Afternoon Naps: Are You Doing It The Right Way?

Do you take afternoon naps and wonder if you are doing it the right way? Is your sleep routine a healthy way to live? Read more to find out the answers to healthy sleep hygiene.

Highlights:

An adult may feel the need to take an afternoon nap due to an involuntary natural dip in the circadian rhythm of the body
Afternoon naps have several systemic advantages and help individuals have better mental, physical and emotional health
Associated symptoms of psychological stress, such as the need to take frequent naps and excessive daytime sleepiness warrant medical consultation

A nap is a brief period of sleep that occurs during the late morning or afternoon. Several individuals enjoy an afternoon nap as a means of relaxation, to overcome fatigue, and to maintain their alertness at work. Knowing the risks and benefits of the same may help one achieve a better sleep routine and a healthier life.

Sleep occurs in a series of stages that make up the sleep cycle.

Stage 1: It is the briefest stage, lasting only one to seven minutes
Stage 2: During this stage, the body’s muscles relax and functions slow down. It lasts for about 10 to 25 minutes
Stage 3: It is a deeper stage of sleep, and it can be difficult to wake up while in this stage. It lasts between 20 and 40 minutes
Rapid eye movement (REM): This is the deepest stage of sleep. The body muscles are relaxed, and the eyes move quickly under closed eyelids. This is the stage where dreaming takes place

During sleep, the body cycles through these stages several times. However, during a short nap, this cycling is not possible ().

Sleep - Overview and Definition
Sleep is a behavioral state of restricted physical activity. It is controlled by our internal biological clock.

‘Afternoon naps, if done the right way, have several benefits and can enhance the productivity of an individual. It has been linked to a decreased risk of several diseases and contributes to a healthier way of life. #AfternoonNaps’

Causes of Daytime Sleepiness

The body follows a circadian rhythm in 24 hours and it is during the night followed by the afternoon when the natural circadian rhythm dips leading to sleepiness and the urge to fall asleep (). Apart from the physiological causes, adults with psychiatric disorders, depression, medication/drug history and sleep deprivation also experience excessive day time sleepiness and need to consult their physician for the same.

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Advantages and Disadvantages of Taking an Afternoon Nap

Advantages

Afternoon naps enhance mood, relax the mind and reduce fatigability
It stimulates creativity and improves cognitive performance
It improves alertness, leads to quicker response time and improves memory (3^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Association of napping with incident cardiovascular events in a prospective cohort study

Go to source)
It also reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases like hearth attacks, heart diseases and stroke

Disadvantages

Afternoon naps may lead to sleep disturbance in the night time
Sleep dormancy: It refers to inability to perform skillful work after a period of long nap. Excessive sleep can lead to prolonged period of laziness and sleepiness

Epworth Sleepiness Scale
Measure your daytime sleepiness using this simple interactive tool, based on Epworth Sleepiness disorder Scale. Excessive Daytime Sleepiness is a type of hypersomnia characterized by persistent sleepiness and lack of energy.

What is The Right Way of Taking an Afternoon Nap?

Afternoon naps can be beneficial if exercised in a comfortable environment, away from excessive light and distractions
The naps should be pre-scheduled in early afternoon at least 8 hours before routine bed time
Naps should be not more than 30 minutes in duration and an alarm should be set prior to avoid prolongation of the same and disturbance of the sleep wake cycle
Consider taking caffeine before taking a nap. By the time caffeine acts which is usually around 20- 30 minutes, the individual wakes up feeling much more alert

Afternoon naps can be beneficial if exercised the right way. It’s your sleep hygiene and routine that determines your path to a healthier and disease free life.

References:

Napping: Benefits and Tips - (https://www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-hygiene/napping)
What Are Sleep Deprivation and Deficiency? - (https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/sleep-deprivation)
Association of napping with incident cardiovascular events in a prospective cohort study - (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31501230/)

Source-Medindia

The Pros and Cons of Afternoon Naps
New study suggests that afternoon sleep may make you mentally sharper if you’re over age 60.