Many people have the habit of taking a nap at noon, and feel that they are more energetic to work and go to class in the afternoon after taking a nap, but there are fewer such habits abroad, so is napping good for health?
1. Nap time is recommended
It is generally believed that a nap of 30-0 minutes is the appropriate duration. This period of napping is known as the "rapid recovery period", which can help the brain quickly recover energy and improve the efficiency of work and study in the afternoon. A short nap can also effectively relieve eye fatigue and protect eyesight. This length of napping does not cause the body to fall into a deep sleep, thus avoiding the feeling of exhaustion and "sleep inertia" after waking up.
2. The drawbacks of taking too long a nap
Sometimes I catch up on sleep on weekend afternoons, and I wake up feeling a little dizzy after sleeping for too long, which also means that the longer the nap time, the better. If you take a nap for too long, such as more than an hour, you may fall into a deep sleep. At this time, both the brain and the body go through a relatively complete sleep cycle, including the onset of sleep, light sleep, deep sleep, and rapid eye movement. Waking up after a deep sleep can easily lead to a slowdown in body metabolism and blood circulation, which can make people feel confused and even affect the quality of sleep at night. So it is advisable to avoid long naps.
Of course, everyone's needs for sleep duration are different, and the optimal nap time is not set in stone, but will be affected by the individual's physique, sleep habits, and the physical state of the day. If you have trouble falling asleep for a short period of time, or if you still feel tired after waking up, you can adjust the nap length appropriately. Maintaining a regular nap habit helps the body form a biological clock and improves the rest efficiency of napping.
However, for people who are prone to insomnia at night, they should try to avoid napping to avoid aggravating insomnia symptoms.
1. Improve productivity
After a busy morning, both the brain and the body need a short break to recuperate. After a short nap, people are often able to focus more on their work, improve the quality of task completion, and improve the efficiency of work and study in the afternoon.
2. Regulate emotions
Napping relieves tension and reduces psychological stress. In the fast-paced work and study life, napping can help the brain and body relax, release tension, and make people feel happy and relaxed. This is very beneficial for maintaining mental health and balancing emotions.
3. Enhances memory
Napping helps consolidate memories and convert short-term memories into long-term ones. For students and those who need to keep learning new knowledge, napping is a rare "memory gas station". After taking a nap, you can better absorb and digest new knowledge and improve your learning efficiency.
1. Caution nap posture
Choose a comfortable position when taking a nap, and it is recommended to sleep lying down if possible. If you don't have the conditions, you can sit on a chair or sleep against the wall, and you can prepare a U-shaped pillow to relieve the pressure on your neck. It is not recommended to sleep on the stomach, as it is easy to compress the chest and arms, affecting blood circulation and breathing.
2. Take a walk after lunch
It is not recommended to take a nap immediately after eating at noon, you need to wait for a period of time for the food to digest, at this time the stomach and intestines are still in motion, and the horse's nap will affect normal digestion and may cause discomfort such as acid reflux. You can take a walk for 30-0 minutes after eating to help digestion.
3. Recovery after waking up
Don't go to work or study immediately after waking up, sit for a while and stretch to allow your body to gradually adjust to the change from sleep to wakefulness. You can drink some water in moderation to replenish the water that your body loses during sleep.
Napping is a simple and effective healthy habit that we can make the most of to rejuvenate our energy, work efficiency, and quality of life. Give yourself a short lunch break to give your body and brain plenty of rest and recovery.