Daytime Napping and Sleep Articles | Sleep

By: J.Morgan

We are all different when it comes to sleep.  Some of us are nappers and some of us are not.  So, you may be asking yourself, just how much sleep do you need in order to maintain good health, and is it a good idea to nap during the day?  There are numerous questions with regards to sleep because many of us are still learning about sleep and how important it is.

An average adult requires at least 7 – 8 hours sleep every day.  The risk of a car accident could be tripled by receiving only 6 hours sleep or less.  There are many things that can happen due to the lack of sleep.

Included in these are:

Information processing
Judgment
Memory
Mood
Patience
Performance
Reaction time
Vision

In most cases, not receiving enough sleep at night, or waking up early one morning, does warrant a nap during the day.  It can help you to make up for some of the sleep that you lost during the night.  However, if you are going to nap during the day then there are certain ways in which you should do it in order to avoid disturbing your nightly sleep patterns.

It is suggested by experts, that a 15 to 30 minute afternoon nap is sufficient.  It is better to nap once you have been up for 8 hours or more rather than take a nap after you have only been up for an hour or so.  Most people become naturally tired in the afternoon, which is a good time to take a power nap.

It is advised not to sleep for more than 30 minutes during the day, as this can affect your nighttime sleep pattern.  If you wish to have a better nights sleep and better power naps during the day. Then listed below are some tips.

•    To avoid napping too long, it is advised to set an alarm,
•    Avoid stimulants such as nicotine and caffeine,
•    Learn to effectively manage stress

If taking an afternoon nap is making it more difficult for you to sleep at night, then you may be napping for too long or waiting too close to bedtime.  If you feel that you would like to take a nap but don’t have the time or find it difficult to sleep during the day, then it may be worth trying some simple meditation instead.  Meditation is a great way to relax, distress and give your body a little time for recuperation.

When sleeping is something that you take seriously as well as caring for your body, you will find that you feel better, as well as have an increased level of energy throughout the day.  It will also help to resist illness and infection, and improve your health.