This year National Napping Day falls on March 13, and is a day after Daylight Savings. In honor of National Napping Day, we compiled a list of several health benefits of napping.
- Sleep can restore alertness, enhance performance, improve reaction times, and increases productivity, according to the Journal of Sleep Research.
- Naps can also fend off heart disease. A study performed by the Harvard School of Public Health indicated that napping cuts deaths from heart disease down by as much as 37 percent.
- Napping can affect emotion regulation, increase positivity, and improve immune function, according to Science Direct.
- Also, catching a few extra Z’s can help you lose weight by altering your metabolism and shifting chemicals that affect appetite. Lack of sleep is known to produce the ghrelin hormone, which makes us want to eat more.
Do you find that it can be difficult to take a nap? View our recipe for a perfect nap below:
- Keep your naps short. All you need is 30 minutes; if you nap longer you may feel groggy.
- Drink a cup of coffee before you nap. According to sleep specialists, a nap-a-latte can be your solution to not oversleeping, which consists of drinking a small cup of coffee before a nap. It takes approximately 20 to 25 minutes for caffeine to hit your system, which will wake you up, leaving you recharged for at least four hours. Worried about all of the extra calories then try our decaf coffee.
- Get comfortable. Make sure your napping environment isn’t too noisy and your thermostat is set to a comfortable room temperature setting.
Happy napping!
This information is for educational purposes only. It is not intended to be an exhaustive examination of the subject matter nor a substitute for medical advice. Always consult your primary care physician or healthcare provider before beginning any diet or exercise program.