Being able to nap in the middle of your day is always a refreshing experience. It helps you to stay up longer and recover some of your lost stamina. However, it’s not always great for some people. Sometimes, taking a nap means you’re ruining your chances of having a good eight hours of sleep come nighttime. In this guide, we talk about how you can close your eyes for a few minutes and not ruin your much-loved sleep pattern.
1. Try Napping in the Early Afternoon
When you sleep, you’re basically making your body shut off for a few hours. That’s why a large number of people prefer to sleep at night and wake up early to wake up refreshed in the morning and start their day. Napping at night tends to make you feel groggy and tired at night when you wake up. That’s why it’s better to nap in the afternoon and keep your night sleep for the night.
2. Find a Comfortable Place to Doze Off
If you like to sleep in the comfort of your home, it’s important that you choose the right place to sleep. If you’re not comfortable, it can affect your sleep. That’s why it’s important to choose an environment where you’ll be able to sleep well and in a comfortable setting. Perhaps you can find a dark, quiet room, which is always the most relaxing of places.
3. Keep Your Daytime Nap to 20 Minutes or Less
When you get into a deep sleep, you can stay asleep for a long time. That’s why when you wake up from a nap, you can be groggy for a long time. That’s why it’s a good idea to keep your nap to a maximum of 20 minutes. According to studies, this is the ideal amount of time to nap as it allows you to drift off just into the first two stages of sleep, which allows for a quick refresher without delving into deeper stages.
4. Stay Away from Drinking During Your Nap
We all know that alcohol is not an ideal nutrient for our bodies. If you drink too much and then fall asleep, you’ll wake up feeling dehydrated and usually groggy, even though alcohol seems to help you fall asleep it disrupts the sleep cycles and reduces the quality of your sleep. If you want to take a nap, try to avoid drinking too much and perhaps don’t even drink at all. Your body will thank you for it.
5. Try Fixing Your Sleep Schedule
If you are finding you have to nap later in the afternoon into the evening, which leaves you in poor shape to fall asleep at night. If you find your sleep schedule is shifting later and later, it will take some discipline and a few unpleasant days to get it back on the right track. You are first going to need to eliminate your naps, or ensure they happen before 3PM. Maintain a consistent wake up time in the mornings, and do not consume any caffeine after 12PM during the day. The fatigue will be touch at first, but you can return your body to its natural sleep patterns.
6. Don’t Sandwich Your Nap with Screen Time
If you like to watch TV, movies or play video games, keep it away from your nap time. That’s because your brain is still trying to wake up, and screen time isn’t going to help. If you’re going to take a nap, try to do it in a secluded location where there’s no access to any technology so that you can have your rest without any distractions from your favorite TV shows. If you feel groggy after your nap, try to get outside to find natural light and fresh air, which helps you wake up naturally.
Conclusion
Taking naps can be an excellent way for you to refresh yourself in the middle of the day. It may improve your productivity in the afternoon and give you a second wind. As long as you keep it to a maximum of 20 minutes and have the right environment, you should be all set to take a nap and then wake up refreshed and ready for the rest of your day. That’s what napping should be, in the end. And now that you have all the info you need, you should be all set to take a nap. However, if you feel the need to nap for longer, or feel that your sleep after 8 hours a night is consistently unrefreshing, it may be time to have your sleep checked.
Sleep Better Live Better offers non-surgical sleep solutions to patients and individuals experiencing some problems trying to get a good night’s sleep. From sleep apnea to snoring or getting help with insomnia, whatever problems you may have can be resolved with our customized sleep management plan. Contact us today to schedule a consultation.
