Our modern, fast-paced world has caused the average person’s sleep duration to shrink by about two hours over the past 50 years, potentially leading to an increased risk of hypertension and cardiovascular problems. One approach to counter this sleep deficit is mid-afternoon napping, which can offer several powerful benefits.
Napping can sharpen our brain function by clearing our minds and refreshing our focus. If your day involves long hours in front of a computer, it might be worth finding the time to nap and benefit from the influx of ideas that could follow. Although many employers might be wary of allowing their employees to nap at work, embracing the possibility could offer numerous benefits such as increased productivity and sharper thinking.
However, you might not always be able to find the opportunity to nap, especially if you work in a busy environment. If you do manage to find some time to yourself for a quick nap, here are some tips to make the most of it.
Keep naps short
To avoid waking up feeling groggy and more tired than before, keep your naps to 10 to 30 minutes. This short duration will provide the best chance for you to wake up feeling refreshed and mentally sharp.
Take naps in the afternoon
Naps work best if they’re taken around the middle of the day, usually in the early afternoon. This timing prevents your nap from interfering with your regular sleep pattern at night and ensures that you’re getting the most benefit from your daytime rest.
Create a restful environment
When settling down for a nap, ensure the environment is conducive to sleeping. Keep your hands and feet warm, as chilliness could prevent slumber. Also, try to reduce light and noise to fall asleep faster. If you’re worried about napping for too long, set an alarm to ensure you don’t sleep for too long and disrupt your nighttime sleep.
A few afternoons of regular napping can make an enormous difference to your overall health. Our ancestors were more in tune with the body’s natural rhythms and would typically partake in activities that would help replenish their mental and physical energy. Embracing the habit of napping is one crucial way to help maintain those rhythms in the modern age.
Napping: for great minds and healthy hearts
Famous figures such as John F. Kennedy, Albert Einstein, Winston Churchill, and Thomas Edison were all known for enjoying afternoon naps, believing that they re-energized them and sparked their creativity.
Boost your hormones with a quick trick
Our busy lifestyles often lead to too little sleep, which can wreak havoc on our hormones and immunity. Researchers in France have discovered that taking a nap can be an excellent way to get hormones back on track and improve overall health.
Extra rest for sleepwalkers
Sleepwalking research has shown that it often occurs when separate parts of the brain are asleep while others remain awake. This phenomenon can lead to day-time sleepiness, and those prone to sleepwalking could benefit from extra rest to function at their best.
In conclusion, taking the opportunity to indulge in a mid-afternoon nap offers numerous advantages that could improve your health, boost your focus, and contribute to your overall well-being.
