The Spaniards are on to something with that whole siesta thing.
Seriously, who doesn’t love a good nap? OK, maybe a 3-year-old.
But we adults long ago realized that napping was a gift we just didn’t appreciate during childhood.
Whether you’re lounging in the backyard hammock or snuggled in bed for a mid-afternoon snooze, it’s undeniably a delightful pastime.
But waking up groggy to a laundry list of errands or with just a few minutes to make that next appointment can be brutal. And nobody loves bedtime insomnia due to an earlier napping indulgence.
We’ve all been there—you know that lagging, I-just-want-to-stay-asleep-I-hate-my-life feeling. It passes, but it’d be great if we could snag the benefits of napping without it.
Well, turns out siestas are both a science and an art, and knowing when and how long to snooze can vastly improve your napping experience.
Here are some napping tips from an expert in the Wall Street Journal:
- Don’t take naps after 4 p.m. (1-4 p.m. is best) to avoid messing with your nighttime sleep schedule.
- The Power Nap works! Falling asleep for 10-20 minutes will improve your alertness and energy, and because you’re only entering the non-REM part of the sleep cycle, it isn’t that hard to wake up.
- Too much & not enough: A 30-minute nap will take you into a deeper sleep and leave you feeling groggy for quite a while after you wake.
- A 1-hour nap is perfect if you want better recall of facts, names and faces. You may feel a bit groggy when you wake but the feeling will go away.
- Want to get really inspired? Snoozing for about 90 minutes takes you through the full sleep cycle and means better emotional and procedural memory, as well as creativity.
We hope this helps you get the most out of afternoon snoozing!
And for those who are practically drooling for a nap right now but feel guilty taking one, don’t.
Research shows that naps benefit physical and emotional health and cognitive function in adults and youngsters alike. So stop yawning and hit the hay, even if it’s just for 10 minutes.
Sleep tight, Urbanites!