Contrary to popular belief, toddlers are not the only ones who need a nap—adults can benefit from taking a short nap either during the day or after work. In fact, napping can improve your productivity, enhance your cognitive abilities, and give you some much-needed energy for the rest of the day. However, if not done correctly, napping can interfere with your sleep-cycle.
Related Blog: How Do Naps Affect Productivity at Work?
Here are a few tips on how to get the most out of your naps and prevent tossing and turning at night.
3 Tips to Take Better Naps
1. Avoid Naps and Caffeine if You Suffer From Insomnia
If you suffer with insomnia, you shouldn’t take any naps during the day. Try to stay up throughout the day so that you don’t have to suffer trying to sleep once nighttime comes around.
Also, if you’re a coffee drinker, try to lay-off on the caffeine until your circadian-cycle stabilizes. So until your sleeping pattern is back to normal, avoid naps and caffeine. If your circadian-cycle is normal, try to take a nap sometime before four o’clock in the afternoon—any nap taken after that can affect your normal sleeping schedule in the evening, so a nap in the early afternoon is the best time.
2. Limit Your Naps to 30 Minutes
Your naps should be no longer than thirty minutes. Any nap longer than that can be both unproductive and can negatively affect your evening’s sleep. A good fifteen-to-thirty minute nap can do wonders on your energy levels.
3. Try a 'Caffeine Nap'
A common napping technique is to have a “caffeine nap”. The concept, basically, is to drink a cup of coffee immediately before you take your nap, so that when you wake up, you’ll have benefits from both the nap and the caffeine. It’s been said to drastically increase your energy levels for the day.
No matter your age, there is no question that a short nap is beneficial to increase one’s productivity and energy levels.
A quick, effective nap can affect how the rest of your day goes. Grab a blanket, close your eyes, and relax. For the perfect mattress to help make your nap even better, check out our mattress brands!
