Is Your Daily Nap Doing More Harm Than Good?

An afternoon snooze might be helpful, but one's need may indicate a chronic lack of sleep.

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An afternoon snooze might be helpful, but one's need may indicate a chronic lack of sleep.

In many cultures, afternoon naps aren't only common, but a daily a part of on a regular basis life. According to the National Sleep Foundation, within the United States, one-third of adults recurrently eat lunch.

If you are in good health, these short daytime naps can have advantages: helping you not sleep late at night, making you are feeling less groggy, or ensuring you not sleep when you do something outside of your traditional daytime work hours. They also can keep you protected on the road, stopping you from drowsy driving accidents.

“In addition to reducing sleepiness, sleep has been shown to enhance memory in a laboratory setting.

But the research on napping is not all rosy.

There have been some large epidemiological studies which have suggested each advantages and harms of sleeping on the population level. It is difficult to attract conclusions at the person level.

Advantages and downsides of sleep

For example, some studies have found that adults who sleep longer throughout the day usually tend to develop conditions corresponding to diabetes, heart disease, and depression. A desire to sleep throughout the day could also be an indication that they aren't getting enough sleep at night, which is related to the next risk of developing these chronic conditions. Daytime sleepiness may also be an indication that you just're getting poor quality sleep, which might indicate a sleep problem.

In some cases, blinking sets up a vicious cycle. You sleep throughout the day to make up for lost sleep at night, but then you may have trouble falling asleep at night since you slept throughout the day.

Restricting sleep is a possible strategy for improving overall nighttime sleep.

How to sleep well

If you propose to take a nap throughout the day, listed below are some guidelines you may follow to be sure it doesn't disrupt your nighttime sleep.

right time The best time to sleep is early afternoon, when your body experiences a natural circadian dip. If you are taking a nap within the late afternoon or evening, it's going to be difficult to go to sleep later.

Keep it short. A brief nap, about 20 minutes, could also be higher to avoid irritability while you get up. A brief nap also can help prevent you from having trouble falling asleep that evening. Time it right by setting an alarm.

Get comfortable. For high-quality rest, be sure you discover a quiet, comfortable place where you will not be distracted.

Check your motivation. If you want to nap throughout the day, it is important to determine why you are so sleepy that you could sleep throughout the day, especially when you're a daily napper. Track how much sleep you are getting at night. If you are not getting enough, try improving your sleep habits (see “Tips for a Better Night's Sleep”). If you are already getting a minimum of seven or more hours of sleep an evening and are still drained throughout the day, talk over with your doctor.

Tips for a Better Night's Sleep

If you end up tossing and turning at night, listed below are some strategies you need to use to get more rest.

Stick to a daily sleep schedule. Go to bed and stand up at the identical time every single day.

Avoid alcohol and caffeine late within the day. Both of those can interfere with sleep quality.

Turn off electronics a minimum of an hour before bed. Blue light from screens, like your television or phone, could make it harder for you to go to sleep. So turn them off a minimum of an hour before coming in.

Exercise recurrently. Daily exercise throughout the day can assist promote higher sleep at night.

Set the stage. You will sleep higher in case your room is cool, dark and quiet.

Be aware of sleep problem symptoms. If you are getting the advisable seven to eight hours of sleep an evening and still feel drained, see your doctor.