that even a small nap of 10 minutes can boost your alertness to get through the rest of a busy day. Naps are also responsible for improving performance and creativity, making it the perfect partner to brainstorm with. To help you reap all of the amazing the benefits napping, the Daily Burn shared some fantastic tips to make sure you are “nap certified.”
When to Nap:
Consider your sleep schedule: Don’t just nap anytime you feel like it, if you nap too late you’ll have a hard time sleep at night. Try this Nap Wheel by nap researcher and psychology expert Dr. Sara Mednick Ph.D. for the perfect nap time.
Stick to the afternoon: It’s normal for us humans to feel a decrease in energy mid-afternoon. Take advantage of natural instincts.
Think ahead: While ignoring your routine sleep schedule is never a good idea, we all have to stay up late once in awhile. So, when that happens be sure to pencil in a nap for the next day to for boost of alertness.
Be safe: Sleeping less than 7 hours a night significantly increases your chances of falling asleep at the wheel. One study showed that a 30 minute nap can boost alertness as well as coffee to keep you safer on the road.
Before your night shift: If your work schedule isn’t traditional, napping is a great way to stay awake during your long shift, especially if you don’t want to rely on coffee.
How to Maximize Your Napping Power:
Timing is everything: For most people napping for 10-20 minutes provides the best results. Napping too long can cause sleep inertia, a combination grogginess and lower performance.
Get a wake-up call: Set an alarm so that you can relax without worrying about oversleeping and get up at the right time.
Find a happy napping spot: If you can manage, choose a place that’s dark, quiet and cool to lie down comfortably. Make adjustments to ensure that are getting the proper short rest, including ear plugs, an eye mask, or white noise to allow for deeper sleep.
The Classic Nappuccino: A “caffeine nap,” or taking a short snooze after consuming caffeine, has been proven to outperform both a nap and caffeine alone.
Meditation: It can be more difficult to quiet your thoughts in the middle of the day, but the more you practice mediation, the stronger your mind will get, sending you right off to dreamland. Try mindfulness, visualizations and breathing techniques.
Who shouldn’t take a nap? Some people just aren’t great nappers, and that’s ok, but you should focus on getting more snooze at night to prevent daytime sleepiness. Also, sleep experts recommend that people with insomnia avoid napping. And we must say, don’t be “that guy” sleeping at work if your job isn’t nap friendly, you may not want to lose your job. Learn more ways to improve your nap by clicking here!
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