When was the last time you took a nap? Research has shown that naps are a great way to naturally boost your energy, alertness, creativity, memory and productivity halfway through a long day. However, it’s important to follow some guidelines in order to get all the benefits that napping provides. Here’s some expert advice we found on Today Health to get you started:
Be consistent: Take a nap at the same time every day to allow your body to get used to the routine.
Eat before your snooze session: If you are hungry, your nap isn’t going to be as refreshing. Try scheduling a nap right after lunch.
Don’t drink coffee too far ahead of your nap: You may want to take a small snooze, but too much caffeine in your system may hold you back from your high-quality nap.
Turn off your alarm clock: Taking consistent naps is the best way to train your body to only sleep between 20-60 minutes naturally. It’s certainly worth the effort to avoid being startled awake by a loud alarm and feeling stressed.
Time your naps: A good tip is to take a nap 7-8 hours after you first woke, making sure not to sleep too late in the day.
Don’t exercise right before your nap: Extra sleep does help with exercise recovery, but be sure to wait at least 45 minutes after your workout to get some snooze.
Avoid stress before napping: When it’s almost time for your afternoon siesta, began to cut back on high-stress activities. Relax your brain as much as you can to easily falling asleep.
Don’t use alcohol or sedatives to nap: This will only leave you feeling groggy, sluggish, and completely fatigued as you crave more sleep that you don’t have time for.
Be sure to always get 7-9 hours of sleep each night, if you find yourself too dependent on napping it could be a sign that you aren’t sleeping well at bedtime. For more tips to create the ultimate power nap, click here!
No comments yet.