Taking A Nap Benefits Heath And Energy, Make The Time!
I have written a few articles about the health benefits of getting a good night of sleep but for many, nap benefits are needed to assist in recharging. Due to the stress of everyday life, insomnia and the effects of social media and computers can keep us up
too late at night. When this happens we fail to meet the 3 different stages of Rapid Eye Movement (REM) and when these stages are not met it can cause fatigue through the day.
What Is REM?
REM is the 3 different stages of sleep. Stage 1 is the first 5-10 minutes of sleep when your eyes are closed but you are easily awakened. Stage 2 you are in a light sleep. Your eyes stop moving, your heart rate relaxes you are in light sleep. Your heart rate slows and your body temperature drops. Your body is getting ready for deep sleep which is Stage 3. A number of positive things happen during REM deep sleep, testosterone and adaptive hormones repair their organs, human growth hormone is released, white blood cells kick into high gear, nothing but positive things happening to your body. As you get older you tend to sleep lighter although studies show you still need as much sleep as when you were younger. Another reason a nap benefits catching up on REM or non-REM deficiencies. You can read more about this from Dr. Sara Mednick’s book Take A Nap! Change your life. Mednick is one of the worlds leading sleep experts and a Harvard trained psychologist.
Nap Benefits Sound Great, Whose Got Time?
The focus, energy and productivity needed for an active life afternoon keep us dragging or “sucking it up” throughout the day. Siestas are commonplace among cultures of warm weather countries such as Latin America, Asia, the Mediterranean and North Africa. Unfortunately, the fast pace of American culture stigmatizes afternoon napping. However, we are not talking about a great deal of time here, only about a 20-30 minutes. Here are a few of Mednick’s tips to get nap benefits-
Be consistent. Keep a regular nap schedule. Prime napping time falls in the middle of the day, between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.
Make it quick. Set your cell phone alarm for 30 minutes or less if you don’t want to wake up groggy.
Go dark. Nap in a dark room or wear an eye mask. Blocking out light helps you fall asleep faster.
Stay warm. Stash a blanket nearby to put over you because your body temperature drops while you snooze.
What do you think about nap benefits? Please comment below.
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