Napping. Yes what we’re talking about is that brief time period we have when we lie down during the course of our day to recharge our body’s batteries. What?!?!?! You mean you don’t NAP? Maybe you should.
We are told that it is best to get 7 to 9 hours of sleep a night. But the reality is that most of us live very busy lives. It is more likely that we are getting 6 to 7 hours of sleep and maybe even less. The average sleep duration is now almost 2 hours shorter per night than it was 50 years ago. Although this may not seem like a significant difference when we continually sleep this way we’re actually causing a “sleep debt”. Which can then show up as poor physical health, increased stress and emotional instability. Sleeping less has been linked to increased risk of hypertension and cardiovascular problems.
Benefits of napping include:
- Relaxation
- Reduced fatigue
- Increased alertness
- Improved mood
- Improved performance, including quicker reaction time, better memory, less confusion, and fewer accidents and mistakes
So how long should you nap? And is there an ideal time of day to do this?
Naps should be kept short. 15 to 30 minutes is optimal. Napping longer does have its benefits but you can also risk disrupting your sleep later in the evening. As far as what time of day, many studies have been completed and there are many variables to be considered. But typically after lunch our bodies go through what is known as a “post-lunch dip” in wakefulness. This is a time when sleep propensity is at its highest. So if you can the ideal time would be an hour and a half to two hours after lunch. This is the time that you can recharge your batteries in order to end your day with a flourish of energy.
Truth be told due to the hours I sometimes work. I’ve been known to sneak out to my truck even at a late morning hour and grab 15 minutes in order to refresh. So when the need hits don’t fear the nap. Embrace it! It’ll do your body good!
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Bart
I have been a napper for a lonnng time. 15 minutes is the shortedt and 20 is the best. it may take 2 or 3 minutes to get in full swing again, and it is really worth it. I feel much better.
longevitypt
Right on Bart! And by the way the picture above was taken when I was walking the streets in Singapore around lunch time. These were apparently workers who found a cozy enough of a spot on a side street to get their nap in. Many cultures embrace this activity and see it’s worth. It’s a shame that here in the states we’re pushed harder and harder to work many hours without thought of taking a well needed break like this during the day.