Napping: What is it Good For?

I think yesterday was the first time since college that I actually made time for a short nap in the late afternoon. It was a tough day at the office with three meetings throughout the day and too many tasks to count, so it just made sense to come home and snooze. I wasn’t sure if I’d wake up feeling more exhausted or more awake, and I’m pleased to tell you that I woke up feeling absolutely refreshed. I even had enough energy to go to the gym, wash the dishes and get my food ready for today. I’d forgotten how good it felt to nap, but you better believe I’ll be doing it a lot more often from now on!

Do you feel sleepy at times during the day even though you had plenty of sleep through the night? That’s totally okay! It probably means you should lie down for a quick power nap.

At Rice Psychology Group, we understand that napping has a bit of a negative stigma associated with it. If you nap, people might think that you’re lazy, have trouble sleeping at regular hours or are depressed. You may be surprised to learn that napping is normal and even a beneficial activity that you can feel free to thoroughly enjoy. Why? Our team of psychologists has the information you’re looking for!

Taking a brief rest break and even a short nap is a great way to rest both your body and mind. Contact us today for more info on helping yourself relax.

 

Absolutely Everything

The National Sleep Foundation considers naps as “mini-vacations” that can be extremely relaxing. Share on X

As you know, sleep in general comes with plenty of benefits that can include protection against heart disease, helping you to lose weight and even aid in memory. Also, napping comes with a slew of its own advantages:

• Improves Attentiveness: According to Harvard Men’s Health Watch, just 20 minutes of napping can increase alertness in individuals.
• Improves Learning and Memory: If it’s possible to take hour-long to 90-minute-long naps, you may find your mental exhaustion disappearing. Sure, longer naps may mean feeling groggier, but they will have longer brain benefits.
• Creativity Boosts: Ever feel a new burst of ideas or solutions to problems after taking a nap? Research has found that naps increase activity in the brain’s right hemisphere, an area associated with creativity.
• Productivity Boosts: According to sleep researcher Sara Mednick, a short power nap can actually increase and improve your work output.
• Higher Spirits: Chances are that you already knew naps tend to boost your spirits. Go ahead and snooze if you want to wake up feeling just a bit more cheerful than before.
• Stress No More: The National Sleep Foundation considers naps as “mini-vacations” that can be extremely relaxing. In fact, even if you don’t sleep, the mere action of resting in bed can be beneficial.

Get Napping

A 20- to 30-minute nap can help improve your alertness! Share on X

Napping can generally be classed into three different types: planned napping, emergency napping and habitual napping. Planned napping allows you to avoid getting tired early, emergency napping helps you rest when you can no longer continue an activity and habitual napping is a regularly scheduled nap. If you tend to have trouble napping, here are some simple tips to follow:

• Environments can affect your sleep, so choose a relaxing place to nap that has the right temperature, lighting and minimal noise.
• Napping later in the day can affect your actual sleep pattern, so do it carefully.
• Don’t know how long your nap should be? A 20- to 30-minute nap can help improve your alertness!

Napping later in the day can affect your actual sleep pattern, so do it carefully. Share on X

Here When You Need Us

If you’re feeling exhausted or have trouble sleeping, there may be a deeper issue lingering. If this is the case, know that Rice Psychology Group is always ready to help. Our psychologists in Tampa will work hard to help you find the best answers to your questions. For more information, visit us in Tampa today.