What length of a day nap is ideal? A sleep specialist has revealed this, saying that even a little period of time spent closing your eyes can significantly enhance memory and lessen weariness.
All we want to do after a long, exhausting day, especially in the cold nights, is crawl into bed and close our eyes for an hour or two. According to researchers, extending the duration of a nap may not be beneficial for us and can even point to underlying medical issues.
Is a nap important?
One in five adults, according to statistics, snoozes for twenty to thirty minutes per day. People now routinely incorporate naps into their daily schedules as a habit.
However, the expert advises against taking a nap to make up for the many hours of sleep we lost throughout the night.
Dr. Michael Gradner, director of the Sleep and Health Research Program at the University of Arizona in Tucson, says: “If you’re napping because you just can’t stay awake, that’s a sign that there’s some underlying health issue. You’re either not getting enough sleep at night or your sleep quality could be very poor.”
How long should I take a nap?
But according to Michael, the ideal length of sleep is between 15 and 45 minutes.
He continued, saying that if you’re otherwise well-rested, “a power nap, between 15 and 45 minutes, can improve memory and reduce fatigue for the rest of the day.”
He added that type of nap can “actually boost performance pretty well.”
The expert advises you to determine whether you require an energy boost and why you’ve developed a strong desire to slumber.
“If you’re napping because it helps you get through the day, that’s probably a good thing” he said.
If you find it difficult to keep track of time during a quick nap, you may have taken too long if you wake up feeling sleepy.
Is it healthy?
Napping once or twice a week has health benefits, according to the British medical journal Heart. According to the study, 48% of participants had a lower risk of a cardiovascular incident than the control group. Previous studies have demonstrated the cognitive benefits of naps, with those who take a quick nap thereafter scoring higher on cognitive tests than those who don’t.
Learn more about improving your sleeping routine and habits here.