The expert’s guide to napping
Do you nap? I’m not much of a napper. i just can’t sleep during the day. My wife, on the other hand, can nap at the drop of a hat. I guess that’s why we have a cat and not a dog. Get it, cat nap? Yes, I am a communications professional and not a comedian.
Still, if you are a napper, then you need to visit the Expert’s Guide to Napping. Some of the highlights:
- A short afternoon catnap of 20 minutes yields mostly Stage 2 sleep, which enhances alertness and concentration, elevates mood, and sharpens motor skills. To boost alertness on waking, you can drink a cup of coffee before you nap. Caffeine requires 20 or 30 minutes to take effect, so it will kick in just as you’re waking. Naps of up to 45 minutes may also include rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, which enhances creative thinking and boosts sensory processing.
- Limit your nap to 45 minutes or less, if you need to spring into action after dozing. Otherwise, you may drift into slow-wave sleep. Waking from this stage results in sleep inertia, that grogginess and disorientation that can last for half an hour or more.
- However, if you want a long nap, nap at least 90 minutes. Many of us get about an hour to an hour-and-a-half less sleep a night than we need.
How about you, do you nap?
